Llincoln-Cushing Camp, SUVCW, Winter 2013 Web (2) Rev

Brother Lee Stone, PDC Awarded the Meritorious Service Award with Gold Star at National EncampmentAt the 2013 National Encampment held in August, CinC Perley Mellor awarded Lincoln-Cushing Brother Lee Stone the Meritorious Service Award with Gold Star, the highest

award given for lifetime service to the Order. Qualifications for the award state that it honors brothers who “served the Order for an extended period of time in an outstand-ing and exemplary manner.” Congratulations Brother Stone, no one is more deserving.

At the Encampment, Brother Ken Freshley was elected the new CinC, Brother Tad Camp-bell, SVCinC, and Brother Eugene Martorff as new JVCinC. Congratulations to all.

The Department of Chesapeake was also se-lected to host the 2015 National Encampment in Richmond, Virginia.

LincoLn-cushing camp no. 2, sons of the union Veterans of the ciViL War

the neWs WaLkerVoLume 15, number 4 Winter edition 2013

Inside This Issue

C a l e n d a r f o r t h e Y e a r 2 0 1 3

23 November Remembrance Day Parade & Ceremony Various Gettysburg, PA7 December Lincoln-Cushing Camp Meeting 1130-1430 Dubliner Restaurant

2 Three New Brothers Inducted in September

3 Tour of Loudoun County Brings History Alive

4 Second Annual Camp Picnic at Fort Ward Park

5 Brief History of Lincoln- Cushing Camp No. 2

8 Winter Reading Civil War Book Reviews

Pl e a s e m ark t h e s e d ate s on you r c a l en d ar

DATE EVENT TIME LOCATION

CinC Perley Mellor awards Lincoln - Cushing Brother Lee Stone the Meritorious Service Award with Gold Star

Volunteering and its Surprising BenefitsWith busy lives, it can be hard to find time to volun-teer. However, the benefits of volunteering are enor-mous to you, your family, and your community. The right match can help you find friends, reach out to the community, learn new skills, and even advance your career. Volunteering can also help protect your mental and physical health.

Benefits of volunteering One of the better-known benefits of volunteering is the impact on the community. Unpaid volunteers are often the glue that holds a (Continued on Page 6)

38th Commander, Charles “Ben” Hawley

F r o M T h E C o M M A N D E r

Charles“Ben”hawley

the neWs WaLker page 2

Camp Website : www.l incolncushing.org

Three New BrothersInducted at September Camp MeetingNext Camp Meeting 7 December, Dubliner Restaurant

The first camp meeting held at the Dubliner Restaurant drew a full house and was highlighted by the induction of Brothers Thomas A. Bowers, William H. Huff, IV, and Brent G. Stewart. Depart-ment Commander Mark Day and Department Senior Vice Commander Rob Pollock, along with our guest speaker Susan Cumbey, joined the broth-ers of Lincoln-Cushing for a productive meeting addressing camp business. The meeting also included a thought provoking presentation on Civil War battlefield art by Ms. Cumbey. Camp Commander Ben Hawley made a special appeal to brothers to volunteer for one of three open camp positions. The open positions are Patriotic Instructor, Assistant Treasurer/Secretary, and Flag Bearer. Any brothers interested in one of these positions should contact Commander Hawley at [email protected].

Our next camp meeting will take place on 7 December, 11:30 am at the Dubliner Restaurant on Capitol Hill, 4 F Street, NW. This is our election meeting where our officers for 2014 will be selected. Please note our RSVP deadline of 30 November. See the back page of this newsletter for the reservation form.

New brothers take the oath as Brother Lee Stone, PDC and Department Commander Mark Day look on

New Brothers Brent G. Stewart, William H. Huff IV, Thomas A. Bowers

Brothers take care of business at the September meeting at Dubliner Restaurant


Join SUVCW: http : / /suvc w.org/member.htm

Lincoln-Cushing Camp Tour of Loudoun County Brings history AliveOn Saturday, October 19, Brother PDC Lee Stone led a small band of brothers on an exploration of the late June 1863 cavalry battles of Aldie, Middleburg, and Upperville, Virginia. Brothers Bob Stine, John Crook, and Dick Griffin enjoyed Brother Lee’s in-depth analysis of the battles, the decisions of the commanders, and the geography that helped shape the outcome. The tour concluded with an enjoyable lunch at Hunter’s Head Tavern in Upperville.

