SUVCW, Lincoln-Cushing Camp,Summer 2013 newsletter, The News Walker

The Meaning of Memorial DayTraditional Memorial Day, 30 May, is a sacred day to all veterans. America’s collective consciousness demands that all citizens be reminded of the deaths of their fellow countrymen during wartime. By honoring the nation’s war dead, we preserve their memory for their service and sacrifice. On this day, in honor of the fallen, all U.S. flags should be displayed at half-staff during the morning hours. At noon, they should be raised back to full-staff.

Memorial Day is a special day for all veterans. None need to be reminded of the reason that Memorial Day must be commemorated. But what about the gen-eral public, and more importantly, future generations? Do most non-veterans really recognize the importance of the day honoring their fellow Americans who were killed or served in war?

Judging from what Memorial Day has become—simply another day off from work—the answer is no. Perhaps a reminder of the true meaning of this day is due. It is the duty of each and every veteran to relay the message.

Sacrifice is meaningless without remembrance. Far too often, the nation as a whole takes for granted the freedoms we all enjoy and that those freedoms were paid for with the lives of others. That is why this is a day of great importance.

Honoring our fallen should be regarded as a civic obligation, for this is a national debt that can only truly be repaid by individual Americans. By honoring the nation’s war dead, we preserve their memory, their service and their sacrifice. (Continued on Page 9)

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

the neWs WaLkerVoLume 15, number 2 summer edition 2013

38th Commander, Charles “Ben” Hawley

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

4 May Dept. of the Chesapeake Encampment Various Hilton Garden Inn, Solomons, Md30 May Decoration Day Ceremony 1700 Arlington National Cemetery30 May Lincoln-Cushing Camp Meeting 1830-2100 Fort Myer OC27 July Lincoln-Cushing Camp Picnic 1000-1400 Fort Ward Park, Alexandria, VA8-11 August National Encampment Various Milwaukee, WI 7 September Lincoln-Cushing Camp Meeting 1130-1430 Dubliner Restaurant23 November Remembrance Day Parade & Ceremony Various Gettysburg, PA 9 December Lincoln-Cushing Camp Meeting 1130-1430 Dubliner Restaurant

2 Historic Funeral at Arlington Cemetery

4 145th Decoration Day Ceremony

5 March Camp Meeting Kicks Off 2013 Activity

6 Martyrs:

North & South

9 Next Camp Meeting

Announcement

F r o M T h e C o M M a n D e r

Charles“Ben”hawley

Please mark these dates on your calendar

DATE EVENT TIME LOCATION

the neWs WaLker page 2

Camp Website : www.l incolncushing.org

historic Funeral held at arlington CemeteryL-C and Department Brothers attend Ceremony for USS Monitor Sailorsby richard Griffin, SVC

On a cold and blustery late afternoon on March 8th, brothers of the Lincoln-Cushing Camp and other brothers of the Department of the Chesapeake gathered at Arlington National Cemetery to attend the historic funeral for two members of the USS Monitor’s ship’s company who perished when the ship went down in a gale off Cape Hatteras on 31 December, 1862.

The vessel itself holds a special place in Civil War history. The Monitor gained notoriety for being the first ironclad warship to be commissioned by the US Navy. On 9 March 1862 the Monitor participated in the first-ever ironclad battle when it matched up against the CSS Virginia in the Battle of Hampton Roads where the two fought to a draw.

The wreckage of the Monitor was located in 1973 by researchers from Duke University and the remains found in 2002. The two sailors were found inside the turret of the ship during joint Navy-National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recovery operations. The ef-forts have so far recovered the ship’s engine, the turret (including the two massive 11 inch Dahlgren smooth-bore cannons), as well as numerous other artifacts. The hull of the ship will not be raised, as 150 years of ly-ing on the bottom of the ocean have made recovery impractical.

The Monitor had a crew of sixty-two officers and men on the day it went down. The two sailors found in the turret were among sixteen of their shipmates who lost their lives when the ship went down, but were the only ones found during the recovery operations.

