Central Coast Chapter Minutes for April 20, 2013
Meeting to Order@1:08 pm
Pledges of America and SAR
were led by acting President Gary Cooper. Attendance: 9 members and the guest
speaker.
Sunshine Report: Jerry Evans is
much improved and hopes to be in attendance in May. Lewis Height is 87 years
old this date.
Secretary’s Report: reading of
the March minutes was waived.
Introduction of our guest
speaker: Dr. Robert Detweiler, Provost, VP of Student Affairs and former
History professor @ Cal
Poly.
Dr. Detweiler’s presentation was
on the presidential election of 1864 and his premise being that it was and
remains the most important election in our nation’s history. Dr. Detweiler
mentioned that prior to the 1864 contest that the war was still in doubt and
that this was in spite of Union victories at Gettysburg
and Vicksburg
earlier that summer. Democratic candidate General George McClelland has a
certain level of popularity, the draft was unpopular, many northerners were
uncertain about emancipation, Union losses at the Wilderness and Cold Harbor
were deemed unacceptable and the army was mired in trench warfare at Petersburg. McClelland was
offering a negotiated peace with the continuance of slavery. President Lincoln
himself predicted a loss in the election but the dynamic changed with General
Sherman’s successful Georgia
campaign including the taking of Atlanta.
The Union also won a victory at Mobile
Bay and General Sheridan suppressed
confederate forces in the Shenandoah Valley. Dr.
Detweiler also mentioned missteps by the Confederacy including unfortunate
promotion of John Bell Hood over General Johnston which led to bloody losses in
Georgia and Franklin, Tennessee. Lincoln was re-elected
55% to 45% in the popular vote with a 74% turnout.
So why the most important
election. Dr Detweiler pointed out that if McClelland is elected the Union
loses the war, the Union and the Confederacy become separate countries, both much weaker and vulnerable to foreign
aggression and border raids. The precedent is a horrible one if a malcontented
minority can tear up a country. Dr. Detweiler stated that national stability is
our greatest commodity as a nation and it is that that gives rise to economic
power. We are who we are because Lincoln
won that most contentious election.
Dr. Detweiler’s presentation was
most warmly received.
New Business: The presentation
of certificates to Dalton
Pittman and Chris Scrimiger (Supplemental).
Treasurer’s Report: Present
balance is $1894.46.
6-8 of those present expressed
interest in attending the DAR meeting scheduled for May 16 @ noon at the Los
Robles Mobile Home Estates Club House on Via Robles, Paso Robles. Their speaker
will be Don Mazy, late of the USS Hornet.
Benediction by Earl Rader
Closing Pledge
Adjournment
