July 2022 Meeting

The speaker at our dinner meeting on July 20th was Mr. A. Wilson Greene, Civil War historian, author, and retired museum director. Mr. Greene gave an excellent presentation about the Petersburg Campaign titled: "The Good, The Bad, and the (Really) Ugly: Leaders and Leadership in the Petersburg Campaign."

The Petersburg Campaign (June 1864-April 1865) may be the least understood of all the major Civil War operations. One explanation may be that so many of the generals, particularly at the division and brigade levels, are relatively unknown.

Mr. Greene’s talk examined some three dozen general officers, the famous and the not-so-famous, who fought at Petersburg, and offered a brief analysis of their personalities, appearances, leadership skills, and contributions to the 292 days of combat at Petersburg. Mr. Greene prepared this illustrated program to present at the Vince Dooley Leadership Seminar at Kennesaw State University. We were very are honored to be the first Round Table in the Nation to hear this fascinating talk.  

Mr. Greene’s career has been prolific and prodigious as a public historian of the Civil War. He served sixteen years as the founder and Executive Director of the Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier in Petersburg VA, retiring in 2017. Before heading the Pamplin Park, he first spent sixteen years in the National Park Service.

    Following the program, Dan Smith, Chairman of the Board of the Monnett Battle of Westport Fund, presented Mr. Greene with our Round Table's highest honor, the Harry S. Truman Award.

Prior to the evening dinner meeting, Dan Smith took Will Greene out to Byram's Ford on the Big Blue Battlefield. While executive director of the APCWS, Mr. Greene was instrumental in advocating for the preservation of the Battle of Westport, particularly raising funds with the Monnett Battle of Westport Fund to acquire the Byram’s Ford Historic District in 1992. 

Will Greene standing behind three historical markers installed at Byram's Ford in November 2020.