EVENT SCHEDULE

Friday, February 21

4:30 PM – 5:30 PM
Tools of Battle

Significant battlefield artifacts from the ACWM Collection
Join our Collections Department in the Robins Theater for a special talk about battlefield artifacts that can be seen in the ACWM collection. Don’t miss an exclusive experience and a chance to ask the curators your questions!
(LIMITED CAPACITY)
5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Exclusive reception with the symposium speakers

Saturday, February 22

Check-in and registration will occur in The Foundry from 8:45 AM to 9:30 AM. The Symposium Livestream will begin at 9:30 AM EST following registration.

9:30 AM – 9:45 AM
Opening Remarks
Dr. Rob Havers, President and CEO, American Civil War Museum
9:45 AM – 10:45 AM
The Evolution of Military Thought in the American Civil War

Dr. Andrew S. Bledsoe

Military thought during the Civil War marked a transition from the European military heritage to new approaches tailored to the unique conditions of the conflict. From tactics to trench warfare, weapons and technology, logistical concerns and the laws and politics of war, military thought during the Civil War was dynamic and constantly evolving. This session will explore how the military thought of Americans North and South developed in response to the challenges of war.
10:40 AM – 11:00 AM BREAK & Book Signing by Dr. Bledsoe
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
We Will Never Stop: The Louisiana Native Guards as Change Agents of 19th Century America

Dr. Anthony J. Cade, II

The Louisiana Native Guards were the first group of Black regiments constituted in the Army during the American Civil War. First created in 1861 within the Louisiana home guards, the Native Guards soon joined the Union Army in 1862, and the men within the regiments pushed for more Black service members, equal pay for enlisted Black men, Black banks to protect formerly enslaved people, military protection for Black families, desegregated transportation and schools, equal social and political rights, and those are only a few of their accomplishments. Dr. Cade’s presentation will focus on how the Native Guards forced the government to change for the better on many occasions during the Civil War.
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Lunch (included with ticket purchase)
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
The Civil War and the Rise of American Medical Science: Three Critical Points in Wartime Medicine

Dr. Shauna Devine

The War was overwhelming in its scope, and physicians were forced to deal with diseases and injuries that differed both quantitatively and qualitatively from their usual practice patterns in civilian life. But as the war raged on, physicians gained experience dealing with wound trauma and performing difficult surgeries, they studied diseases and developed new management strategies. In the process, American physicians coalesced around a new understanding of American medical science.
2:00 PM – 2:20 PM BREAK & Book Signing by Dr. Devine
2:20 PM – 3:20 PM
Science & Daring: Modern Arms and Discontents

Dr. Wayne Hsieh

Was the American Civil War a modern war? That question has vexed historians for decades, and its answers have implications for our understanding of not only the Civil War as its own event, but also it connection to our own world. In its mobilization and mechanization of both physical and Human Resources on both land and sea, the Civil War was certainly modern, but the inherently irrational nature of war subverted any attempts to impose scientific order and discipline on the clash of arms. Furthermore, soldiers and sailors themselves resisted any potential transformation into mere mechanics of violence.
3:20 PM – 3:40 PM BREAK & Book Signing by Dr. Hsieh
3:40 PM – 4:40 PM
Panel Discussion
The Course of the Civil War

Moderated by Dr. Caroline Janney, John L. Nau III Professor in the History of the American Civil War; Director, John L. Nau III Center for Civil War History – This conversation between the Symposium panelists will tie together the themes articulated throughout the day.
4:40 PM – 5:00 PM
Closing Remarks
Dr. Rob Havers, President and CEO, American Civil War Museum

This event will be held in the Foundry building on the ACWM Tredegar campus. The Museum is just a few feet away, and symposium attendees will be given free general admission to the museum during the Symposium weekend (2/21-2/22). We hope you will join us for this special event!

Ticket Information

Members – $100
(with promo code)

Non-ACWM Members – $150

Teachers & Students – (special promo code)

Livestream – $35
(The livestream will begin on Saturday after check-in has concluded at 9:30 AM Eastern Standard Time)