We are excited to offer live streaming via Zoom of our lecture day during the Gettysburg & Beyond conference on Sept. 27!

Our in-person conference will proceed as usual in Chambersburg, Pa. On Friday, Sept. 27, we will live stream the lectures from the Hampton Inn from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Five talks will be given by Brad Gottfried, Scott Mingus and Dr. Chris Keller. Please note, the evening lecture with Wayne Motts will not be part of the live streaming.

How it works: You will pre-register for the event and receive the Zoom login information. You will receive a virtual packet of information and on Sept. 27, we will stream the in-person conference on Zoom.

Virtual guests will be muted, but you can type questions in the chat to be addressed at the end of each talk. Please note, the talks will not be recorded.

Schedule: The virtual lectures will follow the flow of the in-person conference, but here's the general timeline:

8:30 a.m. Welcome & Civil War Preservation Project Overview by Karen Lowry

8:45 a.m. PART 1: The Gettysburg National Soldiers Cemetery: Its Founding and Dedication by Brad Gottfried

The Gettysburg National Soldiers Cemetery was one of our nation’s earliest national cemeteries. Forming the cemetery has been likened to the “Second Battle of Gettysburg,” but good-will prevailed and the cemetery was developed. In this presentation, you will learn about the challenges of getting the cemetery off the ground and planning its dedication. Lincoln figures mightily in the ceremony and this presentation will cover all of the mysteries surrounding his visit.

Biography: Brad Gottfried - Anyone who has studied the Civil War is familiar with the books written by Brad Gottfried, who will be leading our town tour and will present a program on the National Cemetery. Brad spent 40 years as an education in higher education, retiring as President of the College of Southern Maryland. He continues to write--his 19th book was recently published-- and give tours (he is an Antietam Certified Battlefield Guide and a Gettysburg Licensed Town Guide).

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10:30 a.m. Part 2: The Gettysburg National Soldiers Cemetery: Its Founding and Dedication by Brad Gottfried

12-1 p.m. Break

1 p.m. "Civil War Murder Mysteries of York County, PA” by Scott Mingus

Four interesting murder stories from York County, PA – a Louisiana Confederate soldier, a Union courier, a dead man in a field, and the killing of a black Confederate slave. Whodunnit?

Biography: Scott Mingus, a retired scientist and executive in the global pulp & paper industry, holds patents in self-adhesive postage stamps and bar code labels. He has written 28 Civil War and Underground Railroad books. His biography of Confederate General William “Extra Billy” Smith was nominated for or won multiple awards, including the Dr. James I. Robertson, Jr. Literary Prize. His great-great-grandfather was a 15-year-old drummer boy in the 51st Ohio Infantry, and other family members fought in the Army of the Potomac at Antietam and Gettysburg.

2:15 p.m. "Placing Gettysburg and the Big Battles in Strategic Context: Diplomatic, Economic, and Informational Reasons for Confederate Defeat” by Dr. Chris Keller

Biography: Dr. Christian B. Keller is a history professor at the U.S. Army War College. He has taught at numerous civilian institutions including Gettysburg College, Dickinson College and others. His newest book, Southern Strategies: Why the Confederacy Failed was published in 2021.Dr. Keller’s next project, a new narrative of the Army of Northern Virginia based on dozens of previously unpublished wartime letters written by generals and staff officers, is currently in the final research phases with a prospective publication date in early 2024.

3:30 p.m. "The Louisiana Tigers in the Gettysburg Campaign, June-July 1863” by Scott Mingus

The story of one of Robert E. Lee’s most feared fighting brigades, the soldiers whose reputation later led to LSU naming their sports teams the Tigers. Colorful, sassy, and brave in battle, the Tigers made a daring night attack on the second day of the battle of Gettysburg.

4:30 p.m. Virtual Session Ends

Cost for the Virtual Lecture is $150/person.