BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//National Civil War Museum - ECPv6.17.5//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-WR-CALNAME:National Civil War Museum
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for National Civil War Museum
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:UTC
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:+0000
TZOFFSETTO:+0000
TZNAME:UTC
DTSTART:20240101T000000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260918T180000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260918T203000
DTSTAMP:20260918T204424Z
CREATED:20260330T123917Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260918T204424Z
UID:5173-1789754400-1789763400@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:Cocktails & Cannonballs
DESCRIPTION:Registration is now open!\n$50/member $75/person $125/couple  \nStep into history for an unforgettable evening at Cocktails & Cannonballs\, The National Civil War Museum’s signature fundraising event! \nJoin us on Friday\, September 18\, from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM for a lively night filled with delicious bites from a selection of local caterers\, all set throughout our galleries. Sip\, stroll\, and savor as you explore the Museum like never before. \nPut your knowledge to the test with Civil War trivia hosted by the Civil War Breakfast Club\, enjoy encounters with reenactors\, and browse an exciting silent auction. Take a chance on our crowd-favorite wine pull\, try your luck with our raffle for the opportunity to fire a cannon\, and new this year – a Blind Book Sale—plus so much more! \nIt’s an evening of history\, fun\, and fundraising you won’t want to miss—all in support of preserving and sharing the stories of the American Civil War. All proceeds benefit The National Civil War Museum’s educational programs\, building fund\, and artifact preservation. \n$50/member $75/person $125/couple – Register here
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/cocktails-cannonballs/
LOCATION:The National Civil War Museum\, 1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park\, Harrisburg\, PA\, 17103\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/C-C-Save-the-Date-e1774535962101.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260912T110000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260912T120000
DTSTAMP:20260728T194706Z
CREATED:20260728T194706Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260728T194706Z
UID:5455-1789210800-1789214400@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:Retreat from Victory: The Battle of Malvern Hill
DESCRIPTION:Lessons in History with Frank O’Reilly\nRetreat from Victory: The Battle of Malvern Hill\nSaturday\, September 12\, 2026\n11:00 AM – 12:00 PM \nThe National Civil War Museum is pleased to welcome acclaimed historian Frank O’Reilly for a compelling installment of our Lessons in History series. \nThe Battle of Malvern Hill\, fought on July 1\, 1862\, marked the dramatic climax of the Seven Days Battles outside Richmond. Although the Union army occupied an exceptionally strong defensive position and inflicted staggering losses on Confederate forces\, it unexpectedly withdrew—turning what could have been a decisive victory into a strategic retreat. \nIn this engaging presentation\, O’Reilly explores why the battle was fought despite overwhelming odds\, how it shaped the reputations of some of the Civil War’s most prominent commanders\, and why the devastating Confederate assaults haunted Robert E. Lee’s army for the remainder of the war. Discover how one of the Civil War’s most misunderstood battles influenced the course of the conflict and the lives of those who fought it. \nThis program is free to attend. Regular Museum admission applies for those wishing to tour the Museum galleries. Following the presentation\, Frank O’Reilly will sign copies of his latest book\, Retreat from Victory: The Battle of Malvern Hill. \nAbout the Presenter\nFrancis Augustín “Frank” O’Reilly is an acclaimed Civil War historian and former National Park Service historian with nearly 40 years of battlefield interpretation experience. He is the award-winning author of several books\, including The Fredericksburg Campaign: Winter War on the Rappahannock\, a Pulitzer Prize-nominated work\, and his latest release\, Retreat from Victory: The Battle of Malvern Hill (2026). O’Reilly has appeared in numerous documentaries\, lectured internationally on military history\, and is widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading Civil War historians.
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/retreat-from-victory-the-battle-of-malvern-hill/
LOCATION:PA
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Retreat-From-Victory-e1785267332734.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260822T110000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260822T120000
DTSTAMP:20260627T185033Z
CREATED:20260627T185033Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260627T185033Z
UID:5392-1787396400-1787400000@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:Garry Adelman - Lessons in History
DESCRIPTION:Lessons in History with Garry Adelman\nSaturday\, August 22\, 2026 | 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.\nThe National Civil War Museum is pleased to welcome renowned Civil War historian\, author\, and speaker Garry Adelman as part of our popular Lessons in History lecture series. \nThe Civil War in Detail \nJoin the American Battlefield Trust and the Center for Civil War Photography’s Garry Adelman for an exploration of the largely unseen buried deep within Civil War photographs. Most of the roughly 10\,000 documentary Civil War photographs were recorded on large glass plates and most of these glass plates have survived the ravages of time\, These glass plates negatives are at least 30x larger than 35mm negatives and unlike today’s digital cameras\, the hi-resolution digital scans of these plates do not substantially pixelate upon zooming in. \nThe details that emerge are as broad and varied as the war itself. From pickle jar labels to battlefield features\, pets\, games\, engineering\, technology\, celebrity lookalikes\, all come into sharper relief. Most moving are the details that reveal humanity among Civil War-era people–young\, old\, black\, white\, male female\, which can have the unexpected effect of fostering sympathy for\, and less judgment of\, the people of the past. \nThis program is free to attend. Regular museum admission applies for those wishing to tour the galleries before or after the presentation. \nSeating is first come\, first served. \n\nAbout Garry E. Adelman: \nA graduate of Michigan State University and Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania\, Garry Adelman is the award-winning author\, co-author\, or editor of 22 books and 50+ Civil War articles. He is the vice president of the \n\n\nCenter for Civil War Photography and has been a Licensed Battlefield Guide at Gettysburg since 1995. He has conceived and drafted the text for wayside exhibits at eleven battlefields\, has given thousands of battlefield tours at more than 75 American Revolution and Civil War sites\, and has lectured at hundreds of locations across the country including the National Archives\, the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian. He has appeared as a speaker on the BBC\, C-Span\, Pennsylvania Cable Network\, American Heroes Channel\, and on HISTORY where he was a chief consultant and talking head on the Emmy Award-winning show Gettysburg (2011)\, Blood and Glory: The Civil War in Color (2015)\, Grant (2020)\, and Battles for America (2022).  He works full-time as Chief Historian at the American Battlefield Trust.
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/garry-adelman-lessons-in-history/
LOCATION:The National Civil War Museum\, 1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park\, Harrisburg\, PA\, 17103\, United States
CATEGORIES:Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Garry-Adelman-Reel-Farm-Antietam-scaled.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260801T100000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260801T160000
DTSTAMP:20260728T164010Z
CREATED:20260728T164010Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260728T164010Z
UID:5452-1785578400-1785600000@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:14th North Carolina Company F Living History at the NCWM
DESCRIPTION:Step back in time with the 14th North Carolina\, Company F Living History Group at The National Civil War Museum! \nSaturday\, August 1\, 2026\n10:00 AM – 4:00 PM \nVisit their authentic Civil War encampment on the flat-top behind the Museum\, where you can explore camp life\, ask questions\, and interact with knowledgeable living historians. It’s a unique opportunity to experience history firsthand and learn about the daily lives of Civil War soldiers. \nThis outdoor educational program is free to attend. Regular Museum admission applies for those wishing to visit the Museum galleries. \nWe hope you’ll join us for a day of living history!