After the Battle of Brandy Sta-tion in early June, General R. E. Lee had his army on the move, and Ma-jor General Joe Hooker wanted to find out what the Army of Northern Virginia was up to. Accordingly, Hooker issued plain and clear orders to Briga-dier General Pleasonton, the commander of the Army of the Potomac’s cav-alry, to punch through any Confederate screen he might encounter and discover where Lee’s army was and what it was doing. On the Confederate side, Lee issued equally clear orders to the commander of his cavalry, Major General J. E. B. Stuart to prevent the Federals from doing so.

What ensued was the series of see-saw battles, named above, in which Stuart’s cavalry traded space for time, as it battled the aggressive and persistent Federal cavalry’s attacks. In the event, Stuart’s grey-clad troopers successfully fulfilled their

mission and the location and movements of the Army of Northern Virginia remained a mystery to the upper echelons of the Federal army.

The tour was so successful that brothers agreed that we should make the staff ride an annual Lincoln-Cushing Camp tradition. Please send any ideas for future staff rides to Brother Dick Griffin at: [email protected].

In Fraternity, Charity, and Loyalty,Dick Griffin, CSVC

PDC Stone explains a fine point of the 1st Mass Cavalry’s fight on the Snickersville Turnpike to Brother John Crook.

Brother Bob Stine views the 1st Mass Cavalry’s monument at the site of their fight on the Snickersville Pike.

Brothers Stine, Stone, and Crook on the Goose Creek Bridge, where Gregg’s troopers tried to punch through Stuart’s position.

Brother Lee explains the action at the site of Buford’s actionon Trappe Road



Brothers Enjoy Second Annual Camp Picnic at Fort Ward Park



A Brief history of Lincoln-Cushing Camp No. 2

The Lincoln-Cushing Camp No.2 was chartered in Washington, DC on 22 February,

1961, resulting from the merger of the Abraham Lincoln Camp No. 2, founded 9 February, 1887

and the CDR. William B. Cushing Camp No. 30, founded 1 December, 1891.

Lincoln-Cushing’s first camp commander of was Maj. General Ulysses S. Grant III, grandson of Union Army Commander and 18th President, U. S. Grant. U. S. Grant III was also Commander-in-Chief of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War for two terms (1953-55), as well as Commander-in-Chief of the MOLLUS (1957).

As equally interesting is the camp association with another descendant of a Civil War hero. When Lincoln-Cushing was charted in 1961, the very first brother

to sign the charter was Robert Todd Lincoln Beckwith. Brother Beckwith, who passed away in 1985, was the son of Warren Beckwith and Jessie Harlan Lincoln

(granddaughter of President Lincoln and daughter of Robert Todd Lincoln). Brother Beckwith was the last remaining descendant of Abraham Lincoln.

Robert Todd Lincoln Beckwith

President Abraham Lincoln CDR. William B. Cushing

Maj. General Ulysses S. Grant III

To All of Those Who ServedTHANK YOU!

Happy Veterans Day!



Volunteering and its Surprising Benefits (Continued from Page 1)

community together. Volunteering allows you to connect to your community and make it a better place. However, volunteering is a two-way street, and it can benefit you and your family as much as the cause you choose to help. Dedicating your time as a volunteer helps you make new friends, expand your network, and boost your social skills.

Volunteering helps you make new friends and contactsOne of the best ways to make new friends and strengthen exist-ing relationships is to commit to a shared activity together. Vol-unteering is a great way to meet new people, especially if you are new to an area. Volunteering also strengthens your ties to the community and broadens your support network, exposing you to people with common interests, neighborhood resources, and fun and fulfilling activities.

