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1863 was the crucial year of the Civil War, perhaps the most important year in US history. Dr. John Foster of Mentor Public and Dr. Todd Arrington of James A. Garfield National Historic Site describe the momentous battles of early 1863 — Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Vicksburg — and their importance to our country’s history. Dr. Foster focuses on the eastern front while Dr. Arrington limns the west.

They also talk about landmark policies — The Emancipation Proclamation and Homestead Act — that altered the nation’s future.

The second part in this series will be on Tuesday, Nov. 7.

Arrington is the site manager of James A. Garfield National Historic Site in Mentor and holds a doctorate in history from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He’s also the author of The Last Lincoln Republican: The Presidential Election of 1880.

In addition to being a reference librarian, Foster has a doctorate degree in history. He has taught history at both high school and college levels. Previously, he has led series on the Battles of World War II, the Cold War, the American Revolution, The Vietnam Wars, and US Presidents of the 20^th Century at the library.

And for more talks on Civil War history, visit our YouTube channel:

• Antietam: The Deadliest Day in US History
• Juneteenth: The Significance of June 19
• The Atlanta Campaign
• Gettysburg
• The Fourteenth Amendment
• The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
• Life & Legacy of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain