Over the first 24 hours of the conference attendees have been treated to discussions about white southern concepts of honor during Reconstruction, especially among former Confederates; several perspectives on black emancipation and the efforts of the formerly enslaved to reconstruct their lives; how white northerners viewed Reconstruction; the experience of military reconstruction for the occupying forces; and, this evening, a series of talks about Union and Confederate veterans, culminating in a presentation exploring how one rather prominent Union veteran–namely Ulysses S. Grant–sought to define and defend in peace what seemingly had been secured in war.
For those of you who are interested in that last topic, I’d make sure to fire up C-SPAN3 at 7:15PM ET. You may recognize the speaker.
Crossroads 
Very well done, Brooks. My wife was especially impressed—she said she thought it was very good.
Fabulous presentation! A very comprehensive look at Grant’s life from CW to death. I almost feel like I have read the second volume of Grant’s biography (Fruits of Victory) that I have so eagerly awaited…..
Great talk tonight, but we Isles fans are starting to forget what the Stanley Cup looks like.
Pat: we’re beginning to forget what it looks like in Boston and it’s only been 5 years. At least I can watch my fellow alumni Messers. Rust and Cole cavort with it this year.
Dr. Simpson,
I just finished watching your presentation to the CWI, as usual this presentation was thoughtful and insightful. Allow me to ask one question, in regards to the Colfax massacre you quote Grant’s letter to the Senate and in it Grant mentions a Christian nation, would you consider Grant to be a religious man? I think that Lee’s perceived piety is part of the “Lost Cause” but one seldom hears about Grant’s religious convictions.
Also a couple of observations. Do you realize that Adams County is very Republican and one of the greatest moments in NHL history is when the Russian Central Army Team ran from my beloved Flyers in the Spectrum. God bless Bobby, Bernie and the Hammer.
Bob: Ugh. The man the Soviets called “Booby”, the guy who “saved” more than the fellow from Galilee, and Mr. Schultz. The only guy I ever admired who wore that “sweater” was Mr. Poulin – a well-educated, mild-mannered scholar and first class gentleman. 🙂
John,
I actually had a few drinks with Schultz one night in Boston at the Bachelors 3 bar in Boston, Joe Namath was a partner in the place, but I digress. Schultz was playing in the AHL at the time and I watched him play that night against the Boston Whalers and he got in a fight with the Boston goalie I asked him why and he replied that he was not a good hockey player but if he was to get to the NHL he had to be a good crowd pleaser, 2 years later he was leading the NHL in penalty minutes. He seemed to be a nice guy.
Next I’ll be hearing about Kate Smith. I learned to dislike that song. 🙂
I never met her. LOL