Speaker, warren perry. From memphis,ly tennessee. He has a graduate degree in medieval literature and from the catholic university. , while women walt whitman and the civil war. Elvis,cowrote office which received the bronze award from forward magazine in 2010. In his 12 years at the National Portrait gallery, he wrote over 200 articles for print and the web. More than 40 on the American Civil War. Here he received one of tims secretary Research Prizes for 2013 for the Smithsonian Congress of scholars. We are very proud of him. He is founder and director of library of perry theater. I would like to introduce amy well, the site manager and she is going to make a few remarks and then well have one come up here. Warr come up here. Thank you. E thank you. I would like to thank you so much for coming out. Creek and belle grove historical park was excited to partner with the smithsonian for this lecture. Thank you for agreeing to speak on this great history. We think it is such a perfect theto be able to marry resources that the smithsonian has with the battlefield. Cedar creek and Belle Grove National Historical park is a small part in the Shenandoah Valley. We are one hour outside of the valley. The park was established in 2002 to share the history and spectrum of history in the Shenandoah Valley. A 1790 Plantation House all the way up to the battle of cedar creek and beyond the modern culture and vibrancy of the valley. We will like to welcome you out to our 100 50th anniversary events. This part of our lecture series happening throughout august through november about various topics on the valley campaign. We will be commemorating the battle specifically on the weekend of october 19th, our anniversary. We encourage you to check out our website and our Facebook Page to the the schedule and follow along on all of the events. As you may know, we have several items outside for information. The National Park service developed the free sentinel guide, it is for the washington of 1864. N invasion we have various materials on the events happening in october and the latest event coming up this weekend is the battle of winchester that we are commemorating this weekend in winchester. We encourage everyone to come out and visit and a special thanks to elizabeth wukj wilke and associate and warren perry for sharing this information in the great resources. Thank you. Hi, good evening. My name is warreb, n. You forlike to thank inviting me to talk about cedar creek and the smithsonian collection. I will like to thank the associates and park Service Staff in virginia for allowing me to speak this evening post a as i conclude my own time at the smithsonian, it was wonderful for me to be able to address this audience and tell everyone how much i have enjoyed this work. I would like to thank a couple of other folks. Frank, who is director of the museum of art. He is a great colleague and friend who invited me in the production of invited many people on the ride of the production of the civil war book. Thejohn barber, one of great civil war historians, who is taken time to enlighten me over the years. Open todoor was always me and i was grateful for that. Michelle delaney made it is to happen and i am thankful to her and my boss at the National Portrait gallery. Linda is the chief archivist of portraits and she put up with me for 12 years. I have always been grateful to her. And ben bloom for being a great partner. On the things smithsonian website and also would like to thank the family of the late marty. He gave me a lot of time and assistance to complete the work i wanted to finish. Years, i havew been too many battlefields and taken a lot of photographs. I have taken my wife, shannon, and my daughter. They have even a lotta National Park hotdogs. Our daughter, jamie lynn, was two weeks ago when we dragged her out of the crib to go to antietam on anniversary of that battle. Also my brother, dr. Patrick perry, i have dragged them out many days after christmas to shiloh and nothing says christmas more than 100 mile jaunt to a battlefield. About thisnt to talk war that we are produced. That so manyork smithsonian individuals participated in and i am honored to have had a part in producing this book. A very small part. I wrote four articles and that was 150 articles. Our photographers and archives and so many people. I want to speak briefly about the going ons after we talk about the book, about 150 years ago included in notes on sherman and the war in the south. Last, i would like to talk about the east and how that experience does held into dovetailed into our discussion of the battle of cedar creek which happened 150 years ago next month. First, this book. Generations of americans are drawn to the history of the civil or. This volume and Site National collection is indicative of the fact that war was more than battle. It was central to the horror and experience. That is not aldo moro was. It was about slavery, certainly, and states rights. That is not all the war was about. It was about family. Men leaving to fight and homes being torn apart by separation and loss. And considering the obvious in the smithsonian collection, the objects which represent the war are as diverse as the experiences of the war. Assembled by 50 scholars and a handful of editors and the support of scores of other staff, photographers, researchers, librarians. Many would argue the American Civil War was the most important event in our nations history and the moment that would take the earliest sign of the declaration of independence. Others would argue the possibilities of such a war found his first moment with the arrival of the first captured african in jamestown. The civil war was transformative and horrible. While the goal was to keep the union together and eliminating slavery was met, more than 600,000 men were killed and land ravaged. It is impossible, john meacham notes in the foreword,twas time to