Past Speakers
May 2010 Michael Moore presented "Jeb's ride around the Union Army a story of where he went, who chased him, and where he finished his famous 1862 excursion. Michael Moore is the curator and registrar for Lee Hall Mansion and Endview Plantation in Newport News. Moore received a bachelor or arts history from Christopher Newport University and a master of arts in history from Old Dominion University. While earning his graduate degree, he taught American history at ODU. During his tenure with the City of Newport News, Mr. Moore has curated several exhibits at local historic sites and lectured to various historical societies and civic groups. In addition, he has led battlefield tours throughout Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland. Aside from his work with the City of Newport News, the Maritime Archaeological and Historical Society, the Isle of Wright County Historic Recourses, and the York County Historical Museum retain him as a consultant. Moore is the co-author of The Peninsula Campaign of 1862: A Military Analysis. Michael has also served as editor and photographic editor for eight books and written articles for Virginia Cavalcade, North & South, and Military Collector & Historian
April 2010 - Dr. Bruce M. Venter presented "Myths, Misconceptions and Mistakes of the Kilpatrick-Dahlgren Raid on Richmond." Over the years, myths and legends have grown up around one of the most controversial cavalry raids of the Civil War: the Kilpatrick-Dahlgren Raid on Richmond in 1864. Similarly, our speaker has spent years trying to unravel the mysteries surrounding this raid and the colorful characters involved in it. Dr. Venter is a leading authority on the Kilpatrick-Dahlgren Raid on Richmond in 1864. His interest is Union cavalry, with particular research emphasis on the career of General Judson Kilpatrick. He has lectured at numerous cavalry conferences and Civil War Round Tables on this controversial cavalry leader He is currently preparing a manuscript for book publication which expands the article he published in Blue & Gray magazine on the raid. Dr. Venter holds a B.A. in history from Manhattan College, and a doctorate in educational administration from the University at Albany.
March 2010---Dr. Jere Johnson, Professor Emeritus of Geology at the College of William and Mary presented "Landforms in the Virginia Peninsula Campaign". Dr. Johnson attended Purdue University and Indiana University, from which he received his bachelor's degree and Ph.D. in Geology. After several years at an Indiana geological agency, he came to W&M in 1965 and retired in 2001. He is well known for his energetic, humorous, and non-geologist-friendly talks.
February 2010---Richard Gillespie presented a talk on Colonel Mosby's valiant battle in the burned-out buildings of William & Mary College. Richard is the Director of Mosby Heritage Organization (www. Mosbyheritage. Org ). and a graduate of William & Mary.
January 2010 – Jeff Toalson told stories of the last 16 months of the Confederacy from his first book - "No Soap, No Pay, Diarrhea, Dysentery & Desertion". These will be stories from the common soldiers and civilians as written in their diaries, letters and journals. Jeff Toalson has a B. S. in Business Management from Missouri State University is a 23 year resident of Williamsburg and a regular speaker at roundtables, historical societies, SCV Camps, UDC Chapters and National Park Battlefields. Jeff is the author of two books on the WBTS: Send Me a Pair of Old Boots & Kiss My Little Girls - The Civil War Letters of Richard and Mary Watkins, 1861-1865, which was published in 2009, and his first book No Soap, No Pay, Diarrhea, Dysentery & Desertion - A Composite Diary of the Last 16 Months of the Confederacy.
December 2009 - Cheryl Jackson has worked with the Virginia General Assembly for over 20 years. She is currently the Executive Director of the Virginia Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission, a legislative body charged with planning the statewide commemoration of thr 150th anniversary of the Civil War. Her duties include planning and implementation of Commission programs, activities, and meetings; oversight of a multi-million dollar budget and fundraising initiatives; serving as Commission liaison on the local, state, and national levels; and supervision of public relations and marketing. In addition, Cheryl staffs the House and Senate Rules committees during session and is a section manager at the Division of Legislative Services with oversight of the Legislative Reference Center and Capitol Tour Guide program. Cheryl holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political science and Master of Public Administration, both from Virginia Commonwealth University.