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/14th-north-carolina-company-f-living-history-at-the-ncwm/
LOCATION:The National Civil War Museum\, 1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park\, Harrisburg\, PA\, 17103\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/14th-NC-Co.-F-group-shot-e1785256732266.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260711T110000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260711T120000
DTSTAMP:20260508T151511Z
CREATED:20260508T151303Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260508T151511Z
UID:5239-1783767600-1783771200@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:In-person Presentation: Boss Lincoln: The Partisan Life of Abraham Lincoln
DESCRIPTION:An eye-opening portrait of Lincoln behind the scenes: Here is the career-long party politician whose brilliant coalition-building during the Civil War set the political foundation for emancipation and Union victory.\nBoss Lincoln: The Partisan Life of Abraham Lincolnwith author Matthew Pinsker\nSaturday\, July 11\, 2026 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PMLocation: Education Gallery (First Floor)ISBN: 9780393240788 \nJoin Matthew Pinsker at The National Civil War Museum for a fascinating presentation on his new book\, Boss Lincoln: The Partisan Life of Abraham Lincoln. \nIn this engaging program\, Pinsker explores a side of Abraham Lincoln often overlooked — Lincoln as a skilled political strategist and party leader navigating the turbulent years before and during the American Civil War. Drawing from years of research\, Pinsker examines how Lincoln balanced leadership\, politics\, and principle while guiding the nation through its greatest crisis. \n \nMatthew Pinsker is one of the nation’s foremost historians of Lincoln and the Civil War. He holds the Pohanka Chair in American Civil War History and serves as Director of the House Divided Project at Dickinson College in Carlisle\, Pennsylvania. \nAdmission to the presentation is free. Regular admission applies to the Museum galleries. \n“A landmark book…Team of Rivals on steroids…It is hard to imagine that the year will bring forth a Lincoln book of more originality or consequence.” ―Harold Holzer\, Wall Street Journal \n\nISBN:
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/in-person-presentation-boss-lincoln-the-partisan-life-of-abraham-lincoln/
LOCATION:The National Civil War Museum\, 1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park\, Harrisburg\, PA\, 17103\, United States
CATEGORIES:Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Lincoln-Pinsker-e1778252747944.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260606T110000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260606T120000
DTSTAMP:20260303T210303Z
CREATED:20260303T210303Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260303T210303Z
UID:5125-1780743600-1780747200@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:Lessons in History-A Hell of a Regiment: To Gettysburg and Beyond with the Twentieth Maine
DESCRIPTION:A Hell of a Regiment: To Gettysburg and Beyond with the Twentieth Maine\nSaturday\, June 6\, 2026 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PMLocation: Education Gallery (First Floor)ISBN: 9780811778152 \nOne of the most famous regiments of the American Civil War\, the 20th Maine earned lasting renown during its dramatic defense of Little Round Top at the Battle of Gettysburg under the command of Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. Drawing on previously untapped sources\, Peatman offers a fresh account of the regiment’s transformation from inexperienced recruits into one of the Union Army’s most legendary fighting units. His work explores the leadership\, discipline\, and determination that helped shape the regiment’s enduring legacy. \nAdmission\nThis program is free to attend. Regular Museum admission applies for those wishing to tour the National Civil War Museum galleries. \nAbout the Author\nJared Peatman holds a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University and is a Senior Fellow at the George Washington University Center for Excellence in Public Leadership. He is also the director of curriculum for the Lincoln Leadership Institute at Gettysburg and the author of several works exploring leadership and the Civil War.
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/lessons-in-history-a-hell-of-a-regiment-to-gettysburg-and-beyond-with-the-twentieth-maine/
LOCATION:The National Civil War Museum\, 1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park\, Harrisburg\, PA\, 17103\, United States
CATEGORIES:Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-Maine-book.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260516T110000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260516T120000
DTSTAMP:20260512T184347Z
CREATED:20260303T205739Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260512T184347Z
UID:5120-1778929200-1778932800@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:Lessons in History-"A Perfect Hell of Blood: The Battle of the Crater" 
DESCRIPTION:“A Perfect Hell of Blood: The Battle of the Crater”\nSaturday\, May 16\, 2026 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PMLocation: Education Gallery (First Floor)ISBN: 9781469684819 \nJoin The National Civil War Museum for a compelling presentation by prizewinning author A. Wilson Greene\, as he discusses the Battle of the Crater. \nThe contest for Petersburg\, Virginia lasted 292 days in 1864 and 1865\, but the most memorable of those days was July 30\, 1864.  It was then that intrepid Union miners exploded a mine under a Confederate fort\, creating a gigantic crater and blowing a 500-yard wide gap in the enemy lines.  Ulysses S Grant characterized the tragic attacks that followed as ‘the saddest affair I witnessed in the war’ and the Battle of the Crater is widely considered to be the most transcendent event of the entire Petersburg Campaign. \nAdmission\nAdmission to the program is free. Regular Museum admission applies for those wishing to tour the National Civil War Museum galleries. \nAbout the Author\nA. Wilson Greene spent forty-four years in public history\, including twenty-four years working on the Petersburg battlefields. His first volume in this trilogy\, From the Crossing of the James to the Crater\, was published in 2018. Greene resides in Walden\, Tennessee. \n2025 Commended – Best Civil War Book\, Civil War Monitor
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/lessons-in-history-a-campaign-of-giants-the-battle-for-petersburg/
LOCATION:The National Civil War Museum\, 1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park\, Harrisburg\, PA\, 17103\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-Battle-of-the-Crater-e1772570353825.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260418T110000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260418T120000
DTSTAMP:20260303T203138Z
CREATED:20260303T203138Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260303T203138Z
UID:5115-1776510000-1776513600@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:Lessons in History-Opium Slavery Civil War Veterans and America's First Opioid Crisis
DESCRIPTION:Opium Slavery: Civil War Veterans and America’s First Opioid Crisis\nSaturday\, April 18\, 2026 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PMLocation: Education Gallery (First Floor) \nJoin The National Civil War Museum for a powerful and eye-opening program with author Jonathan S. Jones\, as he discusses his new book\, Opium Slavery: Civil War Veterans and America’s First Opioid Crisis. \nDuring the Civil War\, opium and morphine were widely used and considered essential to battlefield medicine. These powerful drugs eased pain\, treated illness\, and saved lives. Yet when the war ended\, thousands of veterans returned home physically wounded—and unknowingly dependent on the very medicines that had sustained them. \nIn the decades that followed\, addiction—often described in the nineteenth century as being “enslaved” to opium—became a hidden epidemic among former soldiers. Veterans and their families struggled with the medical\, social\, and emotional consequences of dependency. At the same time\, prevailing cultural attitudes framed addiction as a sign of moral weakness\, unmanliness\, or mental instability\, limiting effective treatment and deepening suffering. \nDrawing on veterans’ firsthand accounts\, hospital and asylum records\, government reports\, newspaper coverage\, and contemporary advertisements\, Dr. Jones uncovers the largely forgotten story of America’s first opioid crisis. His research sheds new light on the Civil War’s long and traumatic aftermath and offers striking historical context for today’s opioid epidemic. \nAdmission\nAdmission to the program is free. Regular Museum admission applies for those wishing to tour the National Civil War Museum galleries. \nAbout the Author\nJonathan S. Jones is Assistant Professor of History at James Madison University and a scholar of nineteenth-century American history. His work explores the intersections of medicine\, war\, and society. \nISBN 9781469689531 \n 
