Civil War program set for May 28
MILO — The Three Rivers Kiwanis of Milo-Brownville is welcoming Diane and Ned Smith, well-known local Civil War researchers, who are offering an intriguing talk about their personal journey as authors and researcher, as well as sharing stories of Maine’s role in the war. The last Wednesday Kiwanis meeting will be May 28 at 6:30 p.m. at the Milo Town Hall, 6 Pleasant Street. Everyone is welcome to attend. Refreshments will be served.
“We have spoken at a great number of events from Maine to New Hampshire, New York, and Michigan,” says Ned Smith. “Diane was the first speaker for the Maine State Museum and State Archives’ series of Civil War bicentennial lectures,” he continues proudly. Both have been featured as speakers for a number of Civil War roundtables, historical societies, and various clubs and civic organizations.
Diane and Ned Smith both became intrigued by the Civil War while in junior high school. This interest eventually led to the unusual situation of a wife and husband both being published authors of books on the Civil War. Before then, Ned and Diane Smith began volunteering as guides at the Joshua Chamberlain Museum in Brunswick. That led Diane Smith to her first book “Fanny and Joshua”, a dual biography of Maine’s Civil War hero and his wife of 50 years. Chamberlain also served as Maine’s governor and president of Bowdoin College.
During Diane Smith’s research and writing, Ned Smith had helped with everything from reading rough drafts, assisting with reading hundreds of primary source documents (letters and a number of diaries) and took on the challenging task of creating maps for the books. Ned Smith’s first book “The 22nd Maine Volunteer Infantry in the Civil War: A History and Roster” was published in 2010. This regiment’s service, primarily in Louisiana, included battles at such places as Irish Bend and the Siege of Port Hudson. His second book “A History of the 2nd Maine Cavalry”, another regiment sent to the Deep South and engaged in battles against Confederate forces in Louisiana, Florida, and Alabama, is now in production, with publication expected in June or July.
Three Rivers Kiwanis meets every Wednesday morning at the Milo Town Hall at 6:30, except the last Wednesday (be it the fourth or fifth Wednesday of the month), which meets at 6:30 p.m. Most meetings usually have a speaker. The public is always welcome. For membership information, please Secretary Cheryl L. Zeh at 943-6909.