Civil Warriors

I guess no matter how hard you try to resist, at this time of year the mind of the Civil War enthusiast invariably turns to that wonderful little crossroads town in Pennsylvania and the great campaign and battle of June-July 1863. Last summer, it was Ted’s program in Chambersburg (discussed here) that ensured Gettysburg would have a prominent place in my mind. This year three events are serving this purpose and keeping me from focusing my efforts outside the classroom on the Richmond-Petersburg Campaign of 1864-65, which is where my collaborator on the staff ride guide and publisher no doubt agree they should be. On the other hand, as illustrated on the right, it doesn’t look like Charles is have any better luck in his efforts to resist the lure of Gettysburg.

Anyway, the first of these events (although I know in mentioning it I run the risk of being banned from Eric’s blog for shameless self-promotion) is a panel discussion Wednesday night at the Kansas City Public Library, co-sponsored by the CGSC Foundation, on Gettysburg, a sequel to the program on Lincoln I moderated at KCPL in February. Two of the other three participants will be familiar to followers of this blog as collaborators in staff rides documented here, here, and here. Here are the details:

A panel of military historians will discuss the significance of the Battle of Gettysburg on Wednesday, July 1, at 6:30 p.m. at the Central Library, 14 W. 10th St.

Moderator Wilburn E. Meador Jr., an instructor at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, sets the scene, explaining the events of the Civil War leading up to the Battle of Gettysburg, which began 136 years ago on July 1, 1863.

Ethan S. Rafuse, associate professor of Military History, U.S. Army Command & General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, and author of Robert E. Lee and The Fall of the Confederacy, 1863-1865, discusses the actions of the Army of Northern Virginia, in the days leading to Gettysburg.

Christopher S. Stowe, associate professor of Military History, U.S. Army Command & General Staff College, Ft. Lee, Virginia campus, is presently writing a history of General George G. Meade and discusses the actions of the Army of the Potomac in the days leading to Gettysburg.

Terry Beckenbaugh, assistant professor of Military History, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, historical essayist in the Encyclopedia of the American Civil War and a scholar on the right wing of the Army of the Potomac, discusses the conduct of the Battle of Gettysburg, and why its outcome was more important to the Union cause than many people realize.

Admission is free. A 6 p.m. reception precedes the event. Click here or call 816.701.3407 to RSVP. Free parking is available in the Library District Parking Garage located at 10th and Baltimore.

The event is co-sponsored by the Command and General Staff College Foundation.

The second event that has July 1863 on my mind will be a good follow up to this program, namely a trip to Gettysburg on 9 July with a group of staff riders from Fort Belvoir.

The third is participation in a blogger collaborative project proposed by Brett Schulte a few weeks ago. This deserves a post of its own, which will appear tomorrow.