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/lessons-in-history-opium-slavery-civil-war-veterans-and-americas-first-opioid-crisis/
LOCATION:The National Civil War Museum\, 1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park\, Harrisburg\, PA\, 17103\, United States
CATEGORIES:Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026-Opiods-in-the-Civil-War-e1772569725372.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260321T110000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260321T120000
DTSTAMP:20260225T163146Z
CREATED:20260225T163146Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260225T163146Z
UID:5100-1774090800-1774094400@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:Lessons in History: Preserving the Past - The Conservation of Katherine Wilson Curtin’s Dress - In Person
DESCRIPTION:Lessons in History: Preserving the Past — The Conservation of Katherine Wilson Curtin’s DressSaturday\, March 21 | 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM \nThe National Civil War Museum is proud to present our March Lessons in History program exploring the remarkable conservation of a rare garment belonging to Katherine Wilson Curtin\, wife of Pennsylvania’s Civil War Governor Andrew Curtin. Representatives from the Daughters of Veterans of the Civil War\, 1861-1865\, Katherine Wilson Curtin tent will discuss their conservation efforts. \nThis elegant French-made purple velvet and silk dress\, dating to the late nineteenth century\, offers a rare and intimate glimpse into the personal life of one of Pennsylvania’s most important wartime families. More than a beautiful artifact\, the dress tells a story of status\, mourning customs\, craftsmanship\, and the social world surrounding the Commonwealth’s wartime leadership. \nDuring this program\, guests will learn how historians and textile conservators stabilized and preserved the fragile garment so it could safely be exhibited and studied for future generations. The presentation will examine the challenges of conserving historic clothing\, the techniques used to protect delicate fabrics\, and what such artifacts reveal about the people who lived through and shaped the Civil War era. \nJoin us as we look beyond the battlefield and into the domestic and social history of the Civil War through one extraordinary piece of material culture. \nFree public lecture. Regular Museum admission applies for gallery access. \nCentre County Historical Society KWC Dress article Winter 2025
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/lessons-in-history-preserving-the-past-the-conservation-of-katherine-wilson-curtins-dress-in-person/
LOCATION:The National Civil War Museum\, 1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park\, Harrisburg\, PA\, 17103\, United States
CATEGORIES:Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Katherines-dress-crop.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260314T110000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260314T120000
DTSTAMP:20260227T160859Z
CREATED:20260211T200851Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260227T160859Z
UID:5073-1773486000-1773489600@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:A Special Program with Wayne E. Motts: Brigadier General George Sears Greene: Soldier\, Engineer\, Visionary
DESCRIPTION:A Special Program with Wayne E. Motts: Brigadier General George Sears Greene: Soldier\, Engineer\, Visionary.\nJoin us on March 14\, 2026 | 11:00 AM. The Camp Curtin Historical Society/Civil War Round Table and The National Civil War Museum proudly present a special program featuring Wayne E. Motts\, CEO of The National Civil War Museum. This program is Free and open to the public. Regular Museum admission applies for entrance to the NCWM Galleries. \nMr. Motts will deliver an in-depth presentation on the life and legacy of Brigadier General George Sears Greene—one of the Civil War’s most remarkable\, yet often overlooked\, leaders. \n\nA Rare Artifact on Display\nAs a special highlight of the program\, Brigadier General Greene’s original jacket\, preserved in the collection of The National Civil War Museum\, will be on display during the event. \nFollowing the presentation\, the Camp Curtin Historical Society will unveil a newly installed wayside marker at Reservoir Park\, enhancing interpretation of the park’s important role in Harrisburg’s Civil War history. \n\nAbout George Sears Greene\nThough best known for his brigade’s steadfast defense of Culp’s Hill at the Battle of Gettysburg\, Greene’s contributions extended far beyond the battlefield. \nBefore and after the war\, he enjoyed a distinguished career as a civil engineer. Greene was a co-founder of the American Society of Civil Engineers and Architects\, helping to shape professional standards and leaving a lasting imprint on the nation’s infrastructure. \nHis life bridges two defining chapters of 19th-century America: the struggle to preserve the Union and the engineering innovations that built a modern nation. \n\nAbout the Speaker\nWayne E. Motts serves as CEO of The National Civil War Museum. A licensed battlefield guide at Gettysburg National Military Park for 38 years\, he is also the author of “To Gain a Second Star: The Forgotten George S. Greene” (Gettysburg Magazine\, July 1990). \n\nJoin us for this engaging and educational program as we honor a man whose leadership at Gettysburg—and achievements beyond it—deserve renewed recognition. \nWe look forward to welcoming you on March 14.
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/a-special-program-with-wayne-e-motts-brigadier-general-george-sears-greene-soldier-engineer-visionary/
LOCATION:The National Civil War Museum\, 1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park\, Harrisburg\, PA\, 17103\, United States
CATEGORIES:Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/3-14-2026-CCHS-Talk-with-Wayne_Page_1-scaled-e1770839343669.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260308T140000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260308T160000
DTSTAMP:20251117T175035Z
CREATED:20251117T175035Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251117T175035Z
UID:4903-1772978400-1772985600@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:Civil War Dance Classes - Free
DESCRIPTION:Join us for Great Family Fun and it’s Free! Prepare for the Civil War Preservation Ball\, held on March 21\, 2026 and join the Victorian Dance Ensemble for this annual event. There are three opportunities to attend – attend one or all and wear modern clothing. \nSunday – February 8\, and March 8\n2:00 PM to 4:00 PM \nTo register for the classes\, email: PreservationBall@civilwardance.org with dates you plan to attend and names of all attendees. Enrollees will be sent a Civil War Dance Manual. \nPlease visit our website at www.civilwardance.org
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/civil-war-dance-classes-free-7/
LOCATION:The National Civil War Museum\, 1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park\, Harrisburg\, PA\, 17103\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2026-Dance-Class-Flyer--e1763400869829.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260226T190000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260226T200000
DTSTAMP:20260225T153618Z
CREATED:20260219T195624Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260225T153618Z
UID:5087-1772132400-1772136000@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:William Henry Seward’s Quest to Save the Nation During the Secession Winter - Via ZOOM
