Welcome
The Army Historical Foundation welcomes you to the 2022 Civil War Symposium online resource page. Find a digital version of our special Civil War edition of On Point, along with the Symposium Program and additional Civil War resources from our history center and more.
Additional Civil War resources from the army historical foundation
Here you can find even more intriguing Civil War articles that have appeared in past issues of On Point.
The Battle of Monocacy, 9 July 1864
By the summer of 1864, the future of the Confederate States of America was looking dim. During the previous year, the Army of Northern Virginia,
Elmer E. Ellsworth
Written By: Emily George “The beginnings of great periods have often been marked and made memorable by striking events. Out of the cloud that hangs
General Ulysses Simpson Grant
Ulysses Simpson Grant was born in Point Pleasant, Ohio, on 27 April 1822. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1843 and commissioned in the infantry. After
Sergeant Major Christian Fleetwood
Written By: CSM (Ret) James H. Clifford The streets of Baltimore were abuzz on 17 September 1863 with word that a new Union regiment was
Lieutenant General John Coalter Bates
John Coalter Bates was born in St. Charles County, Missouri on 26 August 1842 and attended Washington University in St. Louis. At the opening of the Civil War, Bates
Major General John Buford, USA
During the early years of the Civil War, the Union cavalry was often outclassed by Confederate troopers. Rebel cavalrymen became legendary for their exploits against
Additional Civil War resources from the national museum of the united states army
Battle Briefs
Additional Videos
Articles
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Friday, April 8, 2022
8-9 a.m.: Check-in and Late Registration. Army Historical Foundation Book Sale.
Check-in starting at 8 a.m. Pick up grab-and-go snacks in the Museum Café. Enjoy complimentary coffee service and explore the book sale including those authored by symposium speakers and a general selection of military history books—new and used copies will be available.
9-9:15 a.m.: Museum Director’s Welcome
9:15-10:15 a.m.: It Seemed More Than Men Could Bear – The Battle of Bentonville, with Mark Bradley, Ph.D.
The three-day Battle of Bentonville, North Carolina, in March 1865, was the last large-scale battle of the Civil War and the largest engagement ever fought in North Carolina. It was, according to historian Mark L. Bradley, “the Southern Confederacy’s final hurrah.” Join Bradley for an in depth look at the battle, and the letters and diaries of the Soldiers who fought there.
Mark L. Bradley, Ph.D. is a historian at the U.S. Army Center of Military History and author of “Last Stand in the Carolinas: The Battle of Bentonville.”
10:30-11:30 a.m.: Battle Brief: First Bull Run 1861, with John R. Maass, Ph.D.
Using period and modern maps and images, historian John Maass discusses the 1861 campaign and Battle of Bull Run. The campaign, which resulted in almost 5,000 combined casualties, shocked the country. It dashed expectations—North and South—of a brief war. Maass uses Soldiers’ experiences as written in letters and diaries to bring the excitement and horrors of war to life—what one Soldier at the battle called, “a perfect storm of bullets.”
John R. Maass, Ph.D. is an education staff member of the National Museum of the United States Army, and the author of several books, including “The Road to Yorktown: Jefferson, Lafayette and the British Invasion of Virginia.”
11:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.: The War in Their Own Words: Document Analysis of Civil War Soldiers’ Letters, with Jennifer Dubina
Civil War Soldiers read and wrote voraciously in a time before military censorship, sharing joy, despair, anger, and loneliness with folks back home. Dive into five primary source documents with Museum educator Jennifer Dubina. Explore the lives of individual Soldiers, their home communities and the battles they experienced. Learn how historians use documents to understand history.
Jennifer Dubina is an educational specialist with the National Museum of the United States Army.
12:00-1 p.m.: Lunch on your own and gallery exploration.
During the mid-day break, enjoy a Simple & Fresh Lunch Box prepared by the Museum’s onsite caterer. These Lunch Box orders are $15 each and are delivered directly to participants in Veterans’ Hall. Orders must be completed no later than Thursday, March 31, 2022. The Museum Café also offers a variety of lunch options that may be purchased onsite.
Click here for the boxed lunch menu options.
1-1:30 p.m.: Civil War Artifacts and Their Stories
Artifacts tell personal stories. The National Museum of the United States Army’s Chief Curator Paul Morando shares the Soldiers’ Stories associated with artifacts in the Museum collection, including medical instruments, weapons, personal items, and a regimental flag.
