The Capital District Civil War Round Table of Albany, NY, in conjunction with the New York State Archives and the New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs will be sponsoring a three day symposium on the Civil War.  The conference, which will be held on November 6-8 in Albany, is intended as a forum to learn about the history and future of New York State's Civil War records and artifacts (including its battle flags) presently in the custody of several state agencies as well as examine the Union Army's war effort and its impact upon soldiers, officers, and civilians.  Below is a more detailed explanation of the conference, including a schedule of events, speakers, and costs.  If subscribers have any questions about the conference or would simply like to learn more, please feel free to contact:

Dan Lorello at 518 283-0339 or 518 473-6081 ([log in to unmask]) or ([log in to unmask])
Sue Knost at 518 464-7480 ([log in to unmask])
Cindy Schechter at 518 371-2434 ([log in to unmask])


NORTHEAST 135th ANNIVERSARY CIVIL WAR CONFERENCE 
 Bridging the Gap: A 21st Century Perspective on the Civil War
With a focus on the Union Army war effort and the Civil War Collections of New York State 
November 6-8, 1998
Sponsored by The Capital District Civil War Round Table of Albany, NY, 
 with the NYS Archives and Records Administration, and the NYS Division of Military & Naval Affairs (DMNA)

This not-to-be-missed conference is designed to provide attendees with a forum to learn about the history and future of New York State's Civil War holdings, presently held by several state agencies.  It will also examine the Union Army's war effort and its impact upon soldiers, officers, and civilians based upon contemporary accounts through presentations, many presented here for the first time.

Although the Civil War happened 135 years ago, historians continue to discover new information and develop new interpretations based upon original records and other contemporary accounts.  This conference will present some of these fresh insights into the war, especially as it affected the common soldier, line officers, and civilian population.  Speakers include archivists, historians, and scholars who will discuss ongoing research about the war and share information about resources available for those who want to pursue their own research into the Civil War.

The conference also examines the history of the state's Civil War holdings, their present condition, and what the future holds for them.  Our keynote presentation deals with how the efforts of one man, Lockwood Doty, who during the war began to collect materials to document the state's war effort, established the foundation of the extensive collections that presently exist in New York State.  This conference honors Doty's documentary foresight that ensured future generations would be able to study and appreciate this important era in New York and America's history.  The conference also examines how New York State agencies continue to build on Doty's efforts through collecting, protecting, and making available little known materials for research.

Conference highlights: A reception, new book release, 20% off book sale, authors' booksigning, and welcome room are all part of Friday night's program to kick off the conference. On Saturday the conference convenes at the New York State Museum's Clark Auditorium with the State Archives hosting the extensive speaker program.  Our speakers include nationally renowned John Hennessy, Thomas Desjardin, Clark "Bud" Hall, and William Mulligan.  In addition, tours of the state's Civil War flag collection and the recently installed exhibit that displays ten flags from the collection restored by the Office of Parks, Recreation, & Historic Preservation will be given.  The Saturday evening banquet topic is the Army of the Potomac during Pickett's Charge with Gettysburg Park Historian and author D. Scott Hartwig.  Sunday begins with an early welcome breakfast and networking session that will allow attendees lots of opportunity to meet new friends and catch up with acquaintances. Sunday's presentations include a graphic medical analysis of the wounding of Stonewall Jackson and Joshua Chamberlain by Dr. Matthew Farina; the care and future plans for the state's Civil War battle flag and artifact collection by Tom Duclos, Historical Curator for the Division of Military & Naval Affairs; and Joseph Thatcher, Chief Curator, State Historic Preservation Office, who actually assisted with the restoration of the ten flags mentioned above. The conference will conclude with a luncheon presentation by Lt. Col. Kevin Lynch, Director of Military History, Division of Military & Naval Affairs, who will discuss the plans for the division's new Veteran's Research Center and Museum.

Conference Headquarters:  (Friday night 6 p.m. through Sunday afternoon 1:00 p.m.)
Ramada Inn: 1228 Western Ave., Albany, NY 12203   (518) 489-2981 (call for special $59 rate & say Civil War)
Saturday: Clark Auditorium, CEC Building, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY

Costs:  All fees include lunches, breaks, exhibit areas, and conference materials. 
Full conference: All three days: $89   
Single day fee: Saturday (does not include evening banquet): $59.  Sunday: $39  (both include lunch, breaks, and materials)
Saturday evening banquet (optional) :   $24.50

Special room rates are available at the Ramada Inn for Conference attendees for $59 (single or double) and include free hot breakfast, pool, and weight room.  Please specify "Civil War" when reserving rooms, and note that discount rates are only valid until October 23, 1998.  Please reserve early!!

