Dave Hull
Sergeant Major
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2011
- Location
- Northern Virginia
For the Masons in the group, I was able to get an autographed copy of The Better Angles of our Nature: Freemasonry in the American Civil War by Br. Mike Halleran at Alexandria Washington Lodge #22. He gave an excellent presentation, with the highlight being his self described National Treasure moment, when doing research on a Ironclad with the S&C between the smoke stakes. After going through 19 boxes of personal effect of the third Captain of ship, a Master Mason, he and the Harvard trained curator discovered a "Navy Code Book."
He sat back like the clouds had parted and started to laugh. The curator asked what was so interesting about the Naval Code book and Br. Mike said, "you folks have no idea what you have here do you?" The woman was total perplexed and said "what do you mean" Br. Mike just patted the leather bound volume and said "It is a Masonic cipher." He quickly pointed out the first line, Will you be off or from?
He had some great pictures in his slide deck, I had never seen before. One was particularly amusing with a picture of 7 Ohio men in white aprons. He found the picture in a box with the caption "Ohio Army Surgeons prepare for work" Turns out they were the officers of one of the many field lodges.
I had heard a great deal about the book from a few members of the Patriot Lodge, who gave it the highest recommendation. If the book is as good as the presentation, I can hardly wait to start it.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0817316957/?tag=civilwartalkc-20
He sat back like the clouds had parted and started to laugh. The curator asked what was so interesting about the Naval Code book and Br. Mike said, "you folks have no idea what you have here do you?" The woman was total perplexed and said "what do you mean" Br. Mike just patted the leather bound volume and said "It is a Masonic cipher." He quickly pointed out the first line, Will you be off or from?
He had some great pictures in his slide deck, I had never seen before. One was particularly amusing with a picture of 7 Ohio men in white aprons. He found the picture in a box with the caption "Ohio Army Surgeons prepare for work" Turns out they were the officers of one of the many field lodges.
I had heard a great deal about the book from a few members of the Patriot Lodge, who gave it the highest recommendation. If the book is as good as the presentation, I can hardly wait to start it.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0817316957/?tag=civilwartalkc-20