discusses the design and content of his book
“As I Remember: A Civil War Veteran Reflects on the War and Its Aftermath" based on the life of Lewis Cass White
A PDF copy of the slides that accompanied the presentation is available by clicking HERE
Note: the book contains photographs, drawings and other materials in higher resolution. Books are available through Mr. Scopin's website at www.scopindesign.com (Chrome browser preferred).
Just when you think everything about the Civil War that can be said has been said, along comes a previously unknown batch of historical materials that sheds new light on everything. Our speaker, Joseph Scopin, Jr., experienced such a moment in 2011 when he was cleaning out the basement of an elderly relative. Forgotten in the Bethesda, Maryland basement among a lifetime of moldy, water-logged belongings, Mr. Scopin unearthed a bag of handwritten reminiscences, daily notes from diaries, correspondence, speeches, newspaper clippings, photos, and other odds-and-ends of Lewis Cass White, a Civil War veteran of the 102nd Pennsylvania Infantry. No one seemed to know how the materials ended up in that basement and Mr. Scopin wasn't sure just what he had found. Fortunately, he reached out to someone who did: our very own Civil War scholar, Benjamin Franklin Cooling, III.
The materials were rescued and have now been published in Mr. Scopin's book, “As I Remember: A Civil War Veteran Reflects on the War and Its Aftermath.” It presents new, never-seen-in-public, original source material from Lewis Cass White's collection. The book includes hand-written histories and reminiscences, daily notes from diaries from 1861, 1862, 1863 and 1865 and an original diary covering part of 1861. White participated in 24 battles, including Williamsburg, Fair Oaks, Malvern Hill, Salem Church, The Wilderness, Cold Harbor, Fort Stevens, Winchester and Cedar Creek. The collection also contained correspondence to and from other veterans and veterans associations; speeches; newspaper clippings; and other related ephemera. Those documents were transcribed for the book and some have been reproduced in full color and augmented with Civil War era illustrations.
Of particular note to those of us in the DC metro area are several first-hand accounts of the Battle of Fort Stevens, the only time a sitting President has come under fire. White was there and requested assistance from his colleagues in memorializing this “small event” that he believed had large consequences. The book includes a diagram, reproduced in color, from Surgeon C.C.V. Crawford, who was wounded while standing close to President Abraham Lincoln, and a seven-page account from Lieutenant George Jewett, who was also standing near the President. Several items include quotes from President and Mrs. Lincoln. Memorializing the events became a part of White's life after the war, as a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and as a resident near the battlefield.
Gordon Berg has written a delightful review of Mr. Scopin’s book, available on our website at:
Gordon Berg has written a delightful review of Mr. Scopin’s book, available on our website at:
About Our Speaker:
Joseph Scopin, a native of the Washington DC area, operates his own art and design studio. He received an associate degree from Montgomery College and a bachelor of fine arts degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. Mr. Scopin served two years as art director for the National Art Education Association and worked as an editorial art director for The Washington Star and The Washington Post. Mr. Scopin joined The Washington Times in 1982 as magazine art director and he became its overall Art Director in 1983. He left the Times in 1984 to assemble and head an expanding graphics department for United Press International.
Mr. Scopin returned to The Washington Times in 1987 as Assistant Managing Editor/Design and Photography. He managed the art department where he helped implement a major redesign of the publication and introduce Saturday and Sunday editions in 1991. He also art directed special sections and several books for the Times until his departure in 2010.
Joseph Scopin, a native of the Washington DC area, operates his own art and design studio. He received an associate degree from Montgomery College and a bachelor of fine arts degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. Mr. Scopin served two years as art director for the National Art Education Association and worked as an editorial art director for The Washington Star and The Washington Post. Mr. Scopin joined The Washington Times in 1982 as magazine art director and he became its overall Art Director in 1983. He left the Times in 1984 to assemble and head an expanding graphics department for United Press International.
Mr. Scopin returned to The Washington Times in 1987 as Assistant Managing Editor/Design and Photography. He managed the art department where he helped implement a major redesign of the publication and introduce Saturday and Sunday editions in 1991. He also art directed special sections and several books for the Times until his departure in 2010.
Mr. Scopin now operates his own company, Scopin Design (www.scopindesign.com), which published the “As I Remember.” He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Mooseum, a Montgomery County Dairy museum.
Mr. Scopin's work has received recognition from various design organizations, including the Society for News Design, the New York Art Directors Club, the Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington, and the Communication Arts magazine. Mr. Scopin has also participated as a member of the Society of Newspaper Design and the Society of Publication Designers.
