National military park. Were going to have him talk about the expert. He is everything you hope you find when you walk up to the desk of the park and you want to talk to that Great Southern gentleman with the great accent and he will tell you about southern charm. He has been told he is not southern enough. Is that right . Matt yes. I wish he would stop with the gentle man part. Eman part. E gentl gentleman, who was about to speak to you today. He comes from mississippi and well talk about the siege of mississippi. Anyone was ever have the opportunity to be was ever opportunity had the to be on a battlefield with him is kind of like having this immersive experience on the field. And it is kind of like having this standup comedy routine, where he charms hundreds of the visitors with his unique style. If you ever have the opportunity a listen to him speak, it is wonderful storytelling experience. Ado, i present matt atkinson. Matt i always hate the introduction. I think this may be the f
First is john quist, the tall one standing behind michael birkner. History. Rofessor of he teaches classes in 19 century u. S. History and 20th century as well. He studied at the university of michigan. A student of james mills important portend. John has published a very important book entitled the social roots of antebellum reform in alabama and michigan. And his cospeaker today is michael birkner. Michael is the Benjamin Franklin professor of liberal arts and professor of history at Gettysburg College. Many of you might remember that michael was the interim director of the Civil War Institute. He played a pivotal role in the transition. Let me just say, there is not a person on this faculty that i rely more on than michael birkner. He has been indispensable to what i have done here, with my staff has done, and the way we have been able to connect with Gettysburg College students. And they are students who adore him. I hear time and time again that michael birkners class on historica
First is john quist, the tall one standing behind michael birkner. History. Rofessor of he teaches classes in 19 century u. S. History and 20th century as well. He studied at the university of michigan. A student of james mills important portend. John has published a very important book entitled the social roots of antebellum reform in alabama and michigan. And his cospeaker today is michael birkner. Michael is the Benjamin Franklin professor of liberal arts and professor of history at Gettysburg College. Many of you might remember that michael was the interim director of the Civil War Institute. He played a pivotal role in the transition. Let me just say, there is not a person on this faculty that i rely more on than michael birkner. He has been indispensable to what i have done here, with my staff has done, and the way we have been able to connect with Gettysburg College students. And they are students who adore him. I hear time and time again that michael birkners class on historica
This one of general john bell hood. If you look at his photograph, you will see that is the same uniform he is wearing there in that particular photograph. The same with general clayburghs uniform. This is the uniform he was wearing when he was killed at the battle of franklin in 1864. It is also the one he is wearing in the photograph there. Some of that is battle damage, but most of it is insect damage. Its the first we have been able to display it. It is the first it has ever been on display since his family gave it to us. His family did not want to give it to us because they were embarrassed about the condition it was in. There are such few artifacts that remain of patrick clayburgh that this is a important piece to have of him. The graphic here depicts the surrender of some of lees army at sailors creek. He lost about one third of his army at the battle. After that battle, general grant initiates a conversation with general lee by messenger, telling him he does not want anymore bl
Reporter and an editor for the associated press. His writings have received critical acclaim. His most recent book is bloody spring forty days that sealed the confederacys fate. Its getting rave the hebrews rave reviews already. A test that civil war scholars and boss will like. Please jokplease, please welcomh wheelan. [applause] thank you for inviting me. I really appreciate it. I hope youre all doing well tonight, and thank you for coming. Im here to talk about my latest book, bloody spring, which i say that it is the campaign that sealed the fate of the confederacy. The Union Campaign in virginia that i described in bloody spring spans six weeks, and may to june of 1864, exactly 150 years ago. In my book i make the case that the chain of battles fought by ulysses s. Grants army with the civil war major turning point. Are excellent books about the campaigns major battles, but usually this campaign is presented as part of a larger history of the war. Surprisingly few one volume books