Volunteering increases your social and relationship skillsWhile some people are naturally outgoing, others are shy and have a hard time meeting new people. Volunteering gives you the op-portunity to practice and develop your social skills, since you are meeting regularly with a group of people with common interests. Once you have momentum, it’s easier to branch out and make more friends and contacts.

Volunteering is good for your mind and bodyVolunteering provides many ben-efits to both mental and physical health. Volunteering increases self-confidence. Volunteering can provide a healthy boost to your self-confidence, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. You are doing

something good for others and the community, which provides a natural sense of accomplishment. Your role as a volunteer can also give you a sense of pride and identity. And the better you feel about yourself, the more likely you are to have a positive view of your life and future goals.

Volunteering helps you stay physically healthy. Volunteering is good for your health at any age, but it’s especial-ly beneficial in older adults. Stud-ies have found that those who volunteer have a lower mortality rate than those who do not, even when considering factors like the health of the participants. Volun-teering has also been shown to lessen symptoms of chronic pain or heart disease.

The happiness effectHelping others kindles happiness, as many studies have demon-strated. When researchers at the London School of Economics examined the relationship be-tween volunteering and measures of happiness in a large group of American adults, they found the more people volunteered, the happier they were, according to a study in Social Science and Medicine. Compared with people who never volunteered the odds of being “very happy” rose 7%

among those who volunteer monthly and 12% for people who volunteer every two to four weeks. Among weekly volunteers, 16% felt very happy—a hike in happiness comparable to having an income of $75,000–$100,000 versus $20,000, say the research-ers. Giving time to religious orga-nizations had the greatest impact.

Volunteering can teach you valuable skillsVolunteering can also help you build upon skills you already have and use them to benefit the greater community. For instance, if you hold a successful sales position, you raise awareness for your favorite cause as a volunteer advocate, while further develop-ing and improving your public speaking, communication, and marketing skills.

When it comes to volunteering, passion and positivity are the only requirementsWhile learning new skills can be beneficial to many, it’s not a requirement for a fulfilling vol-unteer experience. Bear in mind that the most valuable skills you can bring to any volunteer effort are compassion, an open mind, a willingness to do whatever is needed, and a positive attitude.

(Continued on Page 7)



Volunteering brings fun and fulfillment to your life Volunteering is a fun and easy way to explore your interests and passions. Doing volunteer work you find meaningful and interesting can be a relaxing, energizing escape from your day-to-day routine of work, school, or family commitments. Volun-teering also provides you with renewed creativity, motivation, and vision that can carry over into your personal and professional life.

Volunteering with the Lincoln-Cushing CampOur camp has a variety of volunteer opportunities. The many opportunities can be a learning experi-ence as well as a chance to enjoy camaraderie with

colleagues with an interest in the Civil War.

Right now Lincoln-Cushing Camp is in need of volunteers for the following camp positions:

•PatrioticInstructor, •AssistantSecretary/Treasurer,and •ColorBearer

This is a great way to get involved in your camp and enjoy all the benefits of giving your time to a worthy cause.

Please contact me at [email protected] to find out more about these important positions.

Volunteering and its Surprising Benefits (Continued from Page 6)

Attire: Business or SVr Uniform Cost for the meal is $28 per person.

Checks should be made out to Lincoln-Cushing Camp 2 and sent to Secretary/Treasurer Lee Stone, PDC at the following address: Lee Stone, PDC 536 Wordsworth Circle Purcellville, VA 20132 Please mail your check in time to arrive by 30 November so that an accurate count can be given to the establishment. If you can’t get your check in by 30 November, please call Brother Lee at 540-338-5831 or 571-217-0160 and let him know that you plan to attend and bring your check with you. Please see the back page for the reservation form.

next camp meetingo F T h E L I N C o L N - C U S h I N G C A M P N o . 2

our next Lincoln-Cushing Camp meeting will be held at 11:30 am on 7 December,

at the Dubliner restaurant, 4 F Street NW, Capitol hill, Washington, DC.

This is our election meeting where camp officers will be selected for 2014. All members of the Camp, Auxiliary, and their guests are encouraged to attend.

We hope to see you there!



