Hello,
The Military History Education Group, an offshoot of the Decatur, IL Civil War Roundtable, is having their 9th Annual Summer Civil War Conference. The event will be held on Saturday, June 9, 2007 in Arthur, IL, which is between Decatur and Champaign/Urbana in the center of the state. This is at Exit 203 off I-57 and then west a few miles. Yoder's Kitchen Banquet Facility is the host site and the event runs from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. As with most Civil War conferences, books will be available from bookseller Bob Murphy.
The speakers include:
Dr. Glenn W. LaFantasie - Western Kentucky University - "William C. Oates in War and Peace." Oates commanded the 15th Alabama at Little Round Top in the Battle of Gettysburg and went up against the 20th Maine and Joshua Chamberlain, but he is also much more than that; he is a wonderful historic character in every way! Oates is the subject of a recent fine biography by LaFantasie, who has also written several other books.
Dr. Terri K. Kionka - author/historian - "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Vicksburg." Dr. Kionka is the author of the recent book "Key Command" on Cairo, IL and its relationship with Ulysses S. Grant and is a graduate of the University of Illinois and Southern Illinois University.
Fred L. Ray - author/historian - "Shock Troops of the Confederacy: The Sharpshooter Battalions of the Army of Northern Virginia." Based on his book of the same name, Mr. Ray will discuss the formation, training and deployment of these specialist troops, one of whom was the author's ancestor.
Greg Biggs - Clarksville (TN) CWRT, author/historian - "Napoleonic Cavalryman - Nathan Bedford Forrest." Mr. Biggs is a veteran Civil War tour guide, research historian for several authors and a nationally known Civil War flags expert. He is also a student of the Napoleonic Wars and in this program teaches how cavalry was used in Napoleon's time, how it was used in America before the Civil War and how an ill-educated man with no military training whatsoever, used cavalry in a proper Napoleonic manner during the Civil War.
For more information on this conference please call (217)578-2262 or visit the website: www.geocities.com/mhegil1999/index.html
Area motels are listed on the website.
The conference fee is $45 and includes lunch and all speakers. Tickets sold at the door will be $55. Send to: Military History Education Group, PO Box 560, Atwood, IL 61913.