November 2009 - John Fennell, a member of the Williamsburg Round Table retired from the Agricultural Chemical Division of the DuPont Company where he was in middle management in marketing and field research. He holds BS and MS degrees in Agronomy and Crop Science from Colorado State University and a Certificate of Environmental Studies from the University of Delaware. His interest in Civil War history has spanned more than 30 years. In addition to the Williamsburg round table, he also belongs to the Richardson CWRT of central coastal Maine, where he spends his summers. John is currently in the 5th year of research and writing of a manuscript on the lives of a very large, but specific group of Civil Wars soldiers. The 288 group members had all been West Point cadets who became Union or Confederate veterans of the Civil War. John discussed the Wilson-Kautz cavalry raid of June, 1864, part of the Petersburg campaign.
October 2009 - Richard Rankin is a retiree from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, where he served as an administrator. He has a B.S. from the University of Kentucky, M.B.A. from George Washington University, and a doctorate in education from George Mason University. He has taught economics at Rappahannock Community College. He is a member of the Williamsburg CWRT and has recently taught a well-received course at the Christopher Wren Association on "Nathan Bedford Forrest" and his exploits in the western theatre of the Civil War. He was "that devil Forrest" to his Union foes and was "perhaps the South's greatest fighting man" according to Robert E. Lee. His topic is "Nathan Bedford Forrest".
September 2009 - Henry Kidd a recognized author and historical artist presented "Petersburg; War on the doorstep". Born in 1950 in Petersburg, Virginia, Henry Kidd is a lifelong resident of Colonial Heights. He grew up playing on the battlefields surrounding Petersburg and has studied the war and its’ people extensively. He has a great passion for this period of American history. To him, it is more than mere history, it is family pride. Many of his ancestors followed General Robert E. Lee into battle. His fine art has appeared in documentaries on the History Channel and on covers of many books and magazines. He designed the Confederate Medal of Honor.
May 2009 - Dr. Jimi Elizabeth Thomas will present "A Re-examination of the Legacy of James Longstreet, Lt. General, CSA." The purpose of this presentation is to reexamine the systematic process by which James Longstreet became the scapegoat for the defeat of the Battle of Gettysburg and thus faulted for the failure of the confederate States to become an independent nation. Dr. Thomas has a B.S. and M.S. in Elementary Education and a Ph.D. in Urban Services from Old Dominion University. She is a writer and recurrent speaker on "A re-examination of the Military Record and Legacy of James Longstreet". She has held a number of teaching positions in public schools and colleges from Hawaii to Italy. She currently lives in Virginia Beach where she has held various positions as an English, History, Civics teacher as well as a Teacher Mentor and Student Teacher Supervisor.
April 2009 - Dr. Thomas A. Wheat's will speak on the subject of "Early Civil War Medicine on the Lower Peninsula". Dr. Wheat, is a retired Army Surgeon and has studied CW medicine for 30 or 40 years creating a wide demand for his lectures and consultations. He has founded several Civil War museums, works closely with the NPS and is writing a book on Confederate Surgeons. He lives in Yorktown with his wife Marla.
March 2009 - Dr. Ludwell Johnson will speak on a subject, for which he is probably the foremost authority: "The Red River Campaign". For those of you who do not know Dr. Johnson’s Summer Enrichment class, "The Civil War In Virginia" resulted in a spin-off by class attendees forming this roundtable in 1976. The roundtable began meeting in Morton Hall on the campus at that time. It is a great honor to welcome Dr. Johnson as a speaker to this group.
February 2009 - Mrs. Billie Earnest was born and reared in Franklin, VA. Her ancestral families were from the surrounding counties of Isle of Wight and Southamption, VA, Hertford and Gates Counties, NC. Her love of history and genealogy has grown over the years to include not only her family, but also the study of the life of Major General George Pickett and his third wife, Sallie Anne Corbell from Chuckatuck, VA. Due to her extensive research on George and Sallie, she has been contacted by Professor Richard Selcer of Fort Worth, TX, and is providing research material for their pending book. Because of her research, some membeers of the Corbell/Picket families have come together for the first time in fifty years.