ACFL&MH Civil War Symposium - 1861: Small Battles, Big Outcomes

The Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall is pleased to announce our eighth annual Civil War Symposium, slated for April 17 – 18, 2026. Though overlooked in favor of later years and larger battles, the first year of the Civil War witnessed many advances and setbacks, trials and tribulations, personalities and decisions that affected how the remainder of the war came to be fought. In 1861: Small Battles, Big Outcomes, seven dynamic historians will unpack the military, political, and social threads of this pivotal year in our nation’s history. Tickets are available for $100.00 until April 06, 2026, or sold out. Seating is limited, and previous years have sold out, so please don’t wait to reserve your seat. The ticket price includes light hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar on Friday evening, breakfast refreshments, a boxed lunch, and snacks on Saturday. In partnership with Military Images Magazine and the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, the Faces of Civil War Nurses photo exhibit will be onsite, bringing to life the remarkable images and stories of twenty Civil War nurses. Representatives from Arsenal Cider – Pittsburgh’s Civil War-themed hard cider distillery – will be on hand Friday evening for tastings and bottle sales. Ongoing tours of The Captain Thomas Espy Post will be available, as well as raffles, a Civil War book sale, and author book signings. Symposium proceeds help to preserve the priceless artifacts in the Captain Thomas Espy Grand Army of the Republic Post and supports our monthly Civil War programming at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall. ACFL&MH is grateful to Civil War Trails and Civil War Roundtable Congress for their sponsorship and ongoing support of our Civil War symposium! Please contact Espy Post Curator, Jon-Erik Gilot, at gilotj@carnegiecarnegie.org with any questions. Speakers: Rich Condon – The Year of Jubilee: The Battle for Port Royal and the Birth of Reconstruction Rich Condon is a public historian and park ranger from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He holds a B.A. in Public History from Shepherd University and is currently pursuing an M.A. in American History through Gettysburg College. For over a decade, he held positions at a variety of sites and organizations, including the Battle of Franklin Trust, Flight 93 National Memorial, Catoctin Mountain Park, and the newly established Reconstruction Era National Historical Park. Rich has published articles with Civil War Times Magazine, The Civil War Monitor, The American Battlefield Trust, as well as Emerging Civil War, and manages the Civil War Pittsburgh blog. Rich will be speaking on the November 1861 battle of Port Royal, South Carolina, and the legacy of the Port Royal Experiment. Chris Mackowski – The Battle of Belmont and the Rise of Ulysses S. Grant Chris Mackowski, Ph.D., is a Copie Hill Civil War Fellow at the American Battlefield Trust and editor-in-chief and co-founder of Emerging Civil War. He is the series editor of the award-winning Emerging Civil War Series, and author, co-author, or editor of more than twenty-five books. Chris is a professor of journalism and mass communication in the Jandoli School of Communication at St. Bonaventure University in Allegany, New York, and historian-in-residence at Stevenson Ridge, a historic property on the Spotsylvania battlefield in central Virginia. Chris will be speaking on the November 1861 battle of Belmont, Missouri, Ulysses S. Grant’s first battle of the Civil War, and how Grant’s experience at Belmont shaped the remainder of his service. Mark Maloy –The Severest Struggle of His Life: Robert E. Lee’s Decision at Arlington House Mark Maloy holds an undergraduate degree in History from the College of William and Mary, and a graduate degree in History from George Mason University. He is the author of two books in the Emerging Revolutionary War Series and regularly leads Revolutionary War battlefield tours. He currently works as a historian for the George Washington Memorial Parkway, which administers important historic sites such as Arlington House, the Robert E. Lee Memorial. Mark will discuss the motives and factors behind Robert E. Lee’s pivotal April 1861 resignation from the United States Army, and the impact of Lee’s decision on both sides of the conflict. Rob Orrison – “The Potomac Will be Effectively Closed”: Early Actions on the Potomac River Rob Orrison received his Bachelor’s in Historic Preservation at Longwood University and a Master’s in Public History from George Mason University. He currently serves as director for the Prince William County Office of Historic Preservation. He has published books for the Emerging Civil War Series, the Emerging Revolutionary War Series, and numerous other publications. Rob will examine the skirmishes, battles, and personalities relating to the Confederate efforts to blockade the Potomac River from July 1861 – March 1862. Ryan Quint – The Battle of Dranesville: December 20, 1861 A native of Maine, Ryan Quint holds a degree in History from the University of Mary Washington. He is the author of numerous publications, including Dranesville: A Northern Virginia Town in the Crossfire of a Forgotten Battle. Today, he works as a park ranger at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park. Ryan will speak on the December 1861 battle of Dranesville, an early Federal victory during an otherwise bleak year of the war, highlighting the experiences of Pittsburgh’s soldiers in the Pennsylvania Reserves during the battle. Phil Spaugy – Arming the Boys of ’61: The Origins, Differences, and Challenges of Arming Union Soldiers Phil Spaugy recently retired from a long career in aviation services. A lifelong student of the Civil War, he is the former national commander of the North South Skirmish Association and today serves as a senior editor for Military Images Magazine, a columnist for Civil War Monitor, and an advisor for Gettysburg History (Adams County Historical Society). Phil’s talk will examine the challenges encountered in arming and equipping Union soldiers in 1861. This lecture will include an exhibit of more than a dozen original longarms issued to soldiers during the first year of the war. Melissa A. Winn – Healing Open Wounds: How First Manassas Transformed Medical Care Melissa Winn serves today as the Director of Marketing and Communications for the National Museum of Civil War Medicine. Previously, she worked as marketing manager at the American Battlefield Trust, and director of photography for HistoryNet. She received a BA in English from the University of Wisconsin and has written for and published articles in multiple trade and commercial publications for more than 20 years. Melissa’s talk will unpack the many innovations spawned by the lack of preparedness for a battle of the scale of the one fought in July 1861 at Manassas, including the triage system, nursing corps, civilian aide groups, medical recordkeeping, and vast improvements in medical care. Emerging Civil War Podcast Historians Panel – Moderated by Chris Mackowski Chris Mackowski will emcee a free-wheeling discussion among our historians of all things 1861. The conversation will be recorded for the Emerging Civil War Podcast, with questions and audience participation encouraged! Schedule of Events: Friday, April 17: Doors Open, Registration – 3:00 – 4:00PM Espy Post Tours, Book Sale, Raffle, Exhibits – 3:00 – 9:00PM Opening Remarks – 4:00 – 4:15PM Phil Spaugy – 4:15 – 5:15PM Refreshments, Cash Bar, Arsenal Cider – 5:15 – 6:30PM Rich Condon – 6:30 – 7:30PM Historian’s Panel Discussion – 7:45 – 8:45PM Saturday, April 18: Registration & Refreshments – 8:15 – 9:15AM Espy Post Tours, Book Sale, Raffle, Exhibits – 8:15 – 4:15PM Ryan Quint – 9:15 – 10:15AM BREAK – 10:15 – 10:30AM Rob Orrison – 10:30 – 11:30AM LUNCH – 11:30 – 12:45PM Chris Mackowski – 12:45 – 1:45PM BREAK – 1:45 – 2:00PM Melissa A. Winn – 2:00 – 3:00PM BREAK – 3:00 – 3:15PM Mark Maloy – 3:15PM – 4:15PM