History and Civil War Institute
Civil War Institute – Fall 2022
Live Classroom Sessions did not work out so well, so we are back to the convenient and easy virtual Zoom classes!
As we have done since the outset of these curious times, we will send out the Zoom link with the reminder that typically goes out within 24 hours of the start of class. Stay safe and God Bless you all! To mark this occasion, we have an outstanding variety of fascinating courses to offer at Manor’s Jenkintown campus.
Meet George G. Meade, Victor of Gettysburg (Part One) – NEW – 1 night (2 hrs.) – Utilizing Meade’s own words, Dr. Waskie will bring the general to life. This first-person narrative will cover Meade’s life and career from his birth in Spain, his youth in Philadelphia, his education at West Point, through his service through the Battle of Gettysburg. (Look for Page Two – Meade after Gettysburg – in our spring semester.)
Instructor: Andy Waskie
Fee: $30
Date: Wednesday, October 26
Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
The Battle of Antietam – 1 day (2 hrs.) – Sept. 17, 1862, saw the bloodiest day in American military history, a battle whose political impact outweighed even the strategic outcome. Federals and Rebels pounded each other through the Cornfield, across the Sunken Road, and over Burnside’s Bridge. The narrow Union victory gave President Lincoln the opportunity to issue his Emancipation Proclamation.
Instructor: Jerry Carrier
Fee: $30
Date: Wednesday, November 2
Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Patriot and Statriot: Robert E. Lee and George H. Thomas – NEW – 1 night (2 hrs.) – When the secession crisis erupted into open warfare in 1861, Army officers, especially those of Southern heritage, faced a wrenching decision: For which side would they fight? Prominent among these officers were two Virginians, who chose opposite sides and served their chosen causes brilliantly. We will examine why Robert E. Lee decided his allegiance was to his state, while George H. Thomas cast his lot with the U.S.A.
Instructor: Jerry Carrier
Fee: $30
Date: Monday, November 28
Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
An Eye for an Eye: Retaliation and Lieber Code – NEW – 1 night (2 hrs.) – When war’s violence becomes excessive, retaliation is likely to follow. We will examine how each side retaliated – with prisoners, wounded, civilians, black soldiers, food supplies, and homes. We’ll also examine correspondence on the issue between officers on both sides, as well as politicians. German-American jurist Francis Lieber wrote detailed rules about authorized, unauthorized and proportional retaliation. His work, the first of its kind, became known as the Lieber Code.
Instructor: Walt Lafty
Fee: $30
Date: Monday, December 12
Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
History Institute Fall 2022
The Battle for the Old Northwest: President Washington’s Indian War – NEW – 1 night (2 hrs.) – The most one-sided defeat ever suffered by U.S. forces occurred on Nov. 4, 1791, in western Ohio. Shawnee and Miami warriors, led by Blue Jacket and Little Turtle, nearly wiped out political general Arthur St. Clair’s command. The struggle for the Northwest Frontier had begun during the French and Indian War and would not end until the War of 1812. The fighting in Kentucky and Ohio also saw the rebirth of the U.S. Army under “Mad Anthony” Wayne.
Instructor: Tom Donnelly
Fee: $30
Date: Thursday, November 10
Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
HMS Jersey: “The Ghost Ship” – NEW – 1 night (2 hrs.) – British prison ships held thousands of American prisoners during the American Revolution. First used as a hospital ship, the Jersey became a prison ship around 1779. Aboard the Jersey and similar vessels, twice as many Americans died than those that died in combat during the entire Revolution, a fact often overlooked in the annals of our struggle for independence.
Instructor: Mike Jesberger
Fee: $30
Date: Wednesday, November 16
Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
History’s Mysteries: World War II – NEW – 1 night (2 hrs.) – In school, we learned about invasions and set-piece battles, but the textbooks omitted many stories of secret operations and innovations that were fascinating but remained untold for years after World War II ended. Some of these were the Ghost Army, the secrets of the Richey Boys, secret drones, bouncing bombs and the Japanese plan to attack America with weather balloons. This class will focus on once-secret incidents that you were never taught in high school!
Instructor: Herb Kaufman
Fee: $30
Date: Wednesday, December 7
Time: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.