FRIENDS OF FORT TRUMBULL TO EXPLORE SUBMARINES IN THE CIVIL WAR

The Friends of Fort Trumbull will welcome to their meeting on Thursday, July 26, 2012, at 7 p.m., Chuck Veit, a naval historian.

Mr. Veit, who is the President of the Navy and Marine Living History Association, is located in North Attleboro, Mass. For the past fifteen years, Mr. Veit has succeeded in the dual careers of corporate Graphic Design, and the research, writing, and presentation of U.S. Naval History.

His most recent book, A Dog Before a Soldier, was published to rave reviews. The Virtual Mariner, U.S. Militaria Forum 2010 summed up the reaction by writing, “If you are a Civil War enthusiast and think you’ve read everything about the Civil War, you should read this book. If you are a Navy enthusiast and think you have a good grasp of naval history, you should read this book. In both cases, I bet you’ll have your eyes opened to something new.”

Mr. Veit will present an illustrated lecture on Submarines in the Civil War. Members will remember that we began this series on the Civil War with a presentation on the C.S.S. Hunley. However, Mr. Veit will emphasize that there is evidence for over a score of Northern and Southern submarines in the course of the war. Since submarine warfare was considered by many to be ”ungentlemanly”, the term “infernal machine” can be found throughout Northern reports. Brutus de Villeroi, one of the first inventors of submarines, attempted to enlist

President Lincoln’s support when he wrote, “I propose to you a new arm of war, formidable as it is economical. Submarine navigation, which has been sometimes attempted, but as all know without results, owing to want of suitable opportunities, is now a problematical thing no more.”

Mr. Veit will discuss the bravery of the inventors and crews, who risked their lives to develop this technology. Many of their innovations would not be seen again for decades: airlocks, periscopes, compressed air ballast tanks, torpedoes, and air purification systems. He will also discuss the premise of his last chapter- “How the U.S. Navy Won the American Civil War”. This is definitely not exactly the history we all may have been taught!

The meeting will take place at the Fort Trumbull Conference Center at 90 Walbach Street, New London. The meeting is open to the public and new members are always welcome. Seating is limited.