Speakers Bureau

The Cleveland Civil War Roundtable’s speakers bureau consists of members of the Roundtable who are available to give presentations on various topics related to the Civil War. Members of the speakers bureau can give their presentations to groups who are interested in subjects related to the Civil War. Below is the list of Roundtable members who are available to do this, including their contact information and the different presentations that they are prepared to give.

John C. Harkness

Past President, Cleveland Civil War Roundtable
Fellow of American Society for Metals
Principal Scientist, Materion Inc. (Retired)
Member: Company of Military Historians; Ohio Gun Collectors’ Association
Former Member: North-South Skirmish Association (competitive target shooting with Civil War small arms); Brigade of the American Revolution (reenactor, 23rd Foot, Royal Welch Fusiliers in America)
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  • Materials and Processes in the Manufacture of Civil War Small Arms (development of manufacturing technology to mass produce military arms ca, 1860’s; introduction to metallurgy of iron and steel and their production in mid-19th Century; a full metallurgical examination of original US Springfield and British Enfield rifle-musket components). Freshly updated with new metallurgical test results (2023) that (a) compare the metallurgy of Pattern 1853 Enfield rifle-muskets produced IN NEPAL using native workmen for issue to colonial British East India Company/Gurkha Battalion troops vs. those made in England for issue to Crown forces or for export to Union and Confederate forces, and (b) shed new light on the very unique and previously unreported metallurgy of the US-made Colt Special Model 1861 rifle-musket that was a hybrid design utilizing both Pattern 1853 Enfield and US Springfield tooling.

W. Dennis Keating

Past President, Cleveland Civil War Roundtable
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  • The Irish in the Civil War
  • Thomas Francis Galwey, Cleveland’s Hibernian Guards, and the 8th Ohio Volunteer Infantry
  • Cleveland and the Civil War
  • The May 1865 Grand March of the Union Armies

Brian Kowell

Past President, Cleveland Civil War Roundtable
Member: Civil War Trust
Author: “Pell-Mell Cavalry Clash” (an article about the Buckland Races, which appeared in the July 1992 issue of America’s Civil War magazine)
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  • Island No. 10
  • The Battle of Big Bethel
  • Kill Cavalry: Life of Hugh Judson Kilpatrick
  • Buckland Races
  • Kilpatrick’s Shirt Tail Skedaddle: The Battle of Monroe’s Crossroads
  • The Kilpatrick-Dahlgren Richmond Raid
  • General George Gordon Meade
  • Civil War Horses
  • The Magnificent Seven: Pook’s Turtles in the Civil War
  • How Sheridan Won His Star: The Battle of Booneville, Mississippi
  • John Barleycorn in the Civil War: Alcohol in Blue and Gray
  • The Tragic Romance of Rooney and Charlotte Lee
  • Of Prussians, Pants, and Pianos: Captain Justus Scheibert in the Civil War
  • The Case of Lucy Bagby: The Last Fugitive Slave
  • General Thomas Lanier Clingman
  • From Russia With Love: John and Nadine Turchin in the Civil War

Mel Maurer

Past President, Cleveland Civil War Roundtable
Member: Lincoln Forum; Civil War Preservation Trust
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  • Abe Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Real Story of How Lincoln Wrote the Gettysburg Address – The talk examines how Lincoln thought and wrote, taking the audience to Gettysburg that historic November 19, 1863 to hear Lincoln’s greatest speech and the reaction to it.
  • The Battle of Franklin – The talk focuses on the story of this significant 1864 battle. I lived in Franklin and came to know that battle well. (I also do a talk on the book, The Widow of the South. The woman in the story lived in Franklin during the war and created a cemetery on her land for fallen Confederates.)
  • Jesse James: The Last Rebel of the Civil War – The true story of Jesse James, Confederate guerrilla and notorious outlaw, the subject of countless articles, numerous books, and over 70 movies and TV shows. Was he a true folk hero, an American Robin Hood? Or was he a ruthless criminal, a killer who served only his own interests?
  • Lincoln: The Man and His Legacy – A short talk on Lincoln that focuses on his human side as lawyer, politician, and family man – with some of his humor and his major contributions to our country.
  • Performance as President Lincoln: An Evening with President Abraham Lincoln – It is February of 1865, and Mary Lincoln, in her efforts to raise money for soldiers and their families, has committed Lincoln to a talk at a fundraiser before an audience in Washington, D.C. at Ford’s Theatre. The President speaks about his life, beliefs, policies, and the war as it nears its end. His words will provide insights into that era, seasoned with his characteristic sense of humor.
  • Performance as President Lincoln: Lincoln on Leadership – Lincoln speaks to an audience of West Point cadets and gives his views on leadership, the good and the bad, using examples of Civil War leaders to illustrate the points he is making.
  • The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln – The full story of how our 16th president was assassinated on April 14, 1865: the co-conspirators, the murder, and their escape and capture.
  • The Escape and Capture of John Wilkes Booth – The complete story of the escape and then capture, 12 days later, of Lincoln’s assassin after he shot the president.
  • The Unknown Lincoln-Douglas Debate – A three-person, one act play wherein Lincoln and Douglas meet with an old friend, a judge who is writing a book on their Senate campaign debates, to discuss those debates and the issues raised in them, thus leading to one last informal debate.
  • The Last Full Measure of Devotion – A Memorial Day talk honoring all who served and especially all those who gave their lives in all of our nation’s wars and conflicts.
  • The Abe Lincoln Trivia Game – I act as game show host and ask questions about Lincoln, having some fun with the facts and with the audience. By the end of the presentation, the audience usually knows more than they ever did before about Abe.
  • Abraham Lincoln and His War – A six-class course on aspects of Lincoln and the Civil War. Each class is one of my talks.
  • President Grant and General Lee at the White House – I portray Robert E. Lee in a one-act play imagining their meeting at the White House in 1868.

