Civil War Seminar commemorates American history

Michael Hardy — author, 2010 North Carolina Historian of the Year and Civil War expert — gave two presentations at the seminar on the food during the Civil War and the heroism of the Brank-Lane brigade. Hardy’s love for the time period dates back to when his uncle took him to a Civil War reenactment at age 10. 

“(My uncle) bought me a jacket and he bought me a hat (at the reenactment), and I have been hooked ever since,” Hardy said. “I got to carry the flag. … I read every book that I could get my hands on, which I realize now was not that many books. Being out there (at the reenactment) and smelling the smoke was what hooked me so many years ago.”

Hardy began writing books on the Civil War 30 years ago when he worked as a librarian. As people asked him questions about the Civil War, he noticed a lack in documentation on the subject. 

Macy Hrncir | Liberty Champion
Museum — An exhibit in the Civil War Chaplains Museum has a replica of an Orthodox Jewish chaplain.

“When it comes to a local level (of history), we really don’t know that much because no one has taken the time to do the sources and do the digging,” Hardy said.

Twenty-four books later, Hardy still seeks to tell the untold stories of the Civil War. 

“It’s easier to tell that story (of the Battle of Gettysburg) than it is to dive into the individual people because their stories are more complex,” Hardy said. “They’re not neat and tidy. Their stories are the ones we need to be telling, in my opinion, because it’s these people that make up the Battle of Gettysburg.”

Dr. Christopher Jones, associate professor of history at Liberty, spoke on the daily camp life of a Civil War soldier. Jones views the Civil War as one of the most monumental points in American history. 

“To better understand the present, I would argue that the Civil War period is one of the most defining periods in American history,” Jones said. “Everything from race, class, gender, politics, regional divides and polarization were big issues back then and stepping stones to getting us where we are now.” 

Jones says he notices many correlations with the current day and the 1860s era. 

“There’s a lot of value in studying Civil War history and that time period to better understand the present,” Jones said. “To better understand why things are the way they are now, the Civil War period is a prominent time period to look at.” 

Russel Hicks, one of the nation’s top collectors of Civil War artifacts, presented a display of artifacts, books and newspapers from the era. Civil War reenactor and Liberty graduate student Lucas Peed also presented at the seminar. 

Macy Hrncir | Liberty Champion
Display — Russel Hicks presented Civil War-era artifacts at the seminar.

The seminar designated time to honor the memory of Kenny Rowlette, who died in October, 2018. Rowlette launched Liberty’s first Civil War Seminar and served as the director of the Civil War Chaplains Museum on campus. 

“We missed (Rowlette),” Jones said. “It just wasn’t the same without him. … He was a professor on campus for a number of decades and a fixture at Thomas Road Baptist Church. … He was very encouraging, coaxing you to step outside of your comfort zone to do something to meet your potential. … He was a walking encyclopedia when it came to the Civil War.”

Jones said Rowlette was a loving Christian who saw the good in both his students and historical figures. He was also a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and a member of the Sons of Union
Veterans. 

“The man had heroes on both sides (of the war),” Jones said. “When you look at the prowess, the bravery of some of these men and what they went through, regardless of North or South … he looked at the heart and saw the potential in people.”

As for applying historical knowledge to the present, Jones encourages young Americans to learn from the mistakes of the past. 

“What not to do can be learned from history and from time frames such as the Civil War period,” Jones said. “Don’t let it go this far.”

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