DESCRIPTION:Join us on February 26\, 2026\, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm for a ZOOM Civil Conversation with the author\, C. Evan Stewart\nClick here to register: ZOOM link to William Henry Seward’s Quest \nWilliam Henry Seward’s Quest to Save the Nation During the Secession Winter\nIn the winter of 1860-61\, one man\, William Henry Seward\, Republican Senator from New York (the presumptive favorite for the 1860 Republican nomination for president; defeated by Lincoln on the third ballot)\, labored mightily to effectuate his plan to save the Union. Because of history’s (and historians’) heavy bias to portray Lincoln as almost a saint (see\, for example\, Jon Meacham’s “And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle” (Random House 2022))\, Seward’s prodigious efforts have either been ignored\, given short shrift\, or looked upon as something less than honorable. This short book – based upon original archival research and a comprehensive review of secondary sources – tells the story of Seward’s efforts. Counter-factual history is always an iffy business. But Seward’s “plan” did help to keep the Upper South States in the Union during the months before the president-elect became the president. And had his counsel been followed after March 4th\, perhaps the course of American History would have played out very differently. \nAbout the author:\n \nC. EVAN STEWART recently retired as a senior partner in an international law firm headquartered in New York City. He is a visiting professor at Cornell University and an adjunct professor at Fordham Law School. In addition\, he is a contributing columnist for the New York Law Journal\, New York Business Law Journal\, and the Federal Bar Council Quarterly\, and he has published approximately 300 articles on a variety of legal subjects. In 2016\, he received the Sanford D. Levy Award from the New York State Bar Association for his contributions to the field of legal ethics. Stewart is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Economic Club of New York\, and a Director and Treasurer of Humanities in New York. He also wrote Myron Taylor: The Man Nobody Knew\, The Worst Supreme Court Decisions\, Ever! (And Related Tales)\, and Law in American History (And in Mine)
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/5087/
LOCATION:ZOOM
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/William-Henry-Swerd-Book-cover-e1771528774605.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260214T193000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260214T210000
DTSTAMP:20260205T193621Z
CREATED:20260205T193517Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260205T193621Z
UID:5059-1771097400-1771102800@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:Ephraim Slaughter: Freedom's Witness
DESCRIPTION:Meet Ephraim Slaughter: a witness to war\, resilience\, and community. A 97-year- old veteran whose life asks us to reconsider how we see\, hear\, and remember.\n\n\nSankofa African American Theatre Company & Gamut Theatre Group present\, in partnership with The National Civil War Museum.\n\n\n\n\nEPHRAIM SLAUGHTER: FREEDOM’S WITNESS\nBy Teresa Miller \n\nDirected by Sharia Benn \n\n\nPERFORMANCES:\nFebruary 14 – 22\, 2026\nFridays & Saturdays at 7:30 PM\nSundays at 2:30 PM\n\n\nLOCATION:\nGamut Theatre Group\n15 N 4TH ST Harrisburg\, PA\, 17101\n\nFeb. 14\, 15\, 20\, 21\, 22. \nFor More Information: https://www.gamuttheatre.org/sankofa \nPurchase Tickets Here: https://gtg.vbotickets.com/event/ephraim_slaughter_freedom%60s_witness/164487
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/ephraim-slaughter-freedoms-witness/
LOCATION:Gamut Theatre Group\, 15 N 4TH ST\, Harrisburg\, PA\, 17101\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/E._Slaughter_Social_Post1-e1770313139660.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260214T100000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260214T160000
DTSTAMP:20260213T193632Z
CREATED:20251209T170819Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260213T193632Z
UID:4950-1771063200-1771084800@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:Community Free Day - Celebrating our 25th Anniversary
DESCRIPTION:Join us on Valentine’s Day\, Saturday\, February 14\, 2026\, as we celebrate 25 years of preserving and sharing Civil War history at The National Civil War Museum! Enjoy a Free Day of engaging programs and special presentations between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. \nThe day will feature a compelling presentation by Rachael Williams\, a stirring appearance by James Hayney as President Abraham Lincoln\, and many more anniversary-themed activities for visitors of all ages. \nBring your family\, friends\, and history enthusiasts to help us commemorate this milestone year and experience the Museum in a whole new way—all free of charge. \nThe National Civil War Museum is proud to celebrate its 25th anniversary with a Community Free Day on Saturday\, February 14\, 2026\, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. In honor of this milestone anniversary\, the Museum will offer free admission to all visitors for a full day of history\, education\, and community celebration. \nSince opening its doors in February 2001\, The National Civil War Museum has welcomed visitors from across the nation and around the world\, serving as a premier institution dedicated to presenting the full story of the American Civil War. Over the past 25 years\, the Museum has remained committed to balanced interpretation\, thoughtful scholarship\, and meaningful public engagement. \nCommunity Free Day will invite guests of all ages to explore the Museum’s galleries\, which chronicle the major campaigns of the Civil War while highlighting the experiences of soldiers\, civilians\, and leaders on both sides of the conflict. The day will feature special anniversary programming\, live history presentations\, and family-friendly activities throughout the Museum. \n                                                                      \nEvent Schedule (subject to change): \nScheduled Programs: \n\n10:00 a.m. – Museum Opens\n10:15 a.m. | 1:15 p.m. | 3:00 p.m. – 25 Artifacts from 25 Years: Museum Curator Brett E. Kelley presents 25 significant artifacts from the Museum’s collections\n10:30 a.m. | 2:00 p.m. – Dean Auchenbach musters in to the Union Army11:00 a.m. – Rachael Williams presents The Historical Lincoln Cemetery of Harrisburg\n11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. – James Hayney portrays Abraham Lincoln\n12:00 p.m. – Abraham Lincoln presents\n\nOngoing Programs in the Galleries (throughout the day): \n\nJodi Hari – Civil War era winter traditions\nSteve Ball Civil War music\nThe Generals for the Union – Living history interpretation\nThe Ladies for the Union – Civil War–era civilian and home-front interpretation\n\nSponsored by: \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n                            \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n                              \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n 
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/community-free-day-celebrating-our-25th-anniversary/
LOCATION:The National Civil War Museum\, 1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park\, Harrisburg\, PA\, 17103\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2-14-2026FreeDayFlyer-scaled-e1769449147509.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260208T140000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260208T160000
DTSTAMP:20251117T174802Z
CREATED:20251117T174802Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251117T174802Z
UID:4901-1770559200-1770566400@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:Civil War Dance Classes - Free
DESCRIPTION:Join us for Great Family Fun and it’s Free! Prepare for the Civil War Preservation Ball\, held on March 21\, 2026 and join the Victorian Dance Ensemble for this annual event. There are three opportunities to attend – attend one or all and wear modern clothing. \nSunday – February 8\, and March 8\n2:00 PM to 4:00 PM \nTo register for the classes\, email: PreservationBall@civilwardance.org with dates you plan to attend and names of all attendees. Enrollees will be sent a Civil War Dance Manual. \nPlease visit our website at www.civilwardance.org
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/civil-war-dance-classes-free-6/
LOCATION:The National Civil War Museum\, 1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park\, Harrisburg\, PA\, 17103\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2026-Dance-Class-Flyer--e1763400869829.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260117T110000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260117T120000
DTSTAMP:20260107T170651Z
CREATED:20260107T170651Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260107T170651Z
UID:5006-1768647600-1768651200@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:In-Person 2026 Lessons In History Presentation
DESCRIPTION:Join us for our first 2026 Lessons In History January 17\, 2026 ~ 11:00 am – 12:00 pm *NOTE NEW TIME\nFeaturing NCWM Curator\, Brett E. Kelley\, showcasing recent donations to the collections of The National Civil War Museum\, some never before seen. This Lecture is Free and Open to the Public. Regular Museum admission applies for entrance to the NCWM Galleries.
