Synopsis
Dr. Curt Fields
Topic: The Battle of Belmont:
Synopsis: The Battle of Belmont was the first combat test in the Civil War for Brig. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant. Appearing as U. S. Grant himself, Dr. Fields recounts the General’s experience as he battled Confederate Major General Leonidas Polk during the Battle of Belmont on November 7, 1861.
Lyle Randolph
Topic: The Swamp Fox and Whispers of a Warrior: Grant’s Elusive First Test
Synopsis: In the autumn of 1861, Ulysses S. Grant, newly promoted to brigadier general and placed in command of the District of Southeast Missouri, faced an unconventional adversary in M. Jeff Thompson–the flamboyant former mayor of St. Joseph who, in late July, had unexpectedly risen to command the 1st Military District of the Missouri State Guard. More showman than fighter, Thompson waged war through sabotage, proclamations, and swift retreats into the southeast Missouri swamps, often accompanied by his silent, painted orderly known as “Ajax”–a figure rumored to be a Mohawk chief and former showboat performer. Together, they proved more elusive than confrontational, forcing Grant to divert troops, alter plans, and learn an early lesson in the disruptive power of reputation, rumor and fear.
Louis L. Picone
Topic: Grant’s Tomb: The Epic Death of Ulysses S. Grant and the Making of an American Pantheon
Synopsis: For a generation, more people visited Grant’s Tomb than the Statue of Liberty, and its significance deepened as it became the only place in America where former Civil War enemies would gather to celebrate reunification. Following its story into the 21st century, Picone will discuss how Ulysses Grant’s reputation and his Tomb descended into ruin before amazingly rising again.