The Round Table And Battlefield Preservation

Wow, sorry for the delay between posts! Busy, busy, busy!
Last night I attended the monthly meeting of the San Diego Civil War Roundtable, and what a treat it was; not least because The Jess was at my side. The lecture had a nautical theme, so my wife was totally into it. We heard a fantastic lecture by one of the members on the battle between the USS Kearsarge and the CSS Alabama off the coast of Cherbourg, France on July 19, 1864.
Our lecturer didn't just dryly recite the facts of the battle and persons involved; he had a fascinating take on this sea battle as a classic duel. There was the challenge issued by Alabama to the Kearsarge as the Kearsarge lurked offshore. There were the seconds (French ships) standing by to ensure the fight took place in international waters, and there was the British ship standing by to aid the injured and rescue survivors. An excellent and unique spin on this well-studied battle.
Before we got to the discussion, there was a discussion about issues pertinent to the group: lectures, upcoming talks (including mine in October, which will be blogged about in detail in the near future), and battlefield preservation. This is a large component of what the SDCWRT is about, as all funds raised through raffles, membership, and book sales go to the Civil War Preservation Trust. Last year alone, we donated over $2000 to help with this worthy endeavor.
I learned earlier today about a threat that will certainly be discussed at the next Round Table, and that is the news of a proposed Wal-Mart Superstore on the Wilderness and Chancellorsville battlefields in Virginia. Thanks to Eric Wittenberg at civilwarcavalry.com for the info!
I will hold my tongue on my opinions of Wal-Mart here, but I am most resolutely in favor of protecting these battlefields! For one, I have not yet been able to visit them (they share large portions of the same ground, Chancellorsville taking place in May 1863, the Wilderness occurring one year later, almost to the day) and they are a priority for when The Jess and I sojourn east. Second, Gordon Rhea's incredible series of books on The Battle of the Wilderness and the Overland Campaign helped re-launch my interest in the Civil War several years ago. Lastly and most importantly, this is land made sacred by the tens of thousands of men who died on that ground, many of whom are still buried there.
In California, we don't have any Civil War battlefields, so it's easy to feel a bit detached; however, it is vital to remember that once these lands are paved over and defiled by golden arches or megamalls, they're gone. Please take some time and decide if this is an issue that might strike your interest, and keep in mind that these parks are always free to anyone who wishes to visit. I'll close by providing a National Park Service link to the Wilderness.

Virtual Book Signings!

I can't believe that I completely forgot to blog about this most wonderful find, virtualbooksigning.net! This is an absolute treat of a website that I discovered a few months ago, to my great and everlasting joy! Sponsored by the Abraham Lincoln Bookshop in Chicago, this website hosts online author interviews and book signings of recently published volumes on Civil War topics.
"Why so great?" you may ask. Well, living on the Left Coast, there is a notable discrepancy in all things Civil War-related as compared to the East Coast and Midwest. While we do have at least one pre-eminent ACW scholar in our midst (Dr. Joan Waugh at UCLA, my college professor, thank you very much) the bulk of ACW scholarship and discussion does not spring from the west. Thus, virtualbooksigning puts us Cali-based scholars in touch with the newest and brightest in ACW publishing and learning.
The website allows you to log on and stream live interviews in real-time, all you have to do is join when the interview is taking place. You can buy the book if you like and get it signed by the author, even watch the author do it. You can submit questions and have them answered a few minutes later. Seriously, it's really fantastic.
I first ran across it a few months ago and, as luck would have it, Gary Gallagher was just sitting down to discuss his new book "For Cause and Comrades". I got to watch the interview and submit a few questions, which was a total hoot, and a few weeks later, my signed copy arrived in the mail.
If you miss the live webcast, there is a fantastic archive available stretching back a few years, so all you need to do is click on who you'd like to hear and BANG! you're watching Gordon Rhea or Brad Gottfried. Don't forget to check out who's coming up: Peter Cozzens, one of the nation's leading authors on the war in the Western theater, and Pulitzer Prize winner James McPherson.
Yes, I'll be watching both of those with rapt attention.
After you've had your fill listening to some of the foremost authors out there, you can browse the bookshelves of the store, though I warn you, unless you've got some serious wallet, you'll be hanging with me at the window looking in.
I have no association with either the Abraham Lincoln Boostore or virtualbooksigning.net beyond thinking they're both absolute treasures and deserve whatever publicity they receive. Even if you just have a passing interest in Civil War writing and study, you should tune in once or twice; nothing will get you more fired up about a topic than watching a leading expert break down their research and publications and interacting with them, even if you live thousands of miles away.

Federal Apology For Slavery Update

If you recall, we discussed the subject of H.Res 194, a resolution from the House of Representatives which would be the first federal apology for slavery, in a previous post.
Turns out, the day after my post, the bill passed the House by voice vote. Here is a link to the Washington Post story dated July 30th, 2008

A Tradition Of Cupping Is Born!

