Monroe County Civil War Roundtable

 General Spaulding's Civil War Album

George W. Spalding was an intriguing person:  Scottish immigrant, school teacher, Civil War private to brigadier general, Provost Marshal of Nashville, TN, mayor of Monroe, and U.S. Congressman. Within the archives of the Lawrence A. Frost Collection of Custeriana at the Ellis Library is a small Civil War era photo album of twenty-two carte de visites (CDVs) that belonged to General Spalding.  The pictures are of Union soldiers from unknown sergeants to famous major generals.  Eighteen are identified, most are men from Monroe, Lenawee and Hillsdale counties being in the 4th and 18th Michigan Infantry Regiments and the U.S.12th Tennessee Cavalry.

We will discuss the general's fascinating life and participation in the war including a few of the soldiers that fought along side him.

Dave Ingall is a long time member of the Monroe County Civil War Round Table having attended the very first meeting.  He became a Civil War enthusiast after the first time he saw the Custer Statue around age four or five, only knowing that it was a Civil War soldier on a horse.  When his Great Uncle Rex told him that he had a Civil War relative, it turned out he had over thirty.  While in grade school his parents took him along to decorate relatives graves every Memorial Day weekend.  He encountered numerous white marble headstones of Civil War Veterans and wanted to know more about them!  The rest is history!