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53rd Annual Meeting
25-28 April 2002

The Company of Military Historians helped Mobile (founded with establish­ment of Fort Louis de Louisiane under orders of King Louis XIV in 1702 during Queen Anne's War) celebrate her Tricentennial. The Meeting was held in downtown Mobile at the Radisson Admi­ral Semmes Historic Hotel, situated on the 1711 boundary of new Fort Louis de Mo­bile built after relocation of the soldiers and settlers from 27-Mile Bluff. Atten­dance at this Meeting was 113 registrants (including 11 first-timers).

The Meeting began Thursday, 25 April, with an all-day, optional Civil War Battle­fields and Forts Tour led by Co-chairman Ed Besch and Mobile Municipal Archivist Ned Harkins. Sixty-three participants passed the site of Confederate Fort Powell (blown up in 1864), visited Fort Gaines (constructed 1818 to 1861), and had lunch on Dauphin Island. Then they crossed lower Mobile Bay, the site of the largest naval battle of the Civil War, to Fort Mor­gan by ferry. The buoy marking the sunken ironclad USS Tecumseh was visible near the fort. We viewed the impressive re­mains of pre-Civil War Fort Morgan bat­tered by Farragut's fleet and siege guns in 1864, and later concrete coastal artillery battery positions. During 1814-15, the garrison of a fortification then called Fort Bowyer repelled an initial British naval attack but later surrendered to a large Brit­ish land and naval force vengeful after losing the Battle of New Orleans. The Fort Morgan Museum displays military weap­ons, uniforms, and artifacts from the War of 1812 through World War I.

After a long bus ride, the partici­pants toured earthen Fort Blakely (in His­toric Blakely State Park), stopping at Redoubt Four to hear local historian and reenactor Donnie Barrett give a spirited narration about Civil War fortifications and events during the last major battle of the Civil War on 9 April 1865.

During the Thursday evening recep­tion at the Radisson, Mobile Mayor Michael C. Dow, who served two tours as a helicopter door gunner with the 173d Airborne Brigade during the Vietnam War, welcomed Company members and their guests. Afterward, the Board of Governors and Chapters met, while Randy Hudspeth, Director of Develop­ment at Battleship Park, showed a USS Alabama video for those not involved in the meetings.

Co-chairman and Treasurer Jim Mitchell, assisted by John Powell, was in charge of the exhibit and flea market room, which had 24-hour security provided by armed guards. Jim exhibited "The Confederate Navy at Mobile" and John displayed care­fully organized and cased Spanish Colo­nial Buttons and other military artifacts from the Gulf Coast-both exceptional exhibits. Other outstanding exhibits were provided by Alex de Quesada; Bill Emerson; and John Quarstein from the Virginia War Museum, for a total of ten exhibit tables. Ed Besch, Bill Eagan, Jim and Joyce Gooding, Jack Meyer, and Ralph Moody had flea market tables.

This year, it was decided to return to a double seminar format to attract larger Meeting attendance with sessions that would cover Mobile Bay area topics, but also appeal to other diverse interests. Fri­day morning sessions featured: "Spanish-Indian Battle of Mauvilla, 1540; and Fort Louis de Louisiana, 1702-1711" by au­thor and retired Mobile Municipal Archi­vist Jay Higginbotham; Curator Peter Harrington's "The Anne S.K. Brown Mili­tary Collection"; and Alabama Historical Commission's Jim Parker, "Fort Minis and the Tensaw Posts, 1812-1813." Au­thor and naval expert Jack Friend described and illustrated "The Battle of Mobile Bay" in detail; Mobile Municipal Archivist Ed­ward (Ned) Harkins presented "Military History of Mobile, 1712-1968"; and Wayne Sirmon spoke about "Masonic (military) Medals and Insignia."

At noon, attendees promptly boarded three buses and headed for Pensacola, eating box lunches on the way. At The National Naval Aviation Museum, where a volunteer veteran met them at the door, they organized into four bus groups to tour the outside flight line of aircraft and pass the open Aircraft Restoration Facility. They also saw the impressive collection of U.S. Navy, USMC, and foreign aircraft dating from both World Wars thru the Space Age; aviation art; ship models; uniforms; an exhibit devoted to Vietnam prisoners of war; and other items of interest.

At 4:30 PM, the buses left Pensacola to arrive at 5:35 PM at Battleship Park on the Mobile Bay Causeway. Meeting partici­pants toured the battleship USS Alabama and the submarine USS Drum, recently raised onto land, and observed numerous aircraft, including a huge B-52 "Stratofortress," outside and inside the Aircraft Pavilion. Other showpieces in­cluded armored vehicles, artillery pieces, and a Chinese Type 59 tank captured from Iraqis during the Persian Gulf War.

At 7:00 PM everyone assembled in the Aircraft Pavilion. The University of South Alabama Army ROTC Color Guard to posted the Colors, and Dr. Bob Houston led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance before participants lined up to enjoy a catered buffet dinner, surrounded by Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marine Corps aircraft. After dinner, Rear Adm. Jeremiah A. Denton, Naval Aviator, Viet­nam prisoner of war for seven years, former U.S. Senator, and humanitarian, gave a stirring speech that held a tired audience at rapt attention. The audience gave him a standing ovation, and Admiral Denton beamed after Ed Besch (USNA, '60) told him that "by Naval Academy academic standards, his speech rated a 4.0 for con­tent and delivery."

On Saturday morning, after a well or­ganized CMH Annual Business Meeting that ended promptly, author and Governor Bill Emerson presented "U.S. Army Marksmanship Awards 1880-1920, and Training Philosophy" while John Powell illustrated and described "Military Arti­facts from the Spanish Colonial Period on the Gulf Coast." Both presenters also had superb exhibits. They were followed by Site Director Blanton Blankenship and Curator Mike Bailey, who gave "History of Fort Morgan," one of the sites visited on Thursday's tour.

After lunch, attendees walked or rode to the new Museum of Mobile, which opened in September 2001, and could also visit partially reconstructed French Fort Conde (1721-1821) across the street. Bob Edington, former Alabama state senator, presented "Admiral Raphael Semmes and the CSS Alabama," which served as a wonderful prelude before Meet­ing attendees visited the Semmes-CSS Alabama Gallery, the Museum's "crown jewel" during the Tricentennial year. Curator Dave Morgan gave tours of the Museum's state-of-the-art con­servation, research, and storage areas, and there was time to visit other fine exhibits about the history of Mobile

Saturday evening festivities began with a reception prior to the banquet. Piper Sam Varney from Pensacola brought us to at­tention with a stirring rendition of the "Marines' Hymn" before piping "Mrs. Eldred's Welcome" as he led the head table to their places and as "Call to Mess" for everyone else. President Joe Thatcher offered customary toasts to "The Presi­dent, The Queen, The Armed Forces," and "The Ladies," before we enjoyed roast prime rib of beef or grilled fresh Grouper with Dijon sauce. President Thatcher pre­sided over presentations. Don Londahl-Smidt was recognized for his Dis­tinguished Service Award, which he could not receive at last year's Meeting because of illness. Newly elected Fellows of The Company-Col. Ronald M. Anderson, Mark R. Kasal, and Philip M. Morion- were announced. Miller Award recipient Alex de Quesada received his medallion and the other exhibitors received well de­served certificates.

On Sunday morning after the Meeting, Ed and Donna Besch, assisted by their daughter Christina B. Robichaux, were privileged to host a buffet breakfast for about forty and share their Asia, Colonial, and Civil War collections at their home in West Mobile.

Edwin W. Besch, Co-chairman, CMH-2002