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CONFEDERATE
HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION OF BELGIUM |
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Due
to the renovation works at the Communal
Museum, the CHAB Club House has moved into
temporary premises at Wolubilis, Woluwe-Saint-Lambert.
Our monthly meetings will thus be held there until
further notice. New Address: 1 place du
Temps Libre - Local A300 - 3rd floor (right when
leaving the elevator).
The building is located along the Cours Paul-Henri
Spaak, just opposite the Woluwe Shopping Center.
The entrance is on the ground floor, left of
the bookstore/restaurant Cook & Book.
See access map |
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NEXT MEETINGS |
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Saturday 10 September 2022 at 3 PM |
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THE CONFEDERATE STATES
MARINES
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At our temporary premises at
Wolubilis,
lecture by Daniel Frankignoul:
The
Confederate States Marines – a corps forgotten
in history. The Confederate Marine Corps
provided security detachments for warships and merchant
raiders, and guarded shipyards. Also used as a landing
force, the maintenance of the main artillery pieces on the
ships and within the coastal batteries was entrusted to
this unit. The theoretical strength of the corps,
commanded by a regular colonel, was forty-six officers and
nine hundred and forty-four men for the whole South, but
it never exceeded six hundred men in the field. The
archives kept by its sole commander, Colonel Lloyd J.
Beall, were destroyed in the fire that gutted his house in
1887. No regulations concerning their uniforms have been
found, so one has to rely solely on a few objects,
documents, surviving newspapers or vintage photographs. In
addition, bibliography on the subject is almost
non-existent so recounting, even briefly, the history of
this elite corps is a real challenge.
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Saturday 8 October 2020 at 3 PM |
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STATUARY AND THE CIVIL WAR
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At our
temporary premises in Wolubilis, lecture by
Maurice Jaquemyns: Statuary and the
Civil War. Civil War commemorative
statuary responds to codes of expression that run
through the entire history of art. We will discuss the
artistic manifestations of this type of representation
used by the belligerents in the conflict and we will
focus our attention on their underlying intentions. We
will end the conference with a general synthesis of our
previous interventions by highlighting the roles and
codes of military representation whatever the medium:
paintings of land and naval battles, comics and
commemorative statuary. |
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Saaturday 5 November 2022 at 7 PM |
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CHAB'S 50th ANNIVERSARY
GRAND BANQUET
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Our association is
celebrating its 50th anniversary this year
(1972-2022). To mark this memorable event,
the CHAB is organizing a grand banquet in a
stylish restaurant. A private room will be reserved
fo the evening.
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Saturday 10 December 2022 at 3 PM |
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TEXAS, AN INDEPENDENT
AMERICAN REPUBLIC
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At our temporary
premises in Wolubilis, lecture by
Jean-Claude Janssens:
Texas, an independent American Republic
(1836-1845). As of 1520, Texas as
we know it today was part of the Spanish Empire.
Between 1685 and 1690, it was French before
returning to the Crown of Spain; nevertheless,
it was claimed again by France until 1763. In
1821, Mexico – of which Texas was an integral
part – proclaimed its independence from Spain.
From that moment on, the history of this barren
land would accelerate, and at the request of the
government of Mexico, American immigrants
settled there. In 1835, the new Texans numbered
thirty thousand for only eight thousand natives.
In 1836, Texas Americans broke away from Mexico.
After almost ten years of precarious
independence, they joined their powerful
neighbor, the United States of America.
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The CHAB committee
wishes to inform its foreign and American
friends that due to severe budget constraints,
the English version of the CHAB News is
no longer published. However, the French
version of our quarterly remains available to
the contributing members of our
association. Thank you for your understanding.
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RIDE AROUND
McCLELLAN |
SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS |
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In March 1862, US General George B. McClellan
began his campaign to capture the Confederate
Capitol of Richmond. McClellan landed 121,500
men and equipment by boat on the Virginia
Peninsula and moved inland. However, the
Federals were met with strong southern
resistance, and after a series of battles their
offensive stalled. When commanding Confederate
General Joseph E. Johnston was wounded in
battle, General Robert E. Lee took command of
the Army of Northern Virginia. On June 10, 1862,
General Robert E. Lee met with his cavalry
commander, General J.E.B. Stuart concerning how
best to defend Richmond. Lee’s plan was to go on
the offensive against McClellan’s huge Army of
the Potomac. But to do this General Lee needed
detailed information on the enemy’s right flank,
and this is where General J.E.B. Stuart and his
cavalry came in. One of Stuart’s scouts and
staff member Lt. John S. Mosby had reconnoitered
the federal right flank and found only a thin
screen of cavalry pickets guarding the position.
