About Us Contact Us Speakers/Meetings Tours Book Prize Membership
 

JANUARY PROGRAM

"Civil War Prisons"
Monday, Jan. 12, 2026

Presenter:  Dr. Mary Beth Allison

Gather at 6 p.m., Program begins at 6:30 p.m.
Duckett Hall Auditorium, The Citadel
Sponsored by The Citadel's Department of History

Libby Prison, Richmond, Va., c. 1863

Program:  "Civil War Prisons."  Civil War prisoners of war suffered extreme cruelty from a combined effort of failures throughout the Civil War.  Their suffering occurred not from one person or one event, but a combination of people and events.  It was not about the North or South, Union or Confederacy, as both sides face blame and fault for the dreadful conditions of Civil War prisoner of war camps.

Presenter:  Dr. Mary Beth Allison, who received a Ph.D. in History from Liberty University in 2024, is currently an adjunct instructor at Grand Canyon University and a freelance editor for Sava Beatie. 

PREVIOUS PROGRAM

"The Life and Legacy of Florida's Own Gen. Edmund Kirby-Smith"
Monday, Dec. 8, 2025

Presenter:  Bob Grenier
Duckett Hall Auditorium, The Citadel
Sponsored by The Citadel's Department of History

LGen. Edmund Kirby-Smith, CSA

Bob Grenier presented an excellent talk on "The Life and Legacy of Florida's Own Gen. Edmund Kirby-Smith" at the Fort Sumter Civil  War Round Table Meeting on December 8.  Nicknamed "Seminole" by his West Point classmates, Edmund Kirby-Smith was more interested in the Bible and Botany than the Battlefield.  And though he opposed secession, he dutifully served his home state of Florida during the War Between the States and became commander of the Trans-Mississippi Department following the River -- a nation in itself -- known as "Kirby Smithdom."


Bob Grenier presents his talk, Duckett Hall, The Citadel, Dec. 8, 2025  (Photo by Philip Spann Cathcart)

Presenter:  Bob Grenier moved from Chicago, Ill. to Lake County, Fl. in 1985, and became immersed in the community and its history.  He is a Past President of the Lake County Historical Society and Museum, Executive Director of the Tavares History Research Center, and Chairman of "Friends of Golden Triangle History."

Grenier co-hosts the weekly WQBQ Program, "Happenings and History," and is the author of 14 books on Florida history.  Currently, he is working with the County Historical Society to create a military museum.  When not absorbed in local history and planning projects, he serves as a council member for hte City of the City of Tavares, Fl.  Grenier previously served as mayor of the city. 

He retired after a 26-year career with Walter Disney World's Engineering Service.
Fort Sumter Civil War Round Table Achieves Goal!
Organization Raises Enough Money to
Replace "UNION IS DISSOLVED!" Marker

The Fort Sumter Civil War Round Table (FSCWRT) has raised $3,000 through donations to replace the S.C. Historical Marker, "UNION IS DISSOLVED," that vandals knocked down and stole in March from its location at 134 Meeting Street in Charleston.  The FSCWRT will be credited on the new marker for its successful effort when the City of Charleston installs the new marker in January. 

Why This Matters: 

South Carolina delegates signed the Ordiance of Secession on Dec. 20, 1860 at Institute Hall adjacent to St. Michael's Church where the S.C. Historical Marker was previously located and where it will be positioned again.  This privotal act marked the beginning of the South's secession from the Union and the start of a series of events that led to the Civil  War.

The Ordinance of Secession is one of the most significant documents in American history.  It is the moment South Carolina officially declared its intent to leave the Union, igniting a chain of events that culminated in the Civil War.  Maintaining the marker at the very site where this decision was made ensures that future generations will understand not only the gravity of ths moment but the lasting impact it had on our nation.

 

 
Click here to view photos of
past presentations.
Support Friends of the National Parks

As some of you may know, several of the Fort Sumter Civil War Round Table members also are associated with what, until recently, was called Fort Sumter-Fort Moultrie Historical Trust. Not long ago, the Trust "rebranded,", i.e., changed its name to better represent what it does. The Trust is now Friends of Charleston National Parks. Its mission is to help the National Park Service protect and preserve Fort Sumter, Fort Moultrie, the Charles Pinckney National Historic Site (Snee Farm Plantation), and the U.S. Coast Guard Historic District on Sullivan's Island (the lighthouse and the old life-saving station that are next to each other). With that in mind, Round Table board members are passing along this information knowing that those who are interested in one aspect of history often are interested in others. We encourage anyone who wishes to do so to support Friends of Charleston National Parks.
   

For more information, visit:   https://friendofscnp.org
Follow the Fort Sumter Civil War Round Table on Facebook