April 12-14

Registration is $70 per person by March 22 and $80 afterwards.

The Robert F. Hoke Chapter 78, UDC, has announced the slate of speakers for its 22nd annual Salisbury Confederate Prison Symposium, April 12-14.

Friday events begin with a reception starting at 4 p.m. followed by lectures beginning at 5 p.m.

Historians Ed and Sue Curtis of Salisbury will present a slide presentation on the history of the Prison featuring images of the stockade buildings and some of the individuals who were there to guard or be guarded.

Larry Hines of Raleigh, descendant of Capt. Braxton Craven, the first Prison Commandant, will speak on Craven’s life and military career.

Dr. Dane Hartgrove of Salisbury, retired from the National Archives, will be the keynote speaker for the evening Friendship Banquet and will discuss the dedication of the Pennsylvania Monument at the Salisbury National Cemetery in 1910.

Saturday’s lectures will begin at 10 a.m. POW descendant Mike DuMont of South Carolina will talk about the daily life of prisoners and how it changed over the course of the Prison’s existence.

Author Dan Barefoot of Lincolnton will speak on Col. John Hoke, who brought 700 NC Senior Reserves to the Prison in October 1864 to serve as guards.

Author Martin Husk of Wake County will remember soldiers from the 111th NY Vol. Infantry who were captured and sent to Salisbury.

Virginia author Tom Perry’s lecture will be on Col. William Palmer who was an officer under Gen. George Stoneman when his troops occupied Salisbury in April 1865.

There will be Sunday morning memorial services conducted for the Union and Confederate dead buried in the Historic Salisbury National Cemetery and the Old Lutheran Cemetery. These services are open to the public.

An afternoon tour of the Prison site will be conducted for Symposium registrants.

The Symposium is open to anyone interested in Civil War history in general and the 1861-1865 Salisbury military prison in particular.

Registration is $70 per person by March 22 and $80 afterwards. This includes seven historical lectures plus the banquet meal on Friday evening, light lunch on Saturday, and a short tour on Sunday.

Checks should be made to the Robert F. Hoke Chapter 78, UDC and mailed to PO Box 83, Salisbury, NC 28145-0083.

For additional information contact Symposium Chair Sue Curtis at 704-637-6411 or southpawsagain@gmail.com