Our Next Meeting
When: Thursday, February 16th, 2012
Who: Ed Cotham, Jr., Robert Gearhart and Amy Borgens
Where: Tarrytown United Methodist Church, 2601 Exposition Blvd.
What:
In the fall of 2009, a team of marine archeologists working under the direction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers supervised the recovery of artifacts from USS Westfield, a Staten Island ferryboat that had been converted into a Civil War gunboat after its purchase by the U.S. Navy in 1861. Westfield saw significant Civil War action, participating in battles at New Orleans, Vicksburg, and other places along the Gulf Coast. Its destruction at the Battle of Galveston on January 1, 1863, was one of the most important and dramatic events of the Civil War in Texas.
Westfield was one of almost two dozen ferries that were converted into gunboats. This audiovisual program will use rare historic documents and images to describe the process by which a ferryboat was armored and converted into a warship. Using diaries and sketches, Ed Cotham and two special guests, marine archeologists Robert Gearhart and Amy Borgens, will examine the military career of this unique “fighting ferryboat” and its impact on the war in Texas. Finally, they will trace the series of events that led to the relocation of Westfield’s wreck and the challenging project that resulted in recovery of tons of artifacts undergoing conservation at the Conservation Research Laboratory at Texas A&M University. Among the artifacts being conserved is a more than 4 ton Dahlgren cannon capable of firing a projectile almost 2 miles.
We are thrilled to welcome Ed Cotham, Jr. back to our Round Table to speak about the fascinating history of the Westfield. Ed is a former President of the Houston Civil War Roundtable and is active in the Civil War preservation movement. He is President of the Friends of Sabine Pass Battleground, a non-profit group dedicated to supporting preservation and interpretation of that important battlefield. Ed is the author the acclaimed books Battle on the Bay: the Civil War Struggle for Galveston, published by the University of Texas Press, and Sabine Pass: the Confederacy’s Thermopylae, winner of the 2005 Laney Prize.
Special guest Robert Gearhart, Principal Investigator of the USS Westfield project, is a Marine Archeologist and Hydrographer at Atkins North American, Inc. Special guest Amy Borgens, Project Archeologist of the USS Westfield project, is State Marine Archeologist at the Texas Historical Commission. Please join us in welcoming Ed, Robert and Amy to our Round Table!
Announcement: We regret to announce that the dinner with Ed Bearss scheduled for Friday, February 17 at the Johnson's house has been canceled. We are looking forward to welcoming Mr. Bearss in September!
The meeting will be held at Tarrytown United Methodist Church, 2601 Exposition Blvd. To get there, take the Westover Drive exit on the MoPac Expressway.
Travel west on Westover until you reach Exposition Blvd. Turn left and travel two blocks. The church is located on your left. There is a parking adjacent to the church and under the administration building on Greenlee Street. 6:30- 7:15
p.m. Dinner and Socializing
7:15 - 8:45
p.m. Announcements/Speaker
8:45 - 9:00
p.m. Questions and Closing Remarks
Rations
Petit Filet Mignon with Baked Potato, Deviled Eggs, Cranberry and Walnut Salad, Chocolate Brownies, Coffee, Tea, and Water. The cost of dinner will be $15. To attend the meeting only, the charge is $5 (For non-members, the first meeting is free, and subsequent meetings are $10). Reservations
Please RSVP by 12 Noon on Tuesday, February 14, by contacting our electronic mailbox via telephone
at (512) 916-3412. If you must cancel your reservation, you must do so at
least 48 hours in advance or you will be responsible for the costs incurred.
Also, please let us know if you are attending the meeting but do not
plan to join us for dinner. Thanks!
Meeting
Schedule for 2011-2012
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