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/in-person-2026-lessons-in-history-presentation/
LOCATION:The National Civil War Museum\, 1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park\, Harrisburg\, PA\, 17103\, United States
CATEGORIES:Community Event
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/thumbnail_Artifacts-for-Jan-2026-Talk-e1767805351468.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20260111T140000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260111T160000
DTSTAMP:20251117T174443Z
CREATED:20251117T174443Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251117T174443Z
UID:4897-1768140000-1768147200@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:Civil War Dance Classes - Free
DESCRIPTION:Join us for Great Family Fun and it’s Free! Prepare for the Civil War Preservation Ball\, held on March 21\, 2026 and join the Victorian Dance Ensemble for this annual event. There are three opportunities to attend – attend one or all and wear modern clothing. \nSunday – January 11\, February 8\, and March 8\n2:00 PM to 4:00 PM \nTo register for the classes\, email: PreservationBall@civilwardance.org with dates you plan to attend and names of all attendees. Enrollees will be sent a Civil War Dance Manual. \nPlease visit our website at www.civilwardance.org
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/civil-war-dance-classes-free-5/
LOCATION:The National Civil War Museum\, 1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park\, Harrisburg\, PA\, 17103\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2026-Dance-Class-Flyer--e1763400869829.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251206T130000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251206T140000
DTSTAMP:20251120T141612Z
CREATED:20251119T175213Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251120T141612Z
UID:4914-1765026000-1765029600@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:Book Launch - A Sight Never to Be Forgotten by author Rev. Dr. Nancy Jill Hale
DESCRIPTION:The National Civil War Museum Hosts Free Civil War Book Launch: A Sight Never to Be Forgotten – Eyewitness Accounts from Union Chaplains at Gettysburg. \n The National Civil War Museum is pleased to welcome Rev. Dr. Nancy Jill Hale for a special in-person book launch and author talk on Saturday\, December 6\, 2025\, from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM\, followed by a book signing. This free public event will highlight A Sight Never to Be Forgotten\, Dr. Hale’s compelling new work exploring the firsthand accounts of Union chaplains who served during the Gettysburg campaign. \nProgram:\nA Sight Never to Be Forgotten\nCivil War chaplains served not only as captains on the regimental field staff\, but also as pastors\, confidants\, spiritual guides\, and paternal figures for the soldiers. Many of them willingly shared the hardships of army life and undertook various tasks that would help the men. Some chaplains risked their lives and freedom for the sake of their sense of duty to God and to their regiments. In their accounts\, they share the perspective of men whose main concern was the spiritual and moral well being of the soldiers\, and these stories\, some of which have not yet been shared in print\, shed a different and sometimes very poignant light on the lives\, faith\, and sense of duty of men in the army\, before\, during\, and after a battle. This presentation will introduce Civil War chaplaincy and a few stories of chaplains at Gettysburg.\nThe Rev. Dr. Nancy Jill Hale is a United Methodist pastor and serves a church in Fayetteville\, PA. She is also a Licensed Battlefield Guide at Gettysburg National Military Park. Her research has focused on the lives and stories of Union chaplains\, and she portrays the only woman to serve as a chaplain during the Civil War\, Ella Gibson Hobart. Her novel “Faith and Duty” describes the challenges of a fictional chaplain as he learns how to be faithful both to God and to the men in his community as they enlist to serve in the federal army. \nEvent Details\nWhat: Free Civil War Book Talk with Rev. Dr. Nancy Jill Hale\nWhen: Saturday\, December 6\, 2025 • 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM\nWhere: The National Civil War Museum\n1 Lincoln Circle\, Harrisburg\, PA 17103\nCost: Free Admission \nA Q&A session will follow the presentation\, and attendees will have the opportunity to meet Dr. Hale and have copies of A Sight Never to Be Forgotten signed. Books will be available for purchase onsite. \nThis program is free and open to the public; however\, seating is limited. Guests are encouraged to arrive early to ensure availability and to enjoy this insightful exploration of faith\, service\, and the lived experiences of Union chaplains at Gettysburg. \n  \nISBN: 9 781734 627695
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/book-launch-a-sight-never-to-be-forgotten-by-author-rev-dr-nancy-jill-hale/
LOCATION:The National Civil War Museum\, 1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park\, Harrisburg\, PA\, 17103\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/12-6-2025ASight_hires_400px.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251111T110000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251111T120000
DTSTAMP:20251022T122539Z
CREATED:20251021T200157Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251022T122539Z
UID:4872-1762858800-1762862400@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:National Reading of the Names Honoring the United States Colored Troops
DESCRIPTION:Join Us for a National Reading of the Names Honoring the United States Colored Troops\n\n\n\n\nIn Commemoration of Veterans Day and the Grand Reopening of the African American Civil War Memorial Museum\, the African American Civil War Memorial Museum proudly announces a Reading of the Names event to honor the United States Colored Troops (USCT) as part of their Grand Reopening celebration and in recognition of Veterans Day. We’re honored to be participating in the National Reading of the Names. During the ceremony\, we will read the names of the soldiers from the 8th United States Colored Troops\, a regiment raised at Camp William Penn in Philadelphia. This regiment holds special significance for us\, as the Museum preserves its original muster rolls\, which we plan to display during the event.
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/4872/
LOCATION:The National Civil War Museum\, 1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park\, Harrisburg\, PA\, 17103\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/African-American-CT-Museum-square.png
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251002T190000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251002T200000
DTSTAMP:20250829T132415Z
CREATED:20250829T132415Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250829T132415Z
UID:4672-1759431600-1759435200@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:Hero of Ft. Sumter -  The Extraordinary Life of Robert Anderson - A Civil Conversation
DESCRIPTION:Hero of Ft. Sumter –  The Extraordinary Life of Robert Anderson\nJoin us on Thursday\, October 2\, 2025\, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm for this Civil Conversation via ZOOM\, featuring author Dr. Wesley Moody and NCWM Education & Program Coordinator – Katie Dick. This online program will delve into the life of a fascinating American hero. We look forward to having you join us virtually. \nJoin here: Civil Conversation: Hero of Ft. Sumter – The Extraordinary Life of Robert Anderson \nAbout the book \nAs the commander of the US garrison at Fort Sumter in the fateful early hours of April 12\, 1861\, Robert Anderson (1805–1871) played a critical role in the unfolding of the Civil War. Although his leadership and his courage under fire catapulted him into national recognition\, the attack on Fort Sumter was just one chapter in Anderson’s story. That story\, told here in full for the first time\, offers a unique lens on the development of the US military and the country itself before and during the Civil War. \nAnderson’s family\, harking back to the nation’s founding\, included William Clark (of Lewis and Clark fame) and Chief Justice John Marshall. His father crossed the Delaware with George Washington. And among his acquaintances were presidents ranging from the aged John Adams to seven-year-old Theodore Roosevelt. Historian Wesley Moody charts Robert Anderson’s path from an upbringing on the Kentucky frontier to a West Point education and a military career that saw him fighting in nearly every American conflict from the Black Hawk War to the Civil War—catching malaria fighting the Seminoles\, taking several bullets while serving in Mexico\, writing the textbook for field artillery used by both Union and Confederate forces\, mentoring William Tecumseh Sherman. \nCentral to Anderson’s story was his deft and decisive handling of the Fort Sumter crisis. Had Major Anderson been the aggressor\, as many of his command urged\, President Abraham Lincoln would have been unable to rally the Northern states to war. Had Anderson handed his command over to the Confederate troops\, a demoralized North would have offered little resistance to secession. To understand this pivotal moment in US history\, one has to understand the man at its center; and to understand that man and his masterful performance under extraordinary pressure\, one can do no better than to read Moody’s thoroughly absorbing\, richly detailed biography. \nISBN: 978-0806195407 \n \nDr. Wesley Moody bio \nDr. Wesley Moody is a professor of history at Florida State College at Jacksonville.  He is a specialist in the American Civil War\, Colonial American history\, and Florida history.  Dr. Moody is the author of four books\, including Demon of the Lost Cause: Sherman and Civil War History\, based on his Ph.D. dissertation.  He studied under Dr. Wendy Venet at Georgia State University and John Ferling at the University of West Georgia.