Several Lincoln-Cushing and Department of Chesapeake broth-ers attended the services, many in period uniform. Brother Rob Pol-lock, JVDC described the ceremony as follows:

“It was a pristine and perfectly executed procession. The two cais-sons were escorted by a naval con-tingent headed by a Rear Admiral (Upper half), a Rear Admiral (Lower Half), a Captain and a Commander -- all with swords drawn and mount-ed with mourning tassels. They were followed by the US Navy Band, two Companies of Sailors, and the Official Flag of the US Navy with all battle streamers between the two companies. Then came the cais-sons carrying the remains, with each drawn by six matched horses one with grays and the other with brin-dles. While marching the band played a Dirge and the drums were muffled.

The funeral was conducted per Naval Tradition with prayers, the Navy Hymn, three volleys fired, (Continued on Page 3)

Brothers Kevin Martin, Dept. Sec/Tres; Jeffery Burden, CinC, MOLLUS; Robert Pollock, Dept. JVC


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

(Continued from Page 2) folding of the flags, and lowering of the coffins into the earth.”

Commenting on the emotional ceremony at Arlington, Monitor Center Curator Anne Gibson Holloway said, “We worked so intently and so long with the turret and these artifacts we feel very close to these guys. We feel like they’re members of our family.”

This will likely be the last burial of any Civil War veter-ans, making the ceremony a special event, one that has appropriately taken place in the middle of the 150-year anniversary period.

(Photos courtesy of Brother Dick Griffin, SVC)

Brothers Lee Stone, PDC; Michael Beard, PDC; Michael Paquette, PDC; Eugene Mortorff, Nat’l Sec, PDC



The 145th Decoration Day Ceremony atarlington national Cemetery, May 30, 2013Camp Meeting to Follow at Ft. Myer OC with Clark Hall as Guest Speaker

On Thursday, May 30, 2013, at 5:00 pm the SUVCW will again carry forward the 145-year tradition of the Decoration Day ceremony at Arlington National Cem-etery’s Old Amphitheatre and Tomb of the Civil War Unknowns. This ceremony is derived from the 1893 ceremony preformed by the GAR Farragut Post, No. 10 and SUV Cushing Camp, No. 30, the predecessor of the SUVCW Lincoln-Cushing Camp.

As in prior years, invited guests will include the National Leadership of the Allied Orders, MOLLUS, DOLLUS, and the Gettysburg Blues Color Guard. There will be brief comments and the laying of the wreaths by the SUVCW, Woman’s Relief Corps, Ladies of the GAR, Auxiliary of the SUVCW, Military Order of the Loyal Legion, and the Dames of the Loyal Legion. All are invited to attend.

Following the ceremony, at 6:30 pm, the Lincoln-Cush-ing Camp meeting will take place at the Ft. Myer Officers’ Club located at 214 Jackson Avenue, Ft. Myer, Virginia. There will be a social hour, followed by dinner, and a presentation by our guest speaker, Mr. Clark B. Hall.Mr. Hall will be discussing “The Emergence of Federal Cavalry in the Civil War,” highlighting the Battle of Brandy Station as the turning point in the Union cavalry. He will also focus on the outstanding leadership and organization of the Cavalry Corps and the Army of the

Potomac. The Battle of Brandy Station, fought on June 9, 1863, was the largest cavalry engagement in US history with 18,456 horsemen involved in the fighting.

Mr. Hall has written and lectured widely on cavalry operations in the American Civil War. He is a co-founder and past board member of the Chantilly Battlefield As-sociation; Association for the Preservation of Civil War Sites, Inc; and the Brandy Station Foundation. Mr. Hall has been presented numerous battlefield preservation commendations,

including the distinguished “Ralph A. Happel Battlefield Preservation Award,” presented by the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust (2011), and the prestigious “Lifetime Preservation Achievement Award” (2012) conveyed recently by the Civil War Trust. Mr. Hall is a decorated Marine combat veteran, who served in Vietnam as a tactical commander.

All are encouraged to attend both the historical ceremo-ny at Arlington National Cemetery and the camp meet-ing following. A reservation form for the camp meeting can be found on the back page of this newsletter.