1:30-2:30 p.m.: They Fought Like Demons: Women Soldiers in the Civil War, with DeAnne Blanton
While Civil War armies consisted primarily of male Soldiers, hundreds of women disguised themselves in men’s uniforms and charged into battle as Union and Confederate soldiers. DeAnne Blanton opens an often neglected chapter of Civil War history, telling the stories of women who served in the ranks, hidden as men.
DeAnne Blanton is a senior military archivist with the National Archives and Records Administration, specializing in 19th century U.S. Army records. She is the co-author of “They Fought Like Demons: Women Soldiers in the Civil War.”
2:45-3:45 p.m.: Morale at the Battle of Bristoe Station, with Robert Orrison
Drawing upon a wealth of primary sources, military historian Robert Orrison discusses the Union troops’ morale following the bloody Battle of Gettysburg and through the October 1863 Battle of Bristoe Station. In letters home and personal journals, demoralized Union Soldiers complained about President Lincoln, their generals and the state of the Army. They stood in stark comparison to the Confederates who were chasing them through Virginia, and—though they were defeated in Pennsylvania—were much more positive.
Robert Orrison has worked at several Civil War historic sites throughout his career and is currently Division Manager at Prince William County Office of Historic Preservation. Orrison also co-authored “A Want of Vigilance: The Bristoe Station Campaign, October 9–19, 1863.”
3:45-4 p.m.: Conclusion
Following the formal presentations, participants are invited to explore the Museum on their own.
SPECIAL OFFERINGS
Friday, April 8, 2022
5-9 p.m.: Evening Reception hosted by The Army Historical Foundation
End an exciting day of Civil War lectures and presentations with an opportunity to mingle and discuss with fellow symposium attendees. This event includes a buffet-style dinner with keynote remarks by Charles R. Bowery, Jr., Executive Director of the U.S. Army Center of Military History.
Tickets are $67.50 for Army Historical Foundation members and $75 for non-members.
Dinner Menu:
Caesar Salad
Grilled Salmon with Cucumber Relish
Chicken Marsala with Portobello Mushrooms
White Rice Pilaf
Seasonal Roasted Vegetables
Fresh Baked Cookies and Brownies
Cash Bar
Charles R. Bowery, Jr., Executive Director of the U.S. Army Center of Military History, looks at the American Civil War’s four-year history to find the conflict’s key turning points that eventually led to a northern victory in April 1865. Bowery identifies two crucial periods during the war that ensured Union success: the fall months of 1862, during which the Battle of Antietam enabled President Abraham Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation on New Year’s Day 1863, and the promotion of Ulysses S. Grant to the rank of lieutenant general and commander in chief of all Union armies in March of 1864. Bowery is also co-author of the U.S. Army War College’s “Guide to the Richmond-Petersburg Campaign.”
Saturday, April 9, 2022
7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.: Army Historical Foundation Battle Ride
Walk the grounds where Civil War Soldiers fought on July 9, 1864 to prevent Confederate forces from capturing Washington, D.C. Participants will enjoy guided programs at Monocacy battlefield in the morning followed by a guided tour of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine to discover the harsh conditions, personal sacrifices, and brilliant innovations of Civil War medicine, innovations that continue to save lives today.
Presented by The Army Historical Foundation, and hosted by Foundation Historian, Matthew Seelinger, the Battle Ride includes charter bus transportation and lunch at a local Frederick, Maryland restaurant. The Battle Ride will begin and end at the National Army Museum. Museum parking is free.
7:30 a.m. – Depart National Museum of the United States Army
8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. – Monocacy National Battlefield
12 p.m. – Lunch at BJ’s Brewhouse
1:30- 3:30 p.m. – National Museum of Civil War Medicine
5 p.m. – Return to National Museum of United States Army
Battle Ride tickets are $135 for Army Historical Foundation members and $150 for non-members.
Plan Your Visit
We look forward to welcoming those attending the 2022 Civil War Symposium in person to the Museum! Plan to explore the Museum during your lunch break or following the daytime programming. A interactive floor plan can be found HERE to help plan your visit. You can also learn more about the “Preserving the Nation” gallery online HERE for a preview of what you can see in person.