“Into” the Civil War? or Visiting Washington? You’ll want this bookTestament to Union: Civil War Monuments in Washington, D.C.by Kathryn Allamong JacobJohns Hopkins University Press, 1998 This fascinating and valuable book describes the 41 Civil War monuments in the District of Columbia, nearby Maryland, and northern Virginia -- the equestrian statues on Washington’s traffic circles, the “Emancipation” statue of Lincoln and a freed slave, Arlington Cemetery, the Lincoln Memorial, the “Arsenal Monument” to 21 women killed in 1864 while making cartridges for the Union Army, and many others. It’s both a guidebook and a history.

In each chapter, author Katherine Allamong Jacob covers the event or individual honored, the movement to erect a monument, the selection of a sculptor, design and con-struction, and the dedication ceremony. She introduces artists once widely known and honored -- Daniel Chester French, Felix de Weldon, Gutzon Borglum, Henry Merwin Shrady, and Vinnie Ream Hoxie among them -- to a new generation.

Considered together, the 41 chapters add up to a long essay on historical memory. “Statues were, and are, more than the sum of their metal and stone parts,” wrote Jacob in the introduction. “Public monuments yield cultural power. Each one carries a heavy load of invisible ideological bag-gage. Mundane as they may appear, ubiquitous as they may be, public monuments constitute serious cultural authority ... they impose a memory of an event or individual in the public landscape that orders our lives. These monuments confer a legitimacy upon the memory they embody.... And by imprinting one memory, they erase others.”

The Civil War was a defining event, breaking American history into a “before” and “after.” Every American needs to understand the war’s origins in slavery, expressed in sectionalism, and the political, economic, legal, and social dimensions of how the Union and the founding ideals of the nation were challenged by secession. Studying these monuments provides a lens.

Every American needs to understand the course of the war -- its events from Fort Sumter to Gettysburg to Ap-pomattox. It was noble and vile, the last of the old wars

and the first of the new. It chewed up lives on a scale unprecedented in history. It bought out the best and worst in men. These monu-ments can help visi-tors know more of the conflict.

And all Americans need to understand the war’s legacy -- the changes it worked in American history. This means Americans need to consider how the war has been remembered and interpreted. It is in this last area that this volume is so valuable. When most of the monuments were unveiled, for instance, the history of slavery, secession, and Jim Crow had been muted in a “lost cause” narrative. “Testament to Union” helps reveal the treatment of the war by subsequent generations.

In a book full of instructive stories, this reader’s favor-ite comes from Jacobs’ narrative of the dedication of the “Nuns of the Battlefield” monument, opposite St. Mathew’s Cathedral, in 1924, close to 60 years after the war ended.

“One of the first speakers noted the poignancy of the fact that so many years had elapsed before the sisters were hon-ored that not one who had nursed the Civil War soldiers remained to hear the tributes,” she wrote. “From out of the crowd of hundreds of nuns seated in front of the platform arose a ‘surviving nun of the battlefield,’ who ‘walked stooped and with head bowed up to the platform to thun-derous applause.’ After a hurried consultation, Archbishop Curley of Baltimore announced that the elderly nun was Sister Magdeline of the Sisters of Mercy. She received a long ovation.”

Oh, to have been there!

Winter reading

Reviewed by: Don Bishop



Packed with memory, emotion, and meaningThe Columbia Book of Civil War Poetry: From Whitman to WalcottRichard Marius and Keith Frome, editorsColumbia University Press, 1994 The scar of the Civil War seems mostly healed now, but memories of the pain linger, and shame, and inspire. We relive the war in films -- “Gone With the Wind,” say, or “Glory.” We still read novels of red badges and killer angels. Brady’s photos still take us to the battle-fields, though he arrived some hours after the worst carnage, usually. In the carte-de-visite photos of fore-bears and their brothers in the regiment, we look for -- ourselves. Paintings and dioramas capture the terror and bloodletting and nobility -- showing more of the latter than the former -- on the canvases. Though as the years pass we hear less often “The Battle Cry of Free-dom” or “Tenting To-night” or “The Vacant Chair,” the “Battle Hymn” still quickens our hearts. On Memo-rial Day and Dr. King’s Birthday, we remember the war’s legacy. Yet still we want “more,” for in the clash of blue and gray, the burnished rows of steel, and the buckets of blood and limbs in the surgeon’s tents, we ponder war and peace and equality and justice, for us and for humanity.