Mr. Clark Hall, Special Guest Speaker



Call for articles and Photos for The News WalkerAll Camp members are encouraged to submit articles and/or photos to be included in The News Walker. Submissions can be made at any time by sending them to Brin Lewis using the following email address:

[email protected] 2013 news Walker editorial Deadlines: Fall Editorial Deadline: 26 July Winter Editorial Deadline: 29 October

March Camp Meeting Kicks off 2013 activityBy Brother richard Griffin, SVC

A well-attended Camp meeting took place at Gadsby’s Tavern in Alexandria, Virginia on 9 March 2013. Commander Ben Hawley opened the meeting with the SUVCW ritual and made some announcements.

A highlight of the meeting was the induction of two new Camp members. Inductees were new Brothers Shaun English and Raynee Woolfenden. Brother English’s ancestor was Sergeant John J. Cotter, who survived Andersonville Prison. Brother Woolfenden’s ancestor was Private Thomas Woolfenden who served honorably in the 8th Maryland Infantry. Welcome to Lincoln-Cushing Camp 2, brothers!

The meeting concluded with Brother Don Bishop giving a most successful presentation entitled “The Colonel and His Lady with the Little Gum Boots.” The colonel referred to in the title was Charles Russell Lowell, who commanded a brigade of cavalry in the 1864 Shenan-doah Campaign and was mortally wounded while leading a counterattack at the Battle of Cedar Creek. His lady “with the little gum boots” was Josephine Shaw Lowell, who had distinguished service in organizing and delivering charitable activities in New York State and in New York City. Interestingly, Josephine was the sister of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, who was killed in action at the Battle of Fort Wagner, while leading the famous 54th Massachusetts Infantry.

Brothers enjoy March Meeting and guest speaker, Brother Don Bishop

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]

Patriotic Instructor: Scott [email protected]

Members of the Camp Council: Fr. Charles Nalls, PCC; Robert Pollock, PCC; Calvin Zon, PCC

mailto:newswalker%40thrivevents.com?subject=News%20Walker%20Call%20for%20Articles%20and%20Photos

mailto:[email protected]







Martyrs: north and SouthThe Deaths of Ellsworth and Jackson - May 24, 1861

Just over one month after the start of the Civil War and Virginia’s secession from the Union, Alexandria, Virginia became an early focal point of the con-flict. An early morning event between Union Army Colonel Elmer Ellsworth and Alexandria innkeeper, James W. Jackson occurred on May 24, 1861. It is this unlikely meeting between a Union officer and a civilian resident of Alex-andria that had an unexpected impact on the first months of the Civil War.

Elmer E. Ellsworth was born in Malta, New York, on April 11, 1837. He left New York to travel west to Chicago where he worked in the patent-soliciting business prior to becoming a law clerk and student. While Ellsworth had always had an interest in the military, that fascina-tion began to overshadow his civilian career endeavors. It was during the 1850’s that media reports drew Ellsworth’s attention to the French Zouaves, the light infantry regiments of the French Army that were serving in French Northern Africa beginning in 1831 (see sidebar). Ellsworth ordered books from England and France in

an effort to increase his knowledge and understanding of this unique military group. The distinctive uni-forms, which were of African origin, fascinated him, their precision drill and fighting techniques he found in-triguing. In 1858 Ellsworth became drillmaster of an Illinois volunteer militia group and brought the Zou-aves drill to the US. The drill team became widely known across the United States, performing all over the country and providing Ellsworth a certain level of notoriety.

Ellsworth’s work captured the atten-tion of Abraham Lincoln, a lawyer from Springfield, Illinois. (Continued on Page 7)

Elmer E. Ellsworth James W. Jackson

About the Zouaves

Francis Brownell in Zouaves Uniform

The Zouaves were light infantry regiments of the French Army, normally serving in French North-ern Africa between 1831 and 1962. The very distinctive uniforms of the Zouaves included short open jackets, baggy trousers and sashes, as well an African inspired fez. Numerous Zouaves regiments were organized for use in the U.S. during the Civil War. The Union Army had over 70 volunteer Zouaves regiments, while the Confederacy fielded about 25.