Mosby reported the federal supply depots near
the Pamunkey River, and communication lines were
completely unprotected. Lee was intrigued and
excited about the daring plan for an expedition
into the area and gave his approval. On the
morning of June 12th, General Stuart with 1500
cavalry men, guided by Lt. Mosby, headed in the
direction of the Shenandoah Valley to fool any
union sympathizers as to their destination. But
in the early hours of the 13th the column moved
east into enemy territory heading towards the
Hanover Court House. One of the cavalry men
described the terrain as the sun broke over the
horizon. “The roads were surrounded by the
fertile fields of waving golden grain.” When the
column approached the courthouse a squadron of
about 150 federal “Blue Birds” on picket duty
were completely caught off guard. In a very few
moments they mounted their horses and
disappeared in a dense cloud of dust. Now
discovered, the raiders pressed forward rapidly
and took the road to Old Church. Near a wooded
area near Haw’s Shop, General Stuart and his
escort were engaged by Union pickets and
cavalry. Stuart gave orders to “Form fours! And
charge!” The men in gray pursued the enemy with
shouts and yells. A number of the Federals were
killed or captured. The chase continued till
they reached a small sluggish stream called
Totopotomoy Creek. Stuart’s cavalry continued on
to attack a federal supply depot and camp near
Old Church. Large supplies of boots, pistols,
liquors, and commodities were found and
liberated by the southerners. Horses were
drafted into Confederate service and supplies
left were burned along with federal tents.
Telegraph wires were cut along the way as well.
General Stuart had achieved his goals on the
raid, but now the column was in the heart of the
enemy’s country. The expedition had passed
within sight of the white tents of General
McClellan’s headquarters causing all manner of
confusion and fear. At this point Stuart could
not return by the route he had advanced. The
alarm had been sounded all over the country, and
an overpowering force of Federal infantry,
cavalry, and artillery had been rapidly moving
to intercept the daring raiders. Stuart was
asked by one of his officers, that if they got
into a tight place would they surrender? Stuart
replied “No, … one other course was left … To
die game.” Stuart and his men kept their fast
pace as they continued their ride around
McClellan’s forces, not stopping to rest. They
travelled all night and at dawn arrived at the
Chickahominy River, where a barn was hastily
torn down to rebuild an old bridge. Now passing
through friendly territory Stuart’s raid had
become a tremendous success. The three-day ride
had covered over 150 miles through enemy
territory, cutting communication lines,
confiscating supplies, weapons, equipment,
horses, capturing 180 Federal soldiers, and
causing panic and confusion behind Union lines.
The whole expedition was highly embarrassing for
General George McClellan. Northern newspapers
featured the debacle as front-page news, and
President Lincoln was livid. Southern papers
cheered the amazing exploit. Stuart had proved
to General Lee, that he was a very capable
commander, and was “game” for any challenge.
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© All copyrights reserved
by John Paul Strain Historical Art
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In 1775, the
Revolutionary War began in earnest as American
patriots fought the British army for their
independence. The founders of the Constitution
met at the second Continental Congress in
Philadelphia, and George Washington was named
Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. By
June of 1776, the Virginia legislature had
adopted Virginia’s Declaration of Rights and the
First Virginia Constitution. A seal for the
Commonwealth of Virginia was needed, and
delegate George Mason recommended the phrase
“Sic Semper Tyrannis” (Thus Always to Tyrants),
be included. The seal artwork was designed by
George Wythe and featured the Goddess of Virtue
holding a sword and spear, resting her foot on
the tyrant King George. Wythe was a
distinguished Virginia judge, a signatory of the
Declaration of Independence, and a Founding
Father of the United States. Wythe was also a
law professor and mentored Thomas Jefferson,
Henry Clay and John Marshall. In May of 1861,
the Virginia legislature voted to secede from
the Federal government and join the Confederate
States of America. The convention of delegates
also approved an ordinance to establish a flag
for the commonwealth, adopting the pattern of
the Virginia state seal of 1776 surrounded by a
blue field. Virginia brigades would carry these
hand painted flags featuring the Goddess of
Virtue and motto “Sic Semper Tyrannis” into
battle against invading federal forces.
Confederate officers often purchased their own
swords after obtaining a commission in the army.
These swords varied in quality as well as
intricacy in design, depending on the officer’s
rank and wealth. It was fairly common for
Generals of the highest rank to carry an ornate
sword, possibly with brass fittings, silver
plated handle, and their name engraved on the
scabbard. Sometimes, these elegant swords were
donated to the generals by a grateful citizen.
General Robert E. Lee of Virginia carried a Colt
1851 Navy revolver, 3rd model - 36 cal. 6-shot
round cylinder, with a 7 1/2” octagonal barrel.
The piece featured a brass front bead, one piece
walnut handle, silver plated brass trigger
guard, and backstrap. The revolver was engraved
by the W.L. Armsby Company, New York, and had
the serial number 37698. After the war, Lee kept
the revolver in a holster hanging from the
headboard in his bedroom. General Lee would pass
away on October 12, 1870. His revolver was then
emptied with all six shots firing. The motto,
“Sic Semper Tyrannis”, still adorns the Virginia
State flag to this day. Robert E. Lee’s revolver
can be seen in the American Museum of the Civil
War, in Richmond, Virginia.
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© All copyrights reserved
by John Paul Strain Historical Art
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For
information or online orders: |
www.johnpaulstrain.com |
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