Email requests for more info:  [log in to unmask] or contact Cindy Schechter at 518-371-2434 from 9am to 11pm.  Mail requests (and registrations) can be sent to: CDCWRT, PO Box 14871, Albany NY 12212-4871.  We accept Mastercard or Visa as well as checks. Hotel reservations are made separately.  See our web page at http://pages.prodigy.com/WNUW97A
Bottom line total: If someone comes for all three days and stays over beginning on Friday, the total cost is $231 (plus room tax of 11%).  This includes the full conference, all materials, all meals, and the evening banquet.  

Conference Outline
Conference opens Friday with continuing registration from 6-11, welcome reception, book sale, and author signing
Conference opens both days at 8 am. with coffee and pastries;  Saturday first speaker 8:30 a.m.; Sunday at 9 a.m.
Conference closes Saturday at 5 p.m.; Sunday at 1 p.m.
(final agenda included in conference package)

Speakers

Friday: 7:30 p.m. Raymond Smith, Historic Preservation & Program Analyst, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation.  Author of Out of the Wilderness: The Civil War Memoirs of Norton C. Shepherd 146th NYS Volunteers. The release of Ray's book is one of the highlights of conference and he will discuss his experiences concerning the research of his book.  Conference attendees will also have ample opportunity to talk with other speakers and authors during the booksignings and the 20% book sale offered by Thomas Publications and Edmonston Publishing on Friday.

Saturday:  Welcoming remarks by Dr. Gerald Patton, Deputy Commissioner for Higher Education, New York State Department of Education.

Speakers: The Collections:

Saturday:  Associate Archivist Dr. James Folts, Head, New York State Archives Reference Services; Associate Librarian, James Corsaro, Head, New York State Library Manuscripts & Special Collections; and keynote speaker Associate Archivist Daniel Lorello, New York State Archives. Dr. Folts and Mr. Corsaro will describe and discuss the Civil War-related holdings of their respective institutions.  Mr. Lorello, whose presentation is entitled " Lockwood Doty and the Bureau of Military Statistics," is also the compiler of The Union Preserved: A Guide to the Civil War Records in the New York State Archives which will be published by Fordham University Press this spring.

Sunday:  Thomas Duclos, Historical Curator, Division of Military & Naval Affairs; Joseph Thatcher, Textile Conservator for the flags, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation; and Lt. Colonel Kevin Lynch, Historical Properties Manager, Division of Military & Naval Affairs.
 
Speakers:  The Union Army:
 
                Saturday: John Hennessy, Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park and author of Return to Bull Run: The Campaign and Battle of Second Manassas:  "1862: Year of Trial: Abraham Lincoln and the Union War Effort." 
Dr. William Mulligan, Murray State University, Kentucky:  "Surrounded by Secesh: The Union Army in Far Western Kentucky 1861-1868."
Dr. Thomas Desjardin, author of Stand Firm Ye Boys From Maine: The 20th Maine and the Gettysburg Campaign: "Myths of the High Water Mark at Gettysburg."
Clark B. Hall, Historian, Brandy Station:  "Sabers Triumphant: The Emergence of the Union Cavalry in the Army of the Potomac."

Sunday:  Dr. Matthew Farina, "The Wounding of Stonewall Jackson and Joshua L. Chamberlain: A Modern Perspective."

On Saturday night our banquet speaker, Gettysburg Park Historian D. Scott Hartwig continues our look at the Union Army.  Scott will examine the Union side of Pickett's charge on July 3, 1863 in "The Fate of a Country: The Repulse of Longstreet's Attack by the Army of the Potomac."  The repulse of the charge was not a forgone conclusion by the men facing the attack and Hartwig's presentation will focus on the soldiers and officers of the Army of the Potomac who faced the terrible Confederate onslaught that hot July afternoon.  (The banquet is separately priced at $24.50.  Entrees are chicken or beef.).


Saturday Banquet
THE RAMADA INN 
1228 WESTERN AVE. (ACROSS from SUNY)

Cocktails..................6:30 to 7:30
Cash bar....................open till 8:00
Dinner.........................7:30
Price...........................$24.50 per person

Dinner choices: Stuffed chicken breast with Dijon cream sauce or roast top sirloin of beef au jus
All dinners served with soup du jour, garden salad, oven roast potatoes, fresh vegetable medley and dessert (peach cobbler).