General Sherman and Georgia women

Newton — Come and enjoy the April Meeting of the Colonel Henry Ryerson Civil War Round Table on April 18, 2017, 7:00 pm, at the Sussex County Main Library, 125 Morris Turnpike, Newton, New Jersey. Admission is free.
The Colonel Henry Ryerson Civil War Round Table is pleased to present an entertaining evening with Dr. Heidi Weber as she talks about the “Experiences of Georgia’s Women in the Wake of General Sherman’s Armies.”
During the course of the War of the Rebellion, Generals William Sherman and Ulysses Grant ascertained that one of the paths to victory was to take the war to the Southern people. As the tide slowly started to turn in favor of the Union forces, a plan was devised for Sherman to follow this course and bring the war to the home front. Here, the forces traveled through Georgia and the Carolinas, while living off the land and destroying what was in their path. Those who suffered the wrath of these Union forces were primarily the women, who were left behind while their husbands, fathers and sons were off fighting. The women of Georgia were the first to bear the brunt of this campaign. These Georgia women provided vivid accounts in their diaries and letters of their encounters with the Union troops, positive and negative, as well as the devastation with which they were faced.
This presentation will focus upon the writings of various Georgia women of all social strata who lived on the routes of these campaigns. It will include details of their diary accounts, which expressed great disdain for their invaders, as well as the hardships that they endured during these challenging times. Their correspondence with family members details the violence they encountered as well as the vast destruction to their homes and possessions. Emphasis, overall, was placed on their loss of material possessions as well as the destruction of the world that they once knew, which was brought to ruin. These women are in many ways the forgotten victims and by exploring their stories, it can be seen how powerful the impact of the war was on the people, beyond just the battlefield losses.
Weber is an associate professor of military history/history at the State University of New York at the Orange County Community College. In addition to teaching courses, she serves on various committees and is currently setting up a Holocaust Remembrance center on campus.
Heidi earned her Ph.D. from Kent State University in American Military history. Her specialty is the application of total warfare in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina in 1864-1865. She was also selected as a Fellow in the United States Military Academy Summer Seminar in Military History.
She is a member of the Newton Rotary Club, serves on the Foundation Board of SCARC and is a Trustee of the Dennis Memorial Library. She is also the Chairwoman of the Sussex County College Board of Trustees search committee. In addition, Heidi is involved in many historical organizations, has published various articles, book reviews, and has been on the Discovery Channel.
The Colonel Henry Ryerson Civil War Round Table provides educational programs, tours, and fellowship for individuals interested in the Civil War Era. Meetings are free and open to the public. For more information please call Jennifer at 973-948-4724 during the day, or check out the Round Table’s website at www.ryersoncwrt.com