Steve Pettyjohn

Past President, Cleveland Civil War Roundtable
Member: World at War Forum

Steve is a retired business consultant who specialized in the area of management systems designed to improve quality of products and services, environmental performance, safety, IT services, and information security management. An avid amateur historian since his youth, Steve became interested in history listening to stories about his ancestors who served in the Civil War. His interest in why events transpired as they did, particularly why they went wrong, was sparked when his grandfather read passages to him when he was in kindergarten from a book on the Titanic published in 1912. Steve has the book in his library. Steve’s business trips took him all over the country and, much to his wife’s surprise, he always found a Civil War or other historical site nearby to visit. He is a member and past president of the Cleveland Civil War Roundtable along with being a founding member of the World at War Forum based at Westlake Porter Public Library, which addresses the wars of the 20th century. Steve is also a member of the American Battlefield Trust, Friends of Gettysburg, and the Ohio History Connection. He has made presentations at several Civil War roundtables, the World at War Forum, and at other groups around Ohio and Indiana. He lives in North Ridgeville, Ohio with his wife, a retired librarian, who tolerates his 1,500-book library and hobby of playing board wargames with friends.
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  • The Three General Presidents – Only three Americans have held supreme military command in wars critical to the future of the United States and then have gone on to serve as president. All three created the strategy to win their wars. All three commanded the most daring campaigns of their time. Two of them are ranked by presidential historians in the top ten of all presidents, and one has gone through a 70-year process of moving up in those rankings from last place to above average. This presentation focuses on the lives and careers of these three men: George Washington, Ulysses S. Grant, and Dwight D. Eisenhower. The presentation highlights some comparisons between the three (some of which are humorous) and also notes some common traits that helped lead to their success. Topics in the presentation include how all three “learned their business,” used spies, dealt with difficult people, displayed different kinds of courage, exhibited strategic thinking, and achieved “domestic tranquility.” Lastly, the presentation addresses why these three men have different reputations, how we look at them now, and how the perception of these three has changed over time.
  • Vicksburg, General Grant & Me – During the American Civil War, generals and their armies were driven by memories of Napoleon and his campaigns of annihilation. In spite of many efforts, only one man was able to wage a campaign that could be given the title “Napoleonic” based on its operational daring, speed, courage, complexity, innovation, and results: Vicksburg. This presentation follows the Vicksburg Campaign of Ulysses S. Grant. Initially outnumbered, Grant managed to conduct a brilliant campaign and achieve one of the most decisive victories in U.S. history. The presentation uses PowerPoint slides that include photographs taken during the many trips which the presenter was able to make to the Vicksburg area. This is a history lesson and a travelogue combined with the conclusions of the presenter regarding the Vicksburg Campaign and its legacy.

Steve also offers four non-Civil War-related historical topics:

  • 1914–Europe Goes to War: The Failure of the Schlieffen Plan – This presentation examines the world of 1914 that was dominated by European empires. What brought about the destruction of the most prosperous and peaceful period of European history? The German General Staff was considered the most professional military organization in history. However, they forced Germany into World War I based on a plan created a decade earlier. Was it bound to fail?
  • Pearl Harbor: Attack, Aftermath, and Legacy – For almost half a century, no event overshadowed American history and influenced politics and foreign policy like the attack on Pearl Harbor. Controversies continue to be debated well into the 21st century. This presentation examines the events leading up to the attack and its aftermath. Based on the latest 21st century scholarship and research, this presentation deals with the conspiracy theories, critical analysis of both sides, and which U.S. leaders were responsible for the disaster. Pictures include those taken by the presenter when he visited Pearl Harbor.
  • Fear God & Dreadnaught: The Rise and Fall of the Battleship – During the first half of the 20th century, major countries looked to the size of their navies as an indicator of their great power status. One type of ship dominated that perspective: the dreadnaught battleship. This presentation examines the impact of these weapon systems on the history of the 20th century. The presentation reviews the various naval arms races of the pre-World War I era and their impact on creating the tensions that led to the outbreak of that war. Comparisons of how different countries addressed the need to design, build, man, and use these ships are part of the presentation. Fans of these ships, and especially those who think the U.S. built some of the best battleships, will not be disappointed. Considerable pictures and information on where to visit the surviving battleships are also part of the presentation. Pictures and comments based on the presenter standing on the decks of four surviving dreadnaughts highlight the presentation.
  • Best Tanks of World War II: Legends, Myths, Reality – This presentation comprises a fresh look at World War II tanks and their effectiveness. Included in the presentation are a considerable number of pictures and extensive information regarding the weapon systems that helped change the world. It examines tanks and how they were used by the major combatants of World War II. The presentation contains dozens of pictures, some taken by the presenter when he visited various tank museums. The presentation was viewed and complimented by historian Robert Citino, world-leading expert on the German Army, after he saw the presentation at the World at War Forum.

Paul Siedel

Paul is a native of Olmsted Falls, Ohio and a 1968 graduate of Olmsted Falls High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education at Akron University and later took courses at Cleveland State University in the teaching of reading in elementary grades. His first teaching assignment was with the Prince William County Schools in Manassas, Virginia. He then came home to Ohio and taught for 25 years with the Midview Local Schools in Grafton, Ohio. He is an avid book collector and reader, and he is a member of three Civil War roundtables. He is also a member of the Cleveland branch of the International Dickens Fellowship. In addition, he is on the board of trustees for the Woodland Cemetery Foundation. He lives in the Ohio City neighborhood of Cleveland.
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  • A Walk through Woodland Cemetery (40 minutes with slides)
  • A Tour of the Civil War Sites of Cleveland (45 minutes with slides)
  • Whatever Happened to Camp Cleveland (20 minutes)
  • Ohio City in the Civil War (45 minutes with slides)
  • The Life and Times of Boston Corbett, The Assassin of the Assassin (45 minutes)
  • The Story of Two Clevelanders, Colonels Creighton and Crane (20 minutes)
  • On the Route of the General: Following the Great Locomotive Chase (45 minutes with slides)
  • A Visit to the H.L. Hunley (45 minutes with slides)
  • In Search of the Battle of Irish Bend (45 minutes with slides)
  • Looking for the Last Veteran: The Story of Curtis Phillips, the last Civil War Veteran in Cleveland (30 minutes with slides)
  • A Visit to Beauvoir, the Last Home of Jefferson Davis (45 minutes with slides)
  • Looking for the Homes of Jefferson Davis and John Bell Hood in New Orleans (45 minutes with slides)

Judge William Vodrey

Past President, Cleveland Civil War Roundtable
Member: American Battlefield Trust; Blue and Gray Education Society
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  • Dennison, Tod, and Brough: Ohio’s Civil War Governors
  • Blood in the Streets: The New York City Draft Riots
  • Political Graverobbery: The Confederacy and George Washington
  • The Gettysburg Address: Lincoln Redefines America
  • What If?: An Overview of Civil War Alternative Histories
  • Lee, Jackson, and Longstreet: Traitors All?
  • The Last Naval Duel: The USS Kearsarge vs. the CSS Alabama
  • Brown Water, Black Ships: U.S. Navy Operations on the Mississippi
  • Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain: Scholar, Citizen, Soldier
  • Lincoln’s Commando: William Cushing and the Sinking of the CSS Albemarle
  • Clash of Ironclads: The USS Monitor vs. the CSS Virginia
  • The War that Never Was: Great Britain, the U.S., and the Trent Affair
  • Raid!: The Confederacy Comes to St. Albans, Vermont
  • The Lincoln You Thought You Knew (trivia quiz)
  • Lincoln’s Vice Presidents: Hamlin and Johnson
  • William H. Seward and Civil War Diplomacy
  • Edwin M. Stanton, Buckeye Warlord
  • Father Neptune: Gideon Welles and the U.S. Navy in the Civil War
  • The Battle of New Hope Church, Georgia
  • Salmon P. Chase: From “Attorney General for the Runaway Slave” to Chief Justice

Judge Vodrey also offers three non-Civil War-related historical topics:

  • Three Presidents Go to War: McKinley, Wilson, and FDR
  • Truman and The Bomb
  • MacArthur and Postwar Japan