The Zouaves enlisted the use of light infantry tactics with open-order formations, putting several feet between the soldiers. They moved at double time and could shoot and load their rifles while running. Rather than standing to re-load and fire, they also used the technique of lying on their backs to re-load, would then roll over and come to one knee to fire. Zouaves regiments were knownfor their discipline and precision.

Shortly after the Civil War the Zouaves style regiments disap-peared from use in the US Army.



(Continued from Page 6) He became friends with Lincoln and went to Springfield to study law in Lincoln’s law practice. After campaigning for Lincoln in 1860, he traveled with the president-elect to Washington in 1861 as part of his security detail.

With the country on the brink of civil war, Ellsworth, now a Colonel in the US Army, went to New York City where he quickly organized a Zouaves regiment made up of volunteers from the New York City Fire Depart-ment. They became the 11th New York. The regiment was moved outside of Washington and began prepara-tion for the Union invasion of Alexandria, Virginia. The port city was an important transportation center and supply base for the Union; making it imperative that the Union retain control of the city.

Little seems to be available on Ellsworth’s ultimate foe, James W. Jackson. Jackson, the youngest of seven children, was born in Fairfax County, Virginia in 1824. The 38-year-old was a large man standing six feet tall, reportedly an excellent boxer, muscular, a skilled horse-man and excellent shot. He was described by an ac-quaintance as “grim, stern, obstinate determination was stamped emphatically on every feature.” Upon Lincoln’s election, Jackson became an ardent “Secessionist.”

Jackson took over management of the Marshall House in Alexandria, Virginia in February of 1861. (Note: The Marshall House was razed in the 1950’s, but it was located on the corner of King and Pitt Streets where the

Hotel Monaco now stands.) Shortly after becoming the innkeeper, he commissioned a large Confederate flag to be flown from the roof of the inn, displaying loyalty to his beloved South. This action would result in the deadly meeting between Ellsworth and Jackson shortly thereafter. At dawn on May 24, 1861, Col. Ellsworth and his men were ordered into Alexandria to secure the important port city. Arriving by steamboat, Col. Ellsworth was met by only token resistance from the South. Ellsworth sent a group of his men to secure the railroad while he and group of about four soldiers and a reporter from the New York Tribune were to continue directly to the telegraph office. It was on his way to the telegraph office

that Ellsworth spotted the huge Confederate flag fly-ing above the Marshall House. Upon seeing the flag, Ellsworth decided that it had to be removed. Leading his men into the inn and up to the attic, Ellsworth pro-ceeded to the roof and lowered the flag. As Ellsworth, with flag in hand, and his men descended the staircase, they were met by Jackson, armed with a double barrel shotgun. Upon seeing Jackson, Corp. Francis Brownell, who was part of Ellsworth’s party, attempted to divert Jackson’s weapon away from the Union soldiers. The shotgun went off and hit (Continued on Page 8)

The Marshall House circa 1860’s

The Shooting of Ellsworth



Lincoln-Cushing Camp Funds CW Trail Signs in Leesburg Donations made by Lincoln-Cushing Camp no. 2, along with individual contributions from Lincoln-Cushing brothers, helped fund these CW trail signs at the Leesburg Courthouse.

Ellsworth in the chest killing him instantly, making him the first Union officer killed in the Civil War. In retaliation, Brownell shot Jackson hitting him in the head with a fatal shot, making him one of the first (if not the first) civilian casualties of the war. Ellsworth’s Zouaves regi-ment threatened to burn Alexandria to the ground in retaliation, but were quickly removed from the city by the Union Army.

While the event itself is somewhat unremarkable in a time of war, the aftermath at this early stage of the war is not. News of the event spread quickly through extensive media coverage resulting in both men gain-ing instant notoriety in both the north and south. In the north, Jackson was despised and con-sidered a murderer. In the south; however, he was a patriot and a man simply protecting his property. Ellsworth became a martyr in the north as did Jackson in the south. Likewise Corp. Brownell became a hero in the north for avenging the death of Ellsworth.