For some of that “more,” turn to this volume. From the time of the first battles, American poets wrote out their own images, their own stories, their own broken and divided hearts, their own horrors, in lines on the page. Here are the words of Melville and Whitman and Howe and Longfellow and Whittier, who saw the war

themselves. Here are Masters and Dunbar and War-ren and Lindsay and Sandburg and Hughes, who knew the war from hearing the stories, reading the tales, and feeling the heartbeats of their countrymen. This rich anthology runs back and forth in time, crosses the bro-ken terrain of emotions, reaches up Little Round Top and down into the crater, aches for the dreams of north and south (neither come true), and looks at the men at war and the monuments that honor them. Editors

Richard Marius and Keith Frome chose well.

Did you see the movie “Glory”? Test your literary grasp against the poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar, William Vaughn Moody, John Berryman, and Robert Lowell on the St. Gaudens monument on Boston Common. And contemplate what Will Henry Thomp-son meant, writing of Pickett’s charge at Get-tysburg, by the word “Glory.”

And if you’ve a mind to ponder Vietnam and Iraq and Afghanistan, read Canto VII of

William Vaughn Moody’s “Ode in Time of Hesitation” (1900), one of the poems inspired by Colonel Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Mas-sachusetts Volunteer Infantry. Do not “fluent men of place and consequence” still “intone their dull com-mercial liturgies”? And whose heart cannot jump when the words from Moody’s pen leap into our century -- “We are our fathers’ sons: let those who lead us know.”

Winter reading

Reviewed by: Don Bishop



Unique and quite readable, This book does not belong in any of the usual categories of Civil War booksCivil War Acoustic Shadowsby Charles D. RossShippensburg PA, White Mane Books: 2001 This book was written, not by a history professor, but by a physics professor (at Longwood University in Farmville, VA) who happens to have a great interest in Civil War history. Professor Ross has investigated the physics behind the phenomenon known as “acoustic shadow:” areas near a sound-producing event (such as a battle) where the sounds of that event, though very loud, cannot be heard by the human ear. In this book he uses that knowledge to explain some unusual events of the Civil War.

The Battle of Gaines Mill, on 27 June 1862, was the first battle in which Robert E. Lee commanded the Confederate army that he would lead for the rest of the war. The book begins with a well-documented episode during that battle, of individuals actually watching combat as it occurred, but being unable to hear the sounds emanating from that combat. Professor Ross adds some fascinating detail about the 19th-century state of scientific investigation and explanation of such events.

Chapter 2 of this book explains in terms at once scientific, and clear and simple enough for any non-physicist to understand, the physics of the human sense of hearing, and the causes of acoustic shadow. Professor Ross also addresses why such an event can sometimes be heard many miles away, though inaudible closer to the event.

Chapter 3 describes why, lacking radios, Civil War leaders relied on the sounds of battle in certain situations to make decisions or initiate actions. This of course implies, as Professor Ross states, that acoustic shadow might affect the progress or outcome of a battle in which it occurred.

Chapters 4-9 describe six battles in which acoustic shadow had or may have had an effect on the battle. In order of occurrence, they are: the Battles of Fort Donelson, Seven Pines, Iuka, Perryville, Chancellorsville, and Five Forks. In each chapter, Professor Ross indicates what role sound had in that battle, gives the evidence for acoustic shadow,

attempts to identify likely causes of acoustic shadow in that context, and explains its effect on the battle.

This book does not belong in any of the usual categories of Civil War books. Its purpose is clearly not the recounting of particular battles in detail, nor the analysis of the actions of military leaders of either side. It is a unique—and quite readable—scientific explanation of a physical phenomenon that, without investigation, might appear to be no more than an overactive imagination at work, or an inventive attempt to escape blame for a bad outcome. Kudos to Professor Ross for successfully applying his specialized knowledge to the world outside the “compartment” of his professional expertise.