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/hero-of-ft-sumter-the-extraordinary-life-of-robert-anderson-a-civil-conversation/
LOCATION:ZOOM
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Hero-of-Fort-Sumter-book-cover.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250919T180000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250919T203000
DTSTAMP:20250724T135724Z
CREATED:20250721T171650Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250724T135724Z
UID:4441-1758304800-1758313800@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:Cocktails and Cannonballs 2025
DESCRIPTION:The National Civil War Museum is thrilled to announce the return of our highly anticipated fundraising event\, Cocktails and Cannonballs. Please mark your calendars for Friday\, September 19\, 2025\, from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM\, and join us for an evening of history\, libations\, and lively conversation at one of the nation’s premier Civil War museums. \nBuilding on the success of last year’s event\, Cocktails and Cannonballs offers a unique blend of entertainment and education. Attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy specially crafted cocktails while exploring the museum’s extensive collection of Civil War artifacts. The evening will feature live music\, exclusive access to exhibits\, and a variety of delicious hors d’oeuvres. \nThis event is not just about enjoying a great evening—it’s about supporting the museum’s mission to preserve and interpret the history of the American Civil War for future generations. Proceeds from the event will directly benefit the museum’s educational programs and preservation efforts. \nEvent Details: \n\nDate: Friday\, September 19\, 2024\nTime: 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM\nLocation: The National Civil War Museum\, 1 Lincoln Circle\, Harrisburg\, PA\n\nTickets:  $50/member $75/person $125/couple ~ Tickets can be purchased here: bit.ly/CocktailsandCannonballs2025 \nThis is a must-attend event for history enthusiasts and supporters of the museum. Don’t miss your chance to experience the National Civil War Museum in a whole new light—literally and figuratively—as we raise our glasses to history. \n• Stroll the galleries with living historians.\n• Sample regional cuisine with local caterers ~ C & J Catering\, Susquehanna Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar\, Festive Board Catering\, Jazzeryns Catering\, and Upohar Catering. More to follow…\n• Shop the silent auction.\n• Enjoy the Roger Sine Trio.\n• Sample a Civil War Sundae.\n• Try your luck at the wine pull\, soldier’s games\, trivia and raffles.\n• Visit the cigar bar and coffee corner.\n• Win a chance to fire a cannon at the close of the evening. \nAll proceeds benefit The National Civil War Museum’s educational programs\, building fund and artifact preservation.
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/cocktails-and-cannonballs-2025/
LOCATION:The National Civil War Museum\, 1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park\, Harrisburg\, PA\, 17103\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/CC2025_SaveTheDate_Print-IN-HOUSE-EDIT_1up-scaled-e1753117339830.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250823T130000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250823T140000
DTSTAMP:20250603T152432Z
CREATED:20250603T152432Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250603T152432Z
UID:4511-1755954000-1755957600@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:In-person Book Talk ~ The First Day at Gettysburg\, July 1\, 1863
DESCRIPTION:Fan favorite\, James Hessler\, joins us on August 23\, 2025\, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm for a book talk\, The First Day at Gettysburg\, July 1\, 1863\, followed by a book signing.\nAbout the book: The summer of 1863 started off disastrously for the Army of the Potomac in the Eastern Theater. In early May\, Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia defeated and humiliated Major General Joseph Hooker’s army at the Battle of Chancellorsville. While both armies reorganized in the wake of Chancellorsville’s massive losses\, Lee then maintained the initiative and launched an invasion of Pennsylvania. Throughout June\, Lee’s army advanced deeper into Pennsylvania and Northern efforts to stop his progress were ineffective until Major General George Meade replaced Hooker as commander of the Army of the Potomac. On July 1\, 1863\, Meade and Lee’s large armies collided outside of the crossroads town of Gettysburg\, Pennsylvania. The stakes were never higher for either army as the newly promoted Meade defended Northern soil\, while General Lee risked everything by taking the war into enemy territory. \nThe 2025 Lessons in History program is free to the public. Regular museum admission applies for entrance to the museum galleries. \nAbout the author: James Hessler has worked as a licensed battlefield guide at Gettysburg National Military Park since 2003. Jim is the author of Sickles at Gettysburg (2009)\, and co-authored Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg (2015) and Gettysburg’s Peach Orchard (2019). He is one of the few authors to receive the Bachelder Coddington Award multiple times. Jim co-hosts the popular Battle of Gettysburg Podcast. He was one of the primary content designers for the American Battlefield Trust’s mobile Gettysburg application. He is a frequent speaker for Civil War Round Tables and other historical groups nationwide. In addition to Gettysburg\, he leads tours of other battlefields and historic sites across the country\, and currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Little Bighorn Associates. \n  \n 
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/in-person-book-talk-the-first-day-at-gettysburg-july-1-1863/
LOCATION:The National Civil War Museum\, 1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park\, Harrisburg\, PA\, 17103\, United States
CATEGORIES:Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Gettysburg-the-1st-day_Hessler-e1748964095364.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250719T140000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250719T150000
DTSTAMP:20250212T184916Z
CREATED:20250212T184526Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250212T184916Z
UID:4204-1752933600-1752937200@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:In-Person Book Talk - George Graham Vest
DESCRIPTION:We are pleased to offer a book talk and signing on July 19\, 2025\, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm\, Saturday\, July 19 at 2:00 pm with author\, editor\, and publisher\,  Stephen M. Vest. Stephen Vest will discuss his book “George Graham Vest”\, with a book signing immediately following the book talk. \nThe 2024 Lessons in History program is free to the public. Regular museum admission applies for entrance to the museum galleries. \nAbout the Book: Although the saying “Dog is man’s best friend\,” is well known\, the man who originally coined the phrase is less celebrated in modern times. However\, in the late 1800s\, George Graham Vest was a distinguished attorney and politician widely admired for his skills in oration and debate. George Graham Vest—The Life and Times of Dog’s Best Friend provides a detailed look at Vest\, who practiced law in central Missouri\, serving in the Missouri House of Representatives\, the Confederate Congress\, the Confederate Senate\, and later the U.S. Senate. He also helped establish Yellowstone National Park. Written by descendant Stephen M. Vest\, George Graham Vest is a fitting biography to one of America’s best statesmen\, long overdue. \n \nAbout the Author: Stephen M. Vest is the editor and publisher of Kentucky Monthly and the editor of SAR Magazine\, the national membership publication of the Sons of the American Revolution. He and his wife\, Kay\, live in Frankfort\, Kentucky\, where they raised their four grown children.
