REPORT OF ANNUAL MEETING

HISTORIC CITY OF FORSYTH ABOUT 1900
Courtesy of Dr. R. M. Good, Point Lookout, Mo.

The above buildings in this photograph have all been removed by fire and the acquisition of land for the Bull Shoals Lake. This was the site chosen for the Annual Meeting of the White River Valley Historical Society in June of this year. It was the scene of many Civil War activities in the War of the Rebellion. It was for a time the uppermost steam boat landing on White River. It was the departure point for many flat boats carrying merchandise down the river to markets before the coining of the railroad to Branson. Texas Wagon Trains made up here before departure for the Lone Star State. It was the village site for many historic and prehistoric Indian Tribes. It was the early site of the Schoo1 of the Ozarks prior to the school's disastrous fire in 1915. It is perhaps the most historic site in the upper White River valley. It still lacks an adequate historical marker depicting its historic past.

Sunday, June 24, Dr. Richard Brownlee, Director of the Mis souri Historical Society, ad dressed the White River Valley Historical Society at City Park, Forsyth, Missouri. He specifical ly dealt with the battle of Pilot Knob, September 27, 1864, but his overall theme considered thoughtfully the situation of the dying Confederacy at that time. As a result of patient research, he told how the Confederate Army was brought together from scattered elements, mostly from Arkansas and Missouri. The bit ter feeling engendered in Mis souri by the guerrilla warfare gave the Confederates hope that great numbers of Missourians would join in the effort, especial ly if the ragamuffin army could reach the section north of the Missouri River where Southern sentiment was strong.

The Confederate command was not well co-ordinated - Too many politicians were in the commanding group, with Joe Shelby perhaps the ablest leader but without final authority. The campaign into Missouri was well conceived from the Confederate viewpoint. The Confederacy was being strangled to death. In spite of terrible losses after the Bat tle of the Wilderness, Grant held Lee to fixed lines and denied Lee the opportunity of initiative which his genius always made effective.

Pilot Knob, generally passed over with a sentence or in silence by historians, thwarted the plan of the Confederates to break the barrier of the Mississippi that held the eastern and western Confederacy apart. Judged by number, it was only a skirmish but here, as everywhere in the struggle, the almost impossible task of taking fortifications by direct assault was found true.

President Elmo Ingenthron presided at the meeting. In his introductory remarks, he dealt briefly with the history of the site of Old Forsyth where the meeting was held. Mr. Ingen thron has rendered wonderful service to this entire area by his patient research into area history. He and the other outgoing officers have made the year no table in progress for the Society.

Judge J. R. Gideon, for the nominating committee, brought in the recommendations for officers for the ensuing year. They are: President, Dr. R. M. Good; 1st vice-president, R. L. Gideon; 2nd vice-president, Arch Mayden; Secretary, Elmo Ingenthron; Treasurer, Dorothy Standlee. New Directors elected were: for Stone County, Mary Scott Hair; for Christian County, Gene Geer.

On invitation of Dr. M. Graham Clark, President of the School of the Ozarks, the next quarterly meeting of the Society will be held at the School of the Ozarks in September, with a dinner provided by the School.

Report of Annual Meeting