Central Minnesota Civil War Round Table

01/12/2026

REMINDER -- CWRT -- Jan 13 -- "Guarding the Northwest Frontier -- The Civil War in MN" -

Jan 13 – 3:15pm -- Whitney Senior Center Guarding the Northwest Frontier. The Civil War in Minnesota – Michael Penrod  When we talk about the Civil War in Minnesota we focus primarily on U.S.-Dakota War. Regarded as the opening round in a thirty-year conflict between the Dakota and the United...

01/06/2026

Guarding the Northwest Frontier. The Civil War in Minnesota – presented by Michael Penrod, SCSU professor emeritus

Jan 13 – 3:15pm -- Whitney Senior Center

When we talk about the Civil War in Minnesota we focus primarily on U.S.-Dakota War. Regarded as the opening round in a thirty-year conflict between the Dakota and the United States that ended at Wounded Knee Dakote Territory in 1890; the U.S.-Dakota War is also a defining event in a short-lived conflict between the United States and Great Britain that had a direct impact on the outcome of the Civil War and on the future of Canada. The fighting that flared in the Minnesota country in the Summer of 1862 come close to shutting down the Red River commerce trail. If this had happened the flow of fur trade goods vital to the North American garment industry would have been disrupted. The viability of the central Canada fur trade settlements was called into question and the political realignment of the central region of North America could have been the result. Consequently, the United States was forced to demonstrate to the rest of the world that, at a time when the Civil War was not going well for the United States, it could protect its remote national frontiers. In Minnesota this meant keeping the Red River Trails open and protecting the flow of commerce between central British North America and St Paul.

This talk will outline the parameters of the conflict between the US and the European powers, how the conflict manifest itself in the Minnesota country of the early 1860s and the impact on the Civil War.

Hope to see you there. Bring a friend if you can!

01/06/2026

https://mailchi.mp/af87766d6d1e/cwrt-jan-13-guarding-the-northwest-frontier-the-civil-war-in-mn

Jan 13 – 3:15pm -- Whitney Senior Center Guarding the Northwest Frontier. The Civil War in Minnesota – Michael Penrod  When we talk about the Civil War in Minnesota we focus primarily on U.S.-Dakota War. Regarded as the opening round in a thirty-year conflict between the Dakota and the United...

10/13/2025

REMINDER -- The Hunley -- the World's 1st Submarine -

10/06/2025

The Hunley -- the World's 1st Submarine -

09/24/2025

GIVING TUESDAY EVENT
Sign up for our bonus event tomorrow at 7pm EASTERN. It is a conversation between living historians Larry McCluney (PGT Beauregard) and Curt Fields (US Grant) about Vicksburg. Be there to ask your pressing questions about this important 1862 campaign. https://www.cwrtcongress.org/events.html

08/08/2025

We're excited to announce our slate of programs for our the upcoming 2025-2026 year. Hope to see you at our meeting in September!

Sept 9 – Tale of Two Diaries - Southern Women' s Experiences and Perceptions of the Civil War – Dr. Mary Soroko

Oct 14 – The Hunley – the 1st submarine to sink an enemy ship – Gary Blessman

Nov 18 – The Second MN Regiment -- Personal Reflections from a Private Soldier – Danelle Erickson

Dec 9 – Four Score and Seven: How the Civil War Combatants Viewed the Founding of America – Win /Anderson

Jan 13 – Guarding the Northwest Frontier. The Civil War in Minnesota – Michael Penrod

Feb 10 – Inside the Fort Snelling Indian Camps – Stephen Osman

March 10 – Civil War Veterans and Fears of a New Civil War – Dr. Shannon Smith

April 14 – Major General James Shields – Darryl Sannes

May 12 – “Have You Ever Wondered …” – Central MN CWRT group discussion

08/08/2025

I'm pleased to announce we have our slate of programs all lined up! Looking forward to seeing folks soon.

Sept 9 – Tale of Two Diaries - Southern Women' s Experiences and Perceptions of the Civil War – Dr. Mary Soroko

Oct 14 – The Hunley – the 1st submarine to sink an enemy ship – Gary Blessman

Nov 18 – The Second MN Regiment -- Personal Reflections from a Private Soldier – Danelle Erickson

Dec 9 – Four Score and Seven: How the Civil War Combatants Viewed the Founding of America – Win /Anderson

Jan 13 – Guarding the Northwest Frontier. The Civil War in Minnesota – Michael Penrod

Feb 10 – Inside the Fort Snelling Indian Camps – Stephen Osman

March 10 – Civil War Veterans and Fears of a New Civil War – Dr. Shannon Smith

April 14 – Major General James Shields – Darryl Sannes

May 12 – “Have You Ever Wondered …” – Central MN CWRT group discussion

05/07/2025

Civil War-- Medical Middle Ages Or Dawn of Modern Medicine – presented by Dr. Jim Mohs.

May 13 -- 3:15pm -- Whitney Senior Center -- Kelly room.

Free and open to the public. Feel free to bring a friend!

04/02/2025

Grierson's Raid -- The true story of the real Horse Soldiers!
Much of the Grierson Raid in April 1863 found itself retold in fiction. The real story about the raid creates a more exciting story than the fictional accounts. The presentation will focus on the book The Real Horse Soldiers by Timothy B. Smith. Presented by Brian Bergs.

Tuesday, April 8 -- 3:15pm -- Whitney Senior Center -- Kelly/Boltuck Room

Prior to Brian's presentation, the Moll's will also be sharing some pictures and info from their "General's Dinner" in Galena.

Should be a great meeting. Hope to see everyone there. Feel free to bring a friend!

02/21/2025

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, March 11 -- 3:15pm -- Whitney Senior Center. Here are the details:

The Revered and the Obscured: Battery B, 1st New York Light Artillery at Gettysburg Crossing Paths with the 1st Minnesota.

While the story of the 1st Minnesota at Gettysburg is well known, that of a Union artillery battery that fought near them is not. They both served Hancock’s II Corps and were heavily engaged during the July 2nd and 3rd battles in 1863. They defended the same ground on Cemetery Ridge. They suffered casualties well above their respective norms for infantry and artillery units.

Presented by Steven Gates.

Hope to see you there. Feel free to bring a friend!

01/16/2025

Here's the latest on our programs for the rest of our 2024-2025 schedule:

Feb 11, 2025 – The Civil War According to Edward Porter Alexander – Andy Ditlevson
E.P. Alexander is widely considered to be not only the best artillerist for the Confederacy but also to have written perhaps the most insightful and balanced Civil War memoir. This presentation will cover not only E.P. Alexander's experiences, from First Bull Run to Appomattox, but also his opinions, both complementary and critical, of many such notable figures as Lee, Jackson, Longstreet, McClellan, Ho**er, Grant and more.

Mar 11, 2025 The Revered and the Obscured: Battery B, 1st New York Light Artillery at Gettysburg Crossing Paths with the 1st Minnesota -- Steve Gates
While the story of the 1st Minnesota at Gettysburg is well known, that of a Union artillery battery that fought near them is not. They both served Hancock’s II Corps and were heavily engaged during the July 2nd and 3rd battles in 1863. They defended the same ground on Cemetery Ridge. They suffered casualties well above their respective norms for infantry and artillery units.

April 8, 2025 Grierson’s Raid – Brian Bergs

May 13, 2025 – Civil War Medicine (working title) – Dr. Jim Mohs