Author Rebecca Morris to Speak at Southern Maryland Civil War Roundtable Nov. 13
Anne Arundel County Historical Societys (AACHS) Rebecca Morris will discuss the role of Annapolis in the Civil War at the next meeting of the Southern Maryland Civil War Roundtable Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. at the College of Southern Marylands (CSM) Center for Business and Industry (BI) on the La Plata Campus. The roundtable is open to anyone interested in the Civil War.
In 1862, Annapolis became the main depot on the east coast for Union prisoners released on parole by the Confederacy. The camps, and the army regiments stationed in and around the city, changed Annapolis from a sleepy market-town to an over-crowded city filled with thieves, murderers and prostitutes, said Southern Maryland Civil War Roundtable President Dr. Brad Gottfried.
Morris, a resident of Annapolis, is the author of A Low, Dirty Place: The Parole Campus of Annapolis, Md., 1862-1865, which describes the men who came to Annapolis from the southern prisons and whose last, best hope of freedom was Camp Parole. Morris has served on the AACHS board of directors for the past five years and is currently its treasurer. She has written articles for AACHSs quarterly publication, History Notes and is a member and contributor to several historical associations including the Annapolis History Consortium, the Chesapeake Civil War Roundtable, the Surratt Society and the Lincoln Forum.
In addition to serving as CSMs fourth president, Gottfried is a noted Civil War historian, having written nine books about the Civil War. To view a video of Gottfried talking about his experiences writing his latest book, The Maps of Antietam: An Atlas of the Antietam (Sharpsburg) Campaign, including the Battle of South Mountain, September 2 – 20, 1862, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=hcedueoBM_w&noredirect=1#!
The Southern Maryland Civil War Roundtable hosts monthly meetings, the second Tuesday of every month from September through May. Meetings are free and open to the public, but membership to the roundtable is highly encouraged. Annual membership is $30. For information, contact Gottfried at bgottfried@csmd.edu or 301-934-7625.