A number of irregular operations took place during the American Civil War incorporating acts of sabotage, ambushes or raids and any number of special reconnaissance missions. These activities were not new then and now fall under the responsibilities of today’s Special Forces in many modern military armies. Then as today, it takes unique skills, training and bold personalities to conduct these forms of unconventional warfare and we’ll explore the people, missions and results of their actions. This year’s Pamplin Historical Park Symposium, with a prominent cast of speakers, examines both special operations and examples of “Guerrilla, Raider, Soldier, Spy: Irregular Warfare in the Civil War.”

The conference will be held on Friday, October 18 through Sunday, October 20, 2024 at Pamplin Historical Park’s Museum of the Civil War Soldier and Education Center in Dinwiddie, Virginia and will feature presentations from seven outstanding historians: Joseph M. Beilein, Jr., Christopher Grasso, Michael C. Hardy, Brian McKnight, Barton Myers, Timothy Smith and Brian Steel Wills.

For more information or to register, call a reservation specialist at 877-726-7546. Pre-registration is required and space is limited. Register today online by clicking here. Be sure to register separately for our optional tour this year following the Wilson-Kautz Raid.

Download a printable flyer and registration form by clicking here.

The Symposium begins at 6:00 pm with a Welcome Reception for all attendees at Pamplin Historical Park’s National Museum of the Civil War Soldier, located at 6125 Boydton Plank Road, Petersburg, VA.

Park Members pay $339 per person and non-members pay $379. The price includes all lectures, the Friday night reception, two mid-morning coffee breaks, two lunches, and the Saturday night banquet.

*Not a member, but interested in joining? Click here or call Member Services, 877-726-7546 .

Speakers & Topics:

Dr. Joseph Michael Beilein, Jr.
Bushwhackers: Guerrilla Warfare, Manhood and the Household in Civil War Missouri

Dr. Christopher Grasso
Teacher, Preacher, Soldier, Spy: the Civil Wars of John R. Kelso

Michael C. Hardy
George W. Kirk and Guerrilla War in Western North Carolina and Tennessee

Dr. Brian McKnight
A Brutal Theater of War: Appalachia and the Guerrilla Menace

Dr. Barton Myers
The Guerilla Hunters: Irregular Conflicts during the Civil War

Dr. Timothy Smith
The Real Horse Soldiers: Benjamin Grierson’s Epic 1863 Civil War Raid through Mississippi

Dr. Brian Steel Wills
A “Civilized” Warrior: Bedford Forrest and Guerrilla Warfare