much importance to the civil war. History is not a fairytale and nothing is inevitable. With cannon fire at fort sumter and ended in the death of president lincoln in 1865. Just as the nation was shackled to the tragedy, so the National Collection of the smithsonian is tied to the war. , director of the institution of History Division of the smithsonian archives, ase in the first chapter storm clouds gathered over washington, d. C. , the smithsonian which was a single building housing smithsonian secretary and his family along with the museum, library, and other facilities experience the first of a divided nation. Questions about his loyalty to the nation. He had Close Friends who favor secessionist including regents who were expelled from the board for confederate sympathies. Had ties toon davis the smithsonian. From 18471851, he was a regent of the institution. The range of attention represented in the sobel war collection is astonishing. It is not just guns and uniforms, though there are many both on display and in storage. Its not limited to photographs and flags. There are signs announcing options and identification badges worn by slaves which signify that an justice. And the injustice. There are political postage stamps on letters to soldiers and letters to those the Soldiers Left behind and there is a horse. However, we would discuss the course later. Horse later from later. First, i would like to talk about the object i am most familiar because i contributed for the volume. The first piece is the National Portrait gallery. Its called the vanity of beast butler. Few men on either side collect re as Benjamin Franklin butler. When he arrived, his reputation was already in place. The administration of the city augmented with everyone already believed which was he was difficult and argumentative. However, qubes also an important he was in importantly same it vain individual and was unskilled at which whose corruption in a new orleans with a keen understanding of the method of bringing a city into order. Butler came to be called beast butler by issuing edicts as general order number 28 which declared him in late of new orleans found to be covertly disrespectful to the occupied union forces would be regarded at how liable to the treated butlers authority with mostly unchallenged. Odds. Placed at president lincoln removed butler from command in 1862. Ing the hiatus, butler selfserving link participated in a biography which was meant inincrease his presence favorable posture. After been reassigned, he failed terribly in the of salt on forces assault on forces and was discharged by president lincoln. This bust of general butler was the work of sculptor edward. Generals vanity and the later he wrote to his wife at fort munro, virginia. And the note, general butler stated do you want to see the . Centernext best thing, dot marble bust. Set up the marble bust. He served as governor of massachusetts and a congressman it lost a bid for presidency. Notes, bothher hated and loved, but let remains a figure immensely amusing and muchmaligned. Heres a great picture of the general. Field andim on the you see his wearing slippers. Oops. I gotta go back. My second contribution to this large collaboration is called the haunted relic of gettysburg. This object is a poignant piece. The confederate victory at gettysburg wouldve changed the course of the swarm. Men in the north were growing tired. Robert bentley firmly believed and robert e lee from believe there were people who could capitulate and bring it to a close. Of course, the victory denied the ability does to disprove that notion. Lee out generaled his counterparts. The Confederate Army was out number at gettysburg and lee f ought against long odds. Hardest retracting his own home. Protecting his own home. Also, Union General made chosen the surroundings of gettysburg it positions and many of the officers made excellent decisions during those three days fighting. Historically, the great battle like ginsburg gettysburg place a burden on war leaders to justify the carnage. Fifth, we died at such a place, some swearing and some crying. Some upon their wives. Some upon the debts they owe us some upon their children. Few that i will in battle to charitably dispose of anything when blood is their argument. The number of lives lost in any of the major engagements is staggering. The descriptions of the troop movements, the engagements and encourage displayed at place like Little Round Top is the largest discourse of the glories of the conflict. Though the antiquated image here is clear enough, this is a mans loved ones was awaiting his call. Again, poignant. This loved photo before and beyond the battlefield. We do not know the fate of the soldier and if he was from the north or south. Our imagination tells us it might be the last object from home he consider before you marched to his end our imagination tell us it signifies that yearning of the woman pictured that yearning and waiting for her husband more presumably who has his last letter as spoke about taking part in a mighty battle in a tiny village called gettysburg. The third piece i have in this book is on the fall of fort fisher. Very germane to the war after. Of 1864eek in october at this summits the last of major fighting in at the deep south and the army seizing control. One of the great names associated with the union naval success is doing the war is admirable david porter. He was a key player at both new orleans and vicksburg. Later while sherman summers georgia in complete war, a plan was devised by general butler and porter to take fort fisher tonsnding a boat with 215 of powder beyond the fort and let the powder taking it out one mighty explosion. Fort fisher, south of what mcdonough, protected the axis to the ash or where it and was critical to four fisher, protected fort fisher protected the access. It faced the water and made it more difficult to penetrate. A