MAN BECOMES CIVIL WAR BLUFF AFTER READING BOOK

Jack Dragoni's interest in the Civil War began six years ago when his children gave him "The Killer Angels," a paperback about the Battle of Gettysburg.

He began doing research, discovering that Cape Girardeau's history was rich with Civil War-related events. There were forts, an engineering regiment and families with members fighting on both sides here.

Two years ago, Dragoni, a bulk mail technician with the Cape Girardeau Post Office, joined the Civil War Roundtable, joking that he was forced to because his wife was sick of listening to old war stories.

As a Postal Service employee, perhaps Dragoni was more excited than anyone when Civil War stamps, featuring many men and two women who were part of the war effort, were released last Thursday. They are part of the Classics Collection, which has a new set issued each summer.

Stamp collectors swarmed the post office to buy in volume. At the same time, Civil War Roundtable members were busy setting up a display of war memorabilia in a case in the post office lobby.

The case features a picture of Fred Hahn -- roundtable member Mike Hahn's great-grandfather -- in full Union dress. The picture sits just above the elder Hahn's discharge papers.

A page from the April 5, 1862, Harper's Weekly also is featured. On it is a picture of the Confederate stronghold on Island 10 in the Mississippi River near New Madrid.

Company G, the Union engineering regiment out of Cape Girardeau, was sent to the island to build a canal. The new waterway would allow Union boats and barges to bypass the island, cross the Mississippi below it and attack the Confederates from the Tennessee side.

Island 10 was taken, along with 3,000 Confederate troops, on April 8, 1962. The victory opened the Mississippi and began Union attacks on Vicksburg.

Dragoni noted not many people realize all the Civil War events that occurred in Southeast Missouri. The 25-member roundtable group hopes to change that with displays like the one in the post office.

The numbers would indicate that quite a few postal customers have passed by it. The post office started with 3,000 Civil War stamps and has whittled away its supply quickly. Some 10,000 more stamps should arrive this week.

Dragoni said it is important for people to preserve, not only the stamps, but the history on which they are based.

"If the American Revolution was the birth of our country, the Civil War was our coming of age," he said. "We had two massive armies fighting viciously for beliefs, not for land or money."

Those interested in learning more about the war or joining the Civil War Roundtable may call Dragoni at (314) 335-5501 or 887-6048.