2018 is fading into the rear-view mirror, but the 22nd First Defenders Campaign is only halfway complete. As we move into 2019, the next program for the First Defenders Civil War Round Table is scheduled for Tuesday, January 8th, at the Inn at Reading. Vice President Mark Quattrock will present a program on “The U.S....
The following story was first reported by the Associated Press, and is posted here verbatim and with full attribution. ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — When Paul Davis heard earlier this year that the complete remains of two Civil War soldiers had been uncovered recently at Manassas National Battlefield, mixed among severed limbs in a surgeon’s pit,...
The 22nd Campaign of the First Defenders Civil War Round Table is set to begin with its first program on Tuesday September 11th. Check out “Events” for program details featuring one of our most popular speakers, Chris Mackowski. The First Defenders will be returning to the Inn at Reading again this year, and the Inn...
The First Defenders Civil War Round Table and the Berks History Center are excited to announce their joint “Stroll Through History” tours of the historic Charles Evans Cemetery on Saturday, September 15th. Charles Evans Cemetery was founded in 1846 by its namesake, Charles Evans, a prominent local lawyer and philanthropist who desired to establish a...
April 28th dawned as a cool, promising spring day for Past President Joe Schaeffer leading 23 First Defenders on the second “Joe’s Jaunt.” The destination was the Montgomery Cemetery in nearby Norristown, the final resting place of four Union generals. The cemetery, located on a bluff above the Schuylkill River, had fallen into disrepair and...
All First Defenders know the Round Table’s long and proud history of conducting book raffles to benefit preservation work. These raffles have been supported by the generous donations of members and friends. Now, in an effort to keep the growing book inventory under control, to provide members with an opportunity to acquire quality books and...
It has often been said, tongue-in-cheek, the Central Intelligence Agency is a contradiction in terms. But, although is current-day activities are often veiled in secrecy, the CIA has recently turned out an interesting paper called Intelligence in the Civil War. This is a (comparatively) short overview, but the subject has been one of increased interest over...
The Hershey Civil War Round Table has passed along the sad information of the death of Edward H. Bonekemper, III, who died in Lancaster in December following a brief illness. Bonekemper presented a program based on his book The Myth of the Lost Cause which presented a compelling argument to contradict the romantic and still-cherished Southern...