dramatic design was drawn up with that. It felt not only because the powder did not quit the damage which was believed to be capable but also because butler failed to follow up the explosion with a proper of salt proper of salt assault. Butler had fallen out of favoritism and was removed in command at replace by alfred terry. He joined in executing a new attack. It was a deliberate shelling of force with dozens of ships. Men launchederrys an assault. Both sides suffered heavy casualties. It will smuggled into wilmington, North Carolina since the earliest days of the war, is suddenly stopped. One of Robert E Lees chief sources of supplies was eliminated. In this photograph, admirable , it is Porter Alexander gardner image. Porter is on the ship where he planned to the assault on fort fisher. Ensuring the union army that l ees pipeline was severed. The last essay i contributed to this volume is the one which segues into the battle of cedar creek. This work is more than a painting. At the front of the group of mortals is ulysses s. Grant along,he men,who ride numberuldve known that lies it wouldve taken. Mrs. Grant understood that armies would battle and he pushes soldiers into the field. He was a replaceable. This man fights, said lincoln. He was a replaceable. Ceable. As irrepla they are not information but rather keeping a pace of their leader. , one in whichtion we see a classical arrangement where they are level with each other as the figures would be depicted on a pediment. Among the warriors represented, George Armstrong with the golden hair on the far left. He is a lightcolored horse, sherman, on our left. Telling ain, doug doug telling, you see general sheridan. This portrait captured it captured in this tribute were painted from life by a norwegian american artist. Not only is the work of grace encompassing the portrait of no less than 27 jewels but also the scale of the work is grand. I know many of you have probably seen it. This measures 10 feet high by 16 feet wide. The initial sketches of the manner depicted were done in the headquarters field asked the union army gradually forced lees army and to capitulation. With battle. Ar he completed the final oil painting in 1865. Peter hansen bolling consider be his masterpiece. President Abraham Lincoln granted him permission to begin work while he visited the generals after the various stations of duty. Especiallyh fabricated sitespecific curved frame, this work embraces the northeastern spear well of the old building which is now the Donald Reynolds building. The connection of his work to cedar creek can be found and the generals accompanying general grant, not all of them. This is the big picture. Those generals accompanying general grant into his legacy. Two of the critical players, we see sheridan and George Armstrong custer and well talk more about that in a few moments. Right now, i want to move up to cedar creek by look at things going on. Where was the field elsewhere at this time . 1864, the endgame of the civil war was in progress. Williameep south, Tecumseh Sherman would be placed in charge of the army that will sweep through georgia and into the carolinas and well talk about sherman. Shermans record was marginal. Inwas a colonel at board run 1861 bull run in 1861. He had rallied his men. It was noted by his superiors although ultimately his brigade left the field in much the same way as the rest of the union troops that day, which was fling. Fling. His first large command was a colossal failure and many journalists consider him as having lost his mind. He was at shiloh in it is easy to a managed in a difficult 1862. Managed in it is plagued with logistical problems. However, he was one the most trusted men that were continued through the war. Shermans march georgia as subsequent action of total war as he moved up the east coast earned him his final legend in the north. In virginia, grant would meet lee at the wilderness and begin a march that would culminate in a massive siege at petersburg, virginia. In 1864 was the last full year of the war. The army of Northern Virginia had had any victories under its belt. Fredericksburg and chancellorsville where the biggest. Meanwhile, the war machine of the north seemed to be stronger every day. When the army of the potomac at lees Army Combined in the ,ilderness beginning on may 5 only a few miles west of lees great victory, the first time the would face ulysses s. Grant. While the name of the battle would go down in history as the wilderness, it was really the beginning of one along battle that would last a result and lees surrender in 1865. Lees army was imports of live. The battle would continue to exact a great toll on virginia, a state stripped of many of its resources because of three years of war. If the confederacy had any hope, a civil war historian affirms and this use of scarcity, lee was unquestionably the souths prime assets. The union hung his hopes on this leadership. Presently the Main Objective was to reinstate the union and that north look to you mrs. General grant ulysses grant. While mcclellan and burnside and meade looked good on paper, they fail us take the initiative would require of them. Mcclellan in his early days simply failed to prosecute the war. Brassard lost crucial battle at fredericksburg. Leader, hadh a good failed to follow up on the retreat from gettysburg in 1860 three. Grant, however, came to leave the army after secured victory after victory in the deep south. The most important was the surrender at vicksburg in july 1863 simultaneous to meades victory. They would pitch everything at the enemy. Grant intended to go at a leak from all sides and assigned a primary role, the army wouldve you raised would be raised and hurled across. Grant brought in more than 100,000 men to the battle and delete 60,000. Most of the in a dense forest. Would lose more than 11,000 men and grant would lose 18,000. After the wilderness and