Join speaker Dr. Chris Mackowski who will present on January 4, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. to the Petersburg Civil War Roundtable. Dr. Mackowski will share “Moments of Contingency in the Rise of Grant.”

Ulysses S. Grant is a central figure from the American Civil War. A native of Ohio, Grant answered the call to serve and finished the war as a lieutenant general in command of the U.S. Army. A mere four years later he would be elected to the presidency of the United States. In both his military and political career, Grant was battered by enemies and his reputation suffered. One of his crowning achievements was his personal memoirs. It’s still in print today and has been studied by scholars and continues to shape his legacy. Mackowski will discuss this complex figure in both public and personal life, offering fresh perspectives on his military career and presidency along with exploring personal topics as well.

Chris Mackowski, Ph.D., is the editor-in-chief and co-founder of Emerging Civil War and the series editor of the award-winning Emerging Civil War Series, published by Savas Beatie. Chris is a writing professor in the Jandoli School of Communication at St. Bonaventure University in Allegany, NY, where he also serves as associate dean for undergraduate programs. He has worked as a historian for the National Park Service at Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, where he gives tours at four major Civil War battlefields.

Mackowski has authored or co-authored nearly two dozen books and edited a half-dozen essay collections on the Civil War, and his articles have appeared in all the major Civil War magazines. Mackowski serves as vice president on the board of directors for the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust, he serves on the advisory board of the Civil War Roundtable Congress and the Brunswick (NC) Civil War Roundtable—the largest in the country. He is also a member of the Antietam Institute and the U. S. Grant Homestead Association. In 2023, he was honored with the Houston Civil War Round Table’s Frank Vandiver Award and also selected as the Copie Hill Fellow at the American Battlefield Trust.

The Petersburg Civil War Roundtable (PCWRT) will meet the first Thursday of each month at Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm. Annual membership is $40.00. Individuals who are already members of Pamplin Historical Park can become members of PCWRT for $20.00. Non-members can attend for $5.00 each meeting. Call (804) 861-2408 for more information.