News release
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publicinfo@selu.edu Spring 2004 news releases Public Information home News archive

Contact: Christina Chapple
Date: 6/2/05
 
Deep Delta Civil War SymposiumClick on image for publication quality photo 
HUMAN COST OF VICTORY AND DEFEAT -- The Southeastern Louisiana University Center for Southeast Louisiana Studies' 19th annual Deep Delta Civil War Symposium, scheduled for June 10-11 at Southeastern’s War Memorial Student Union, will examine "War on the Periphery: Commandos, Spies, Sailors, and the Human Cost of War."  A photo from the Southeastern Louisiana University archives in the Center for Southeast Louisiana Studies shows Sergeant Lawson Rheams, who enlisted in Company A of the Fourth Louisiana Infantry Regiment at Camp Moore on May 25, 1861. The Fourth Louisiana Regiment was heavily recruited from the Florida Parishes. Though severely wounded in July 1864, Rheams remained with the regiment for the duration of the war being among the handful of survivors of his company who surrendered at Pass Manchac, La. on May 22, 1865 six weeks after Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomatox.
SOUTHEASTERN’S 19TH ANNUAL DEEP DELTA CIVIL WAR SYMPOSIUM EXAMINES "WAR ON THE PERIPHERY"
       HAMMOND – "War on the Periphery: Commandos, Spies, Sailors, and the Human Cost of War" will be the theme of the annual Deep Delta Civil War Symposium, June 10-11, at Southeastern Louisiana University.
       Now in its 19th year, the symposium is one of the largest Civil War conferences in the United States and annually attracts a national audience as well as many local Civil War enthusiasts. Sponsored by Southeastern's Center for Southeast Louisiana Studies and Department of History and Political Science, the two-day symposium will be held in War Memorial Student Union Theatre. 
       Center for Southeast Louisiana Studies Director Samuel C. Hyde Jr., Southeastern’s Ford Family Endowed Chair in Regional Studies, said the symposium will examine Civil War commandos, spies, naval engagements and a wealth of other issues. Topics include a little studied major commando operation that occurred just across the border in Mississippi, the 1862 Confederate effort to capture New Mexico, espionage operations during the war, and the Fort Henry and Donelson campaigns. 
       The symposium will begin at 12:30 p.m. on Friday, June 10, and continue with hourly presentations until 7:30 p.m. Sessions on Saturday, June 11, begin at 8:30 a.m., with the final day’s presentation scheduled for 7 p.m.
       “Social hours are interspersed throughout the program to offer guests the opportunity to share views with the scholars,” Hyde said. “A 2:45 p.m. roundtable debate on Saturday is designed to encourage lively exchanges of views between the presenters and the audience.”
       The symposium’s nine presenters include first time speakers as well as returning favorites, Hyde said. Speakers include noted authors James Hollandsworth, William Still, Gary Joiner, and Terry Winschel.
       “School instruction and conferences concerning the Civil War have experienced a dramatic transformation in recent years,” Hyde said. “National circles no longer view the Civil War as two determined sides contesting a competing view of America that was ultimately decided by Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomatox. Instead, the national perspective has reduced the relevance of the war to one issue, slavery, and assigned accolades to the victors and something close to shame to the defeated Confederates. Civil War literature has accordingly assigned glory to all who served the Union while something decidedly less has been given to those who fought for the South.”
       Hyde said one of the Deep Delta Civil War Symposium=s continuing missions is “to combat the monolithic, and in the view of many inaccurate, portrayal of the purpose and significance of the Civil War.”
       “As always,” he said, “the Deep Delta Symposium is committed to revealing all viewpoints and perspectives, and audience participation is encouraged.”
       Special prices are available for advance purchases of tickets, but participants can purchase individual session or full conference tickets at the door. 
       For additional information about the Deep Delta Civil War Symposium, including fees, call 985-549-2151, e-mail selahistory@selu.edu or visit the “events” link at www.selu.edu/Academics/Depts/RegionalStudies.