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/in-person-book-talk-george-graham-vest/
LOCATION:The National Civil War Museum\, 1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park\, Harrisburg\, PA\, 17103\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/GeoGVest_RetractableBanner-e1739385833456.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250621T100000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250621T160000
DTSTAMP:20250606T144103Z
CREATED:20250606T144103Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250606T144103Z
UID:4519-1750500000-1750521600@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:Juneteenth Community Free Day
DESCRIPTION:The National Civil War Museum is proud to commemorate Juneteenth with a Community Free Day on June 21\, 2025\, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. Guests are invited to explore the Museum free of charge and participate in special programming that highlights the importance of Juneteenth and its legacy of freedom\, resilience\, and justice. \nThis event offers a day of reflection\, learning\, and community engagement through music\, demonstrations\, and living history experiences. \nFeatured Activities: \n\n1:00 – 2:00 PM – Greater Zion Missionary Baptist Church Praise Team Choir (Ballroom)\n10:00 AM – 4:00 PM – Select Civil War Reenactors throughout the galleries\n\nWe look forward to seeing you.
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/juneteenth-community-free-day-2/
LOCATION:The National Civil War Museum\, 1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park\, Harrisburg\, PA\, 17103\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/CivilWar_2025JuneteenthFacebook_-e1749220813810.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250614T130000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250614T140000
DTSTAMP:20250221T174133Z
CREATED:20250221T174133Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250221T174133Z
UID:4258-1749906000-1749909600@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:Free Civil War Book Talk - Fear No Pharaoh with Richard Kreitner
DESCRIPTION:Please join us for a free\, in-person book talk\, Fear No Pharaoh\, American Jews\, the Civil War\, and the Fight to End Slavery\, with Richard Kreitner on June 14\, 2025\, from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm\, followed by a book signing. A dramatic history of how American Jews reckoned with slavery—and fought the Civil War. \nA dramatic history of how American Jews reckoned with slavery—and fought the Civil War. Since ancient times\, the Jewish people have recalled the story of Exodus and reflected on the implications of having been slaves. Did the tradition teach that Jews should speak out against slavery and oppression everywhere\, or act cautiously to protect themselves in a hostile world? \nIn Fear No Pharaoh\, the journalist and historian Richard Kreitner sets this question at the heart of the Civil War era. Using original sources\, he tells the intertwined stories of six American Jews who helped to shape a tumultuous time\, including Judah Benjamin\, the brilliant\, secretive lawyer who became Jefferson Davis’s trusted confidante; Morris Raphall\, a Swedish-born rabbi who defended slavery as biblically justified; and Raphall’s rival rabbis—the celebrated Isaac Mayer Wise\, who urged Jews to stay out of the slavery controversy to avoid attracting attention\, and David Einhorn\, whose fiery sermons condemning bondage led to a pro-slavery mob threatening his life. We also meet August Bondi\, a veteran of Europe’s 1848 revolutions\, who fought with John Brown in “Bleeding Kansas” and later in the Union Army\, and the Polish émigré Ernestine Rose\, a feminist\, atheist\, and abolitionist who championed “emancipation of all kinds.” \nAs he tracks these characters\, Kreitner illuminates the shifting dynamics of Jewish life in America—and the debates about religion\, morality\, and politics that endure to this day. \n About the author :Richard Kreitner is the author of Break It Up: Secession\, Division\, and the Secret History of America’s Imperfect Union and Booked: A Traveler’s Guide to Literary Locations Around the World. He has written for The New York Times\, The Washington Post\, The Boston Globe\, The Nation\, Slate\, Raritan\, The Baffler\, and other publications. He lives in the Hudson Valley\, New York. \nPhoto Credit: Eva Deitch \nAdmission to the book talk is free; however\, regular National Civil War Museum admission is required to access the galleries.
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/free-civil-war-book-talk-fear-no-pharaoh-with-richard-kreitner/
LOCATION:The National Civil War Museum\, 1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park\, Harrisburg\, PA\, 17103\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Fear-no-Pharaoh-scaled-e1740159463686.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250613T173000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250613T183000
DTSTAMP:20251211T153529Z
CREATED:20250424T182054Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251211T153529Z
UID:4449-1749835800-1749839400@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:In-Person Book Talk-Rebels at the Gates
DESCRIPTION:Rebels at the Gates – The Confederacy’s Final Gamble and the Battle to Save Washington by Robert P. Watson\nJoin us on Friday\, June 13\, 2025\, 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm for an In-person presentation by author Robert P. Watson\, followed by a book-signing. \nAbout the book: Rebels at the Gate chronicles an intriguing series of events that nearly changed American history. In the last full year of the Civil War\, Washington\, DC came within hours of being invaded and Lincoln within inches of being shot. During the summer of 1864\, General Ulysses Grant was laying siege to Petersburg (near Richmond)\, deploying every available Union soldier in an effort to end the bloody war once and for all. His counterpart\, General Robert E. Lee and his famed Army of Northern Virginia\, were trapped inside Richmond\, and recognized that the Confederate capital would fall. Lee knew Grant\, and understood that he would never stop attacking until he had Richmond. It was then that the southern commander hatched a desperate and bold plan to save the Confederacy and perhaps bring the war to an end… but on the Confederacy’s terms. \nHistorian Robert Watson provides the definitive account of this largely forgotten attack on and defense of Washington—and the fascinating events surrounding the battle. \n\nAbout the author: Robert P. Watson\, Distinguished Professor of History at Lynn University is the author of many books on American politics and history including\, most recently\, America’s First Plague: The 1793 Epidemic that Crippled a Young Nation (R&L\, 2023): Escape! The Story of the Confederacy’s Infamous Libby Prison and the Civil War’s Largest Jail Break (R&L\, 2021)\,George Washington’s Final Battle: The Epic Struggle to Build a Capital City and Nation (Georgetown University Press\, 2021)\, The Ghost Ship of Brooklyn: An Untold Story of the American Revolution (Da Capo Press\, 2017\, and The Nazi Titanic: The Incredible Untold Story of a Doomed Ship in World War II (Da Capo Press\, 2016)\, which is currently being made into a motion picture. He resides in Boca Raton\, Florida. \n  \n\n\n\n\n\nISBN 9798881807337 \n 
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/in-person-book-talk-rebels-at-the-gates/
LOCATION:The National Civil War Museum\, 1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park\, Harrisburg\, PA\, 17103\, United States
CATEGORIES:Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Rebels-at-the-Gates.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250529T190000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250529T200000
DTSTAMP:20250424T174635Z
CREATED:20250424T174635Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250424T174635Z
UID:4442-1748545200-1748548800@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:"Lincoln's Peace" by Michael Vorenberg via ZOOM
DESCRIPTION:LOS ANGELES TIMES “TOP TEN BOOKS TO READ IN 2025”\nJoin us on May 29\, 2025\, 7:00 pm -8:00 pm for a ZOOM Civil Conversation with the author\, Michael Vorenberg. Click here to register:\nCivil Conversation with Dr. Michael Vorenberg – Lincoln’s Peace \nAbout the book: One historian’s journey to find the end of the Civil War—and\, along the way\, to expand our understanding of the nature of war itself and how societies struggle to draw the line between war and peace. \nWe set out on the James River\, March 25\, 1865\, aboard the paddle steamboat River Queen. President Lincoln is on his way to General Grant’s headquarters at City Point\, Virginia\, and he’s decided he won’t return to Washington until he’s witnessed\, or perhaps even orchestrated\, the end of the Civil War. Now\, it turns out\, more than a century and a half later\, historians are still searching for that end. \n \nAbout the author: MICHAEL VORENBERG is a professor of history at Brown University\, in Providence\, Rhode Island. He is the author of Final Freedom: The Civil War\, the Abolition of Slavery\, and the Thirteenth Amendment\, which was a finalist for the Lincoln Prize and a key source for Steven Spielberg’s 2012 film\, Lincoln. He is also the author of The Emancipation Proclamation: A Brief History with Documents\, as well as a number of essays on slavery\, emancipation\, and the U.S. Constitution. His writings have appeared in the Chicago Tribune\, The New York Times\, Politico\, and The Washington Post. 
