Symposium Spotlight: Chris Kolakowski and the Fall of New Orleans

kolakowski_chrisWe are pleased to welcome back Christopher (Chris) L. Kolakowski. Chris is  one of the original members of Emerging Civil War, and a regular on the Civil War Roundtable speakers circuit.  His dynamic presentations at our past symposiums, have made him favorite of our symposium participants.

Chris’ presentation this year is entitled: Fire in the Night: The Naval Attack on New Orleans. 

What New Orleans is arguably most famous for during the Civil War was the Federal occupation of the city, overseen by Major General Benjamin “Spoons” Butler, but there is much more to the story. According to Kolakowski:

“New Orleans was the largest city in the confederacy and one of its best ports. Over the last two weeks of April, 1862, one of the most powerful U.S. naval forces yet assembled attacked the city’s protective forts near the mouth of the Mississippi River. The Union victory, a watershed in naval warfare, dealt the Confederacy a blow from which it never recovered.”

Chris is the Director of the MacArthur Memorial in Norfolk, Virginia. He is the author of numerous books and articles on the American Civil War and World War II. His latest book, Last Stand On Bataan: The Philippine Campaign of 1941-42, will be available for purchase at the eventThe Fredericksburg, Virginia native is sure to deliver another outstanding performance.

We hope that you will join us August 5-7, 2016 at the Third Annual Emerging Civil War Symposium at Stevenson Ridge. For more information, or to purchase tickets, click here.

Union Navy at New Orleans
The Federal Navy at New Orleans

 



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