Winter reading

Reviewed by: Brother Lee Stone, PDC



The Auxiliary of Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (ASUVCW) is an organization for women who are interested in becoming part of the SUVCW family. As with SUVCW, membership is open to descendants of those who served for the Union in the CW, but it also open to any woman who is the wife of a brother of SUVCW. The ASUVCW defines their purpose to “assist the Sons of Union Veterans in keeping alive the memories of our ancestors and their sacrifices for the maintenance of the Union; to caring for helpless and disabled Veterans; to properly observe Memorial Day; to aid and assist worthy and needy members of our Auxiliary; to instill true patriotism and love of country; and to spread and sustain the doctrine of equal rights, universal liberty and justice to all. Our Auxiliary members, on national, state, and local levels participate in ceremonies and programs to commemorate events and honor leaders-and personalities of the Civil War period and events important to the history to the Grand Army of the Republic.”

We encourage interested women to review the ASUVCW website: http://www.asuvcw.org/index.html For wives of SUVCW brothers, the application is very short and easy to complete.

Auxiliary of Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War:

Looking for New Members forthe Lincoln-Cushing Camp

2013 officers and Appointments | Lincoln-Cushing Camp Camp No. 2

Commander: Charles “Ben” [email protected]

Senior Vice Commander: Richard [email protected]

Junior Vice Commander: Brin [email protected]

Secretary and Treasurer: Lee Stone, [email protected]

Members of the Camp Council:

Fr. Charles Nalls, PCC; Robert Pollock, PCC; Calvin Zon, PCC

mailto:[email protected]




r E S E r VA T I o N F o r M

Yes, I, __________________________will be attending the meeting and am bringing __________________________ as my guest, and

__________________________ as a potential candidate for membership.

Enclosed is my check for $________ ($28.00/ per person).

My entree choice: Shep. Pie Salmon Burger

My guest’s choice: Shep. Pie Salmon Burger

No, I, __________________________ regret that I will not be able

to attend, however, enclosed is a donation to our Camp’s charitable

works for $_______.

Please detach and mail to: Mr. Lee D. Stone, PDC 536 Wordsworth Circle Purcellville, VA 20132

You do not need to buy a lunch to participate in the meeting.

December Quarterly Camp Meeting Lincoln-Cushing Camp No. 2

Dubliner Restaurant on Capitol Hill

Date: 7 December, 2013 Time: 11:30 am (Social Hour) Lunch: 12:30 pm Location: The Dubliner Restaurant 4 F Street, NW Washington, DC

Lunch Selections:

- Shepard’s Pie - Filet of Salmon Dingle Bay - Guinness Burger Attire: Business or SVR Uniform

Cost: $28 per person (Cash Bar)

SoNS oF UNIoN VETErANSoF ThE CIVIL WAr

Brin Lewis, Editor

3504 Wilson StreetCity of Fairfax, VA 22030-2936

return Service requested

Lincoln-Cushing Camp No. 2DEPArTMENT oF ThE ChESAPEAKE

STATEMENT oF PUBLICATIoN: ThI S NEWSLETTEr IS ThE oFFICIAL hoUSE orGAN oF ThE LINCoLN-CUShING CAMP No. 2 , DEPArTMENT oF ThE ChESAPEAKE, SoNS oF UNIoN VETErANS oF ThE CIVIL WAr. Published in the City of Washington, DC, United States of America. News Walker (c) 2013 to the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. All Rights Reserved. Brin Lewis, Editor. News Walker is distributed via Post and email to SUVCW members and friends. SUVCW, its officers or members accept no responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or quality of any material forwarded to and published in the News Walker or any referrals or links to the content. There is no intent to use any verifiable copyright protected material. We accept no responsibility for any loss or damage suffered by any person relying directly or indirectly on any information from the News Walker. You may not copy, reproduce, distribute, publish, enter into a database, display, perform, modify, create derivative works, transmit, or in any way exploit any part of The News Walker, except for your own personal use.

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