Ellsworth’s death was a heavy blow to Lincoln, who had, due to Ells-worth’s height of only 5’ 6”, once said of him “(he’s) the greatest little man I ever met.” Ellsworth’s funeral was held in the East Room of the White House with both President and Mrs. Lincoln attending.

The slogan “Remember Ellsworth!” was repeated throughout the north and the event itself became a ral-lying cry in the north for support of the war. There were songs and poems written commemorating the event in both the north and south. The Marshall House became a tourist attraction with hundreds of Union soldiers visiting the inn throughout the course of the war, taking pieces of the banister, of the floor or other artifacts as souvenirs. The Union honored Ellsworth by constructing Fort Ellsworth, a fort overlooking Alexandria, while his regiment became known as “Ells-worth’s Avengers.” There is one more notable bit of history to come from the

Marshall House incident. In 1877, Corp. Francis Brownell received the Medal of Honor, an honor created during the Civil War. As a result, while he wasn’t the first to actually receive the medal, his actions were the first in history deemed to warrant the honor.

Want to know more…The Smithsonian National Museum of American History has several ar-tifacts from this event, including the shotgun used by Jackson, a piece of the Confederate flag that was taken by Ellsworth, and Brownell’s Medal of Honor.

Ford Ward Museum, 4301 West Braddock Road, Alexandria, Virgin-ia, has a display of Ellsworth items.

On the third floor of the Torpedo Factory in Old Town, Alexandria there is a display of artifacts that were uncovered when the Marshall House was razed in the 1950’s.

Martyrs: north and South (Continued from Page 7)



Commander hawley - The Meaning of Memorial Day (Continued from Page 1)

They came from all walks of life and regions of the country. But they all had one thing in common—love of and loyalty to country. This bond cemented ties between them in times of trials, allowing a diverse lot of Ameri-cans to achieve monumental ends.

Means of paying tribute vary. Pausing for a moment of personal refection, attending commemorative ceremo-nies, placing flags at gravesites, marching in parades, sponsoring patriotic programs, dedicating memorials, wearing buddy poppies, or simply saying “thank you” to a veteran, are all ways we can pay tribute during this important day.

As America’s older war veterans fast disappear from soci-ety’s landscape, there are fewer and fewer standard-bear-ers left to carry the torch of remembrance. Such traditions will live on only if our youth are taught the importance of this great tradition and of the sacrifices that make this day necessary.

Our Camp has a special ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery each year, always on 30 May, the date of the original Decoration Day. Please support our camp by at-tending this most important program that has now been a tradition for 145 years. Details are available in this edi-tion of The News Walker. I truly hope to see you there.

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 6:30 pm on 30 May, at the Ft. Myer officer’s Club, 214 Jackson ave, Ft. Myer, Virginia. The meeting will be held directly following the

5:00 pm Memorial Day Ceremony at arlington national Cemetery. all members of the Camp, auxiliary, and their guests are encouraged to attend both events.

We hope to see you there!

attire: Business or SVr Uniform Cost for the meal is $44 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 23 May so that an accurate count can be given to the establishment. If you can’t get your check in by 23 May, 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.

our special guest speaker, Mr. Clark hall, will talk about “The emergence of Federal Cavalry in the Civil War,” highlighting the Battle of Brandy Station as the turning point in the Union cavalry. Mr. hall has written and lectured widely on cavalry operations in the american Civil War. he is a co-founder and past board member of the Chantilly Battlefield association; association for the Preservation of Civil War Sites, Inc; and the Brandy Station Foundation.

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 $________ ($44.00/ per person).

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 dinner to participate in the meeting.

Memorial Day Camp Meetingof the

Lincoln-Cushing Camp no. 2

Dinner following ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery

Date: 30 May, 2013 Time: 6:30 pm (Social Hour) Dinner: 7:30 pm Location: Fort Myer Officers’ Club 214 Jackson Avenue Fort Myer, VA

Dinner Selections:

Prime Rib or Baked Salmon Served with Asparagus and Rice Pilaf Key Lime Pie

Attire: Business or SVR Uniform

Cost: $44 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.

R S V Pb y

23 MAY

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SUVCW, Lincoln-Cushing Camp,Summer 2013 newsletter, The News Walker