Today was the first day of the 2023 Summer Conference for the Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College.
Photo by Al Mackey
Dr. Christian Keller, Professor of History at the US Army War College, led off the conference with a terrific presentation titled, “The Famous Duo Revisited: Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson.”
Photo by Al Mackey
In his presentation, he made the point that Jackson was a strategic thinker and advised Lee on strategy. The two men developed a close friendship based on their deep religious faith and their seeing eye-to-eye on strategy. Jackson suggested to Lee that the ANV raid into Pennsylvania and set the anthracite coal mines on fire. That would cripple the US manufacturing capability and deprive the ships of the naval blockade of the coal they needed to remain on station. That was a war-winning strategy.
Photo by Al Mackey
Next, Professor Ken Noe spoke on “Weathering the Civil War: An Environmental History.” This was based on his book, The Howling Storm, about the influence of weather on the Civil War.
Photo by Al Mackey
He began this excellent lecture with a short discussion on weather patterns such as El Niño and La Niña and the North Atlantic Oscillation. He then discussed several cases of weather affecting campaigns and battles in the war.
Photo by Al Mackey
He also got into the type of soil found through most of the confederacy: it’s known as ultisols, popularly known as red clay. When it turns to mud it seems to be a bottomless mud where people and things sink very low. He told us stories from the war of horses sinking to their ears are true because of that type of soil.
The final activity was a panel discussion on the work of Harold Holzer, with the panel consisting of Mr. Holzer, Professor Peter Carmichael, Professor Catherine Clinton, and Professor Craig Symonds. This was a really good discussion of Mr. Holzer’s career, which includes writing, editing, or co-editing 55 books.
This was a highly successful start to what promises to be an outstanding conference.
Continue reading...
Photo by Al Mackey
Dr. Christian Keller, Professor of History at the US Army War College, led off the conference with a terrific presentation titled, “The Famous Duo Revisited: Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson.”
Photo by Al Mackey
In his presentation, he made the point that Jackson was a strategic thinker and advised Lee on strategy. The two men developed a close friendship based on their deep religious faith and their seeing eye-to-eye on strategy. Jackson suggested to Lee that the ANV raid into Pennsylvania and set the anthracite coal mines on fire. That would cripple the US manufacturing capability and deprive the ships of the naval blockade of the coal they needed to remain on station. That was a war-winning strategy.
Photo by Al Mackey
Next, Professor Ken Noe spoke on “Weathering the Civil War: An Environmental History.” This was based on his book, The Howling Storm, about the influence of weather on the Civil War.
Photo by Al Mackey
He began this excellent lecture with a short discussion on weather patterns such as El Niño and La Niña and the North Atlantic Oscillation. He then discussed several cases of weather affecting campaigns and battles in the war.
Photo by Al Mackey
He also got into the type of soil found through most of the confederacy: it’s known as ultisols, popularly known as red clay. When it turns to mud it seems to be a bottomless mud where people and things sink very low. He told us stories from the war of horses sinking to their ears are true because of that type of soil.
The final activity was a panel discussion on the work of Harold Holzer, with the panel consisting of Mr. Holzer, Professor Peter Carmichael, Professor Catherine Clinton, and Professor Craig Symonds. This was a really good discussion of Mr. Holzer’s career, which includes writing, editing, or co-editing 55 books.
This was a highly successful start to what promises to be an outstanding conference.
Continue reading...