Abner Doubleday

Ballston Spa native Abner Doubleday was the subject of Robert C. Conner's talk on Thursday. Doubleday moved away to Auburn as an infant and later went from there to Cooperstown. But his 28 Washington Street birthplace, with a historical marker out front, still stands on the west side of downtown Ballston Spa.

Best known for his now disputed contributions to the development of baseball, Doubleday's most solid claim to fame is his Civil War service. As a captain in 1861 and second-in-command at Fort Sumter, he passed on the order to fire the first Union shots of the war, responding to a Confederate artillery barrage.

Promoted to general in 1862, in August and September of that year he fought at the battles of Second Bull Run, South Mountain and Antietam.

After General John Reynolds was killed on the morning of July 1, 1863, at Gettysburg, Doubleday took command of the First Corps for most of the day, during which time it was heavily engaged in combat. He reverted to command of his division for the second and third days of the battle.

Robert C. (Bob) Conner is a former journalist, current Rotarian and author. His first three books -- two biographies and a novel -- were focused on the Civil War. His fourth book, published earlier this year, is a historical novel set in 1975 called The Detective and Dorothy Day.