Backyard cannonballs

On Thursday night, Ross Pendergraft Library hosted an evening with history.  We were joined by panelists Paul Slaton, David Vance, and Michael Whitaker to discuss how the Civil War played itself out in our own backyard.

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Panelist Paul Slaton, owner of The Emporium in downtown Russellville, discussed some of the local skirmishes around Dardenelle which occurred “almost on a weekly basis” during the Civil.   Audience members also learned about attacks on Union army steamships by Confederate troops along the Arkansas river, and the local artillery outposts used by the Confederates to rain bullets and shells on federalist troops.  One of the many examples of cannon balls and artillery pieces he brought to the discussion were found in his own backyard.

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Michael Whitaker described the “Record Caves” where the Pope County official records were hid during the Civil War since a common practice for union troops upon arrival into a  town was to burn the courthouse.  As a result, he says, Pope County is one of only nine counties which still contains county records from before the Civil War.

David Vance brought an extensive knowledge of Civil War currency and Arkansas banking history, as well as a large collection of Arkansas Treasury bonds and other currency issued by this state and other confederate states during the Civil War.

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Join us next Thursday, August 29th, for more Civil War history when the musical group HARMONY will be playing authentic Civil War era music in room 300 at 7:00 P.M.

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