Saturday was a landmark day in the world of coffee tasting in San Diego, at least for myself, The Jess, and a cache of friends, as we came together for my first hosted coffee cupping.
I got started with the preparation several days prior and roasted my little heart out. There were 5 varietals to choose from, delivered by the good people at Sweet Maria's, and I wanted each one to have at least a day or two to mature prior to tasting. For fun, I made the choice to roast each bean approximately the same amount and didn't pay attention to the notes from Sweet Maria's. I went with a Full City roast on each one, with very interesting results.
The varietals were as follows:
Guatemala Organic Finca Ceylan Maragogype
El Salvador Matapala Estate Peaberry
Brazil Cachoeira "Canario Bourbon"
Rwanda Gkongoro Nyarusiza
A Kenyan bean who's name is unfortunately lost to history (I already tossed the bag into the recycling bin)
Given the number of coffee enthusiasts who were joining us, I wanted to ensure that there were plenty of cups to sample from, so I roasted enough for three cups of each bean. Having read a few websites about how to host a cupping, I had to make a few executive decisions about getting the house ready. My concept of getting ready was making sure there were enough cups, and snacks, as well as cleaning up a bit. I did not; however, subscribe to some of the more bizarre rules that are out there (imagine me ever being able to follow a No Talking rule)!
As a reminder, there are four steps to a cupping:
1. the dry smell: dry grounds (a coarse grind is employed) in the cup are inhaled using both mouth and nose
2. the wet smell: coffee is poured over the grounds, and the steam is inhaled
3. breaking the crust: the layer of grounds on top of the mug is broken with a spoon after 4 minutes of brewing, with inhalation taking place at the moment the spoon breaks the surface
4. tasting: after lifting off the grounds on the surface, a spoon is dipped into the coffee, and slurped up. The slurp is key, because it aerates the coffee and sprays it all over the mouth, palate, and posterior pharynx. The grounds are then spat into a cup (none of us had a spittoon)
Here are some photos from the event, taken by, of course, The Jess!

This was a really fun morning and a truly novel experience. I know you're wondering, and the consensus favorites were Rwanda and El Salvador. The next time we do this, I think I'm going to pick two or three varietals and roast them to different ends of the flavor spectrum. That'll be in the near-future, but for now, stay tuned for more pics and hopefully some fun comments from the esteemed participants:
The Tipsy Historian
The Jess
Captain Sizzle
The Amusing San Diegan
Mr. Triathlon
Femme Futbol
Mr. Handsome
Mr. Handsome's Master
Escuela
Leblon Fan
Prince Donut
Princess Donut
Giggles
(there is an appeals process if you want to change your nickname)

A Sad Passing At Gettysburg

At the Gettysburg battlefield, there are a handful of what are known as "witness trees", arborial eyes that saw the fighting that occurred 145 years ago. Unfortunately, one of those trees has been lost in a recent storm. Please click here to read more.

Newsweek And The Civil War

As we've continued our study of the Lost Cause and Civil War memory, I've tried to intermittently tie in current events and thinking to illustrate the importance of a sound understanding of Civil War history both as it happened and how it is remembered, with the point being the two are not always the same. From the Confederate flag (made in China, by the way) raising in Tampa to Sen. Jim Webb's statements about Robert E. Lee, there are still tangible ties between events today and how we think about and remember the past.
Today I got another stark reminder of this when I picked up the new issue of Newsweek magazine. On the cover is an antebellum plantation home with the title "The End of the South: How Obama vs. McCain is Unsettling the Old Confederacy". The piece is written by Christopher Dickey, who apparently grew up in Atlanta, and is a narrative of his canvassing across the South.
Of course everything is anecdotal only, but it is a tremendous eye-opener for this Norcal native and Socal dweller (though I did spend 4 years in Houston for graduate school). The rippling after-effects of the Civil War course through nearly every paragraph, be it in terms of race relations, battle reenactments, or thoughts about a liberal from Illinois running for President.
If you recall, I recently reviewed "Ghosts of the Confederacy" by Gaines Foster, which was his exploration of the rise of the New South in lockstep with the Lost Cause mythology. This article today is an, albeit short, discussion of how the two have moved apart over the past few decades.
We are all inundated with election year analysis and punditry, but I found this piece to be both cogent and unique; certainly a fascinating discussion both for the political scientist and the Civil War enthusiast.

The Beer Shandy

It's hot in San Diego right now, so the quest for refreshing and inexpensive beverages is at its apex. I had been one of the rare people who does not find beer to be a suitable drink for a hot day until I perfected The Beer Shandy
This is a drink that my parents used to enjoy both at home and on visits to their home country of South Africa, and is a simple blend of beer and ginger ale. Well, simple on the surface at least. I've been fumbling through various beers, various ginger ales, and a mixture of glasses to find the right mix.
The basic ingredient is of course, the beer. Because we're looking for a light, crisp base for maximal refreshment, the lager beer in all of its varieties is a good choice. The Jess and I experimented with several choices, but couldn't find the right choice. The answer ended up coming from a most unexpected place; the back of the fridge. There rested two cans of Heineken, a beer that The Jess doesn't really care for at all.
Given that we were hot and thirsty, I figured I'd give it a try. We had long ago selected the ginger ale of choice; Schweppes. This one has just the right mix of spicy and sweet, as well as not too much carbonation. Now we needed the glass.
One of the best and most elegant glasses I have in the bar is a set of pilsner glasses. Long and inviting, they show off the beverage so well, and the tapered base is just perfect to hold. So now these three disparate items came together, and the beer shandy was perfected.

The Beer Shandy
1 12 oz can Heineken beer
1 10oz bottle Schweppes ginger ale
pilsner glasses

First, it goes without saying that the beer and ginger ale must be cold from the fridge. Pour 6 oz of beer into a tilted glass to minimize head formation. Add 5 oz ginger ale, again tilting the glass to allow the ginger ale and beer to intercalate.
Drink and be refreshed