Welcome to this session, which is a debate we think on the topic of lincoln and his generals and i am Glenn Lafantasie from Professor Emeritus from Western Kentucky University wrti and Bowling Green and we have with us this morning a distinguished panel i, i regret to say that one of our panelists took ill and lauren foote will not be joining us this morning. But shes at home recuperating fighting with many regrets that cant be here. But let me go ahead and introduce our panelists for you and you have longer biographies of these people in your packets. But i thought id go ahead and introduce people anyway. And to my immediate right is. Ken. No. He is the drawn of southern history at auburn here received his doctorate. Doctorate from, the university of illinois. His most recent book is, the howling storm, whether and the american civil war. He is currently writing about the idea and the realities of Abraham Lincoln as a commander in chief to his right Harold Holzer who all of you im sur
Welcome to this session, which is a debate we think on the topic of lincoln and his generals and i am Glenn Lafantasie from Professor Emeritus from Western Kentucky University wrti and Bowling Green and we have with us this morning a distinguished panel i, i regret to say that one of our panelists took ill and lauren foote will not be joining us this morning. But shes at home recuperating fighting with many regrets that cant be here. But let me go ahead and introduce our panelists for you and you have longer biographies of these people in your packets. But i thought id go ahead and introduce people anyway. And to my immediate right is. Ken. No. He is the drawn of southern history at auburn here received his doctorate. Doctorate from, the university of illinois. His most recent book is, the howling storm, whether and the american civil war. He is currently writing about the idea and the realities of Abraham Lincoln as a commander in chief to his right Harold Holzer who all of you im sur
Raffles going on. At your table youve been given a note card that we would like you to write down a question for our panel this afternoon. If you have a question for them. And what i will do, i will take out the most objectionable ones. And then well proceed from there. But so if you find that and if youve got a question, then write it down and well ask our wonderful speakers today. Weve also, at the break were going to bring in my staff and were going to have a chance to acknowledge them. And then our Panel Discussion is after lunch at 1 00. So that will be the end of our day. I really like our speakers presentation title today, mission impossible, rethinking george b. Mcclel an. After this conference i think its more impossibler to do that. But dr. George rable, professor at the university of alabama where he held the care of southern history. He is the author of of a book that won the 2003 lincoln prize and was the choice outstanding academic title. His most recent book is damn yank
Weve also got some other raffles going on, and at your table you have been given a notecard that we would like you to write down a question for our panel this afternoon. If you have a question for them, and what i will do, i will take up the most objectionable ones [laughs] well proceed from there. But, so if youve got a question, write it down, and we will ask our wonderful speakers today. Weve also at the break we are going to bring in my staff and were going to have a chance acknowledge them. Our Panel Discussion is after lunch at 1 00. So, thatll be the end of our day. I really like our speakers presentation title today. Mission impossible rethinking george b. Mcclellan. After what weve heard so far in this conference, i think it is even more impossibler. Dr. George rable is the Professor Emeritus at the university of alabama, roll tide. He held the Charles Sumner so chair of history. He is the author of fredericksburg, fredericksburg, which won a lincoln prize. His most recent boo
Ago i started the research as a dissertation. Hes an interesting figure. I will give you a couple of brief biographical insights. Born and raised in ohio, goes to west point, not a stellar student. Hes won to merit away from being dismissed every year, actually. [laughter] his best friend at west point was Winfield Scott hancock. Hes 32 out of a class of 52. He participates in the seminal wars and the new mexican wars. He sees himself being this career military person and making a life in the military. He finds himself as a Lieutenant Colonel in the War Department. If you have read the book, you know i tried to sidestep the claim that he was responsible for starting the american civil war. Was sent on a secret mission to talk to Robert Anderson about the prospect of what might happen if South Carolina decided to secede. You have to understand, floyd, the war secretary, has given bewell no instructions and he spent three days in trust and harbor with Robert Anderson and after the first