The end of the civil war. Their april 1865 meeting happened two days after president lincolns assassination and a week after robert e lee surrendered at appomattox. This is part of the annually conform symposium and is just under an hour. Welcome to session one of the 21st annual lincoln for him symposiumincoln forum. Professor craig simons is Professor Emeritus of the United States Naval Academy and a member of the executive committee of the board of advisors of the lincoln forum. Newlythe author or editor 2000 two dozen books, including neptune, the allied invasion of europe and the dday andings that book won the Samuel Eliot Morrison award for literature. The author of lincoln and his admirals, which won the lincoln prize in 2009. In recognition of his extraordinary contributions, the noble the Naval Historical Foundation awarded him the navalore deadly w knox history award for a lifetime achievement. John marszalak came out of retirement in 2008 and accepted the executiveing direct