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/lincolns-peace-by-michael-vorenberg-via-zoom/
LOCATION:The National Civil War Museum\, 1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park\, Harrisburg\, PA\, 17103\, United States
CATEGORIES:Speaker
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Lincolns-Peace-bookcover-e1745516516161.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250515T190000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250515T200000
DTSTAMP:20250326T152804Z
CREATED:20250326T152804Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250326T152804Z
UID:4330-1747335600-1747339200@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:Waging War for Freedom with the 54th Massachusetts - A ZOOM Conversation
DESCRIPTION:Waging War for Freedom with the 54th Massachusetts – The Civil War Memoir of John W. M. Appleton\nJoin us for a free ZOOM Civil Conversation with NCWM CEO Jeffrey Nichols and authors James Robbins Jewell and Eugene S. Van Sickle on Thursday\, May 15\, 7:00 pm -8:00 pm. \nRegister here – It’s Free: Civil Conversation with Dr. James Jewell and Dr. Eugene Van Sickle: Waging War for Freedom \nAbout the book: Late in 1862\, amid the horrors of the U.S. Civil War\, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton\, with President Lincoln’s approval\, authorized the recruitment of Black soldiers for the Union cause. In January of 1863\, the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was born. On February 7\, 1863\, Massachusetts governor John Andrew commissioned Boston-bred John W. M. Appleton the first of the white officers in the most famous Civil War regiment of Black soldiers. Appleton immediately began recruiting enlisted soldiers for the company he would command\, Company A. \nWaging War for Freedom with the 54th Massachusetts is a fresh look at the service of this famed regiment as told through Appleton’s memoir—the most complete first-person account available about the service of the men in the 54th Massachusetts regiment. Appleton wrote candidly about his own experiences and the men who served with and under him\, including troop punishments\, combat\, and combat injuries\, including his own. He also described in detail the weather\, climate\, southern geography\, and his interaction with civilians. Appleton served with the regiment from February 1863 through August 1864\, when severe injuries forced him home a second time. Taking Appleton’s memoir as their foundation\, the editors thoroughly contextualize the service of the 54th through its disbanding in 1865\, providing a fresh perspective on the men and the regiment as they fought to abolish slavery in the United States. \nAbout the authors: James Robbins Jewell is a professor of history at North Idaho College. He is the author of Agents of Empire: The First Oregon Cavalry and the Opening of the Interior Pacific Northwest during the Civil War (Nebraska\, 2023) and the editor of On Duty in the Pacific Northwest during the Civil War: Correspondence and Reminiscences of the First Oregon Cavalry Regiment. Eugene S. Van Sickle is a professor of history at the University of North Georgia.
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/waging-war-for-freedom-with-the-54th-massachusetts-a-zoom-conversation/
LOCATION:ZOOM
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/avif:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Waging-War-book-cover-e1743002237936.avif
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250503T130000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250503T140000
DTSTAMP:20250212T185709Z
CREATED:20250212T185709Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250212T185709Z
UID:4203-1746277200-1746280800@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:Clara Barton - Red Cross Angel - Presentation at the NCWM
DESCRIPTION:CLARA BARTON-RED CROSS ANGEL By Award-Winning Actress & Smithsonian Scholar Mary Ann Jung \nJoin us for an interpretive presentation by Mary Ann Jung\, as she portrays Clara Barton\, on Saturday\, May 3\, 2025\, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm\, in our education gallery. This special program is free of charge\, regular admission applies for entrance to the Museum galleries. \n About the Presentation: Clara Barton\, America’s greatest heroine\, faced bullying and bullets with astonishing bravery to save the lives of others as a Civil War nurse. She then went on to create The Missing Soldiers Office and the American Red Cross despite formidable obstacles. Audience members become naysayers and believers\, soldiers and nurses to discover what these struggles and accomplishments meant on a personal level. This award-winning show inspires all of us to “Never Give Up!”
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/clara-barton-red-cross-angel-presentation-at-the-ncwm/
LOCATION:The National Civil War Museum\, 1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park\, Harrisburg\, PA\, 17103\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Barton2smaller-e1739386583519.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20250426T130000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20250426T140000
DTSTAMP:20250107T194258Z
CREATED:20250103T201333Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250107T194258Z
UID:4119-1745672400-1745676000@www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org
SUMMARY:Civil War Book Talk with Dr. Judith Giesberg "Last Seen - The Enduring Search by Formerly Enslaved People to Find Their Lost Families"
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a free\, in-person book talk\, Last Seen\, with Dr. Judith Giesberg on April 26\, 2025\, from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm\, followed by a book signing.\nAbout the book: Drawing from an archive of nearly five thousand letters and advertisements\, the riveting\, dramatic story of formerly enslaved people who spent years searching for family members stolen away during slavery. Of all the many horrors of slavery\, the cruelest was the separation of families in slave auctions. Spouses and siblings were sold away from one other. Young children were separated from their mothers. Fathers were sent down river and never saw their families again. \nAs soon as slavery ended in 1865\, family members began to search for one another\, in some cases persisting until as late as the 1920s. They took out “information wanted” advertisements in newspapers and sent letters to the editor. Pastors in churches across the country read these advertisements from the pulpit\, expanding the search to those who had never learned to read or who did not have access to newspapers. These documents demonstrate that even as most white Americans—and even some younger Black Americans\, too—wanted to put slavery in the past\, many former slaves\, members of the “Freedom Generation\,” continued for years\, and even decades\, to search for one another. These letters and advertisements are testaments to formerly enslaved people’s enduring love for the families they lost in slavery\, yet they spent many years buried in the storage of local historical societies or on microfilm reels that time forgot. \nJudith Giesberg draws on the archive that she founded—containing almost five thousand letters and advertisements placed by members of the Freedom Generation—to compile these stories in a narrative form for the first time. Her in-depth research turned up additional information about the writers\, their families\, and their enslavers. With this critical context\, she recounts the moving stories of the people who placed the advertisements\, the loved ones they tried to find\, and the outcome of their quests to reunite. \nThis story underscores the cruelest horror of slavery—the forced breakup of families—and the resilience and determination of the formerly enslaved. Thoughtful\, heart-wrenching\, and illuminating\, Last Seen finally gives this lesser-known aspect of slavery the attention it deserves. \nAbout the author: Dr. Judith Giesberg is professor of history and Robert M. Birmingham chair in the humanities at Villanova University. She is the founder and director of the Last Seen archive\, and the author of several books on Civil War history\, including Army at Home\, Emilie Davis’s Civil War\, and Last Seen (ISBN 9781982174323). \n \nPhotograph (c) Mark Tassoni
URL:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/event/last-seen-an-in-person-book-talk/
LOCATION:The National Civil War Museum\, 1 Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park\, Harrisburg\, PA\, 17103\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/last-seen-9781982174323_xlg-e1735935099255.jpg
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR