Baltimore Maryland (April 21,2011) - On Thursday April 28, 2011 noted author Craig L. Symonds, will speak at the Maryland Historical Society, 201 W. Monument St, Baltimore Md. at 5:30 pm on his prize-winning book, Lincoln and his Admirals.. He will discuss the emergence and growth of Lincoln as a commander in chief during America's bloodiest and most traumatic war.  Lincoln's relationships with Navy leadership and the nation’s first admirals will be explored. The lecture and reception costs $15 per person, $10 for MdHS members. Reservations preferred, but walk-ins are welcome. Contact 410-685-3750 ext. 337 or estafford@mdhs.org.

The compelling personal details of Lincoln’s trip to Hampton Roads to observe an amphibious landing on the Virginia coast will be revealed. That attack led to the capture of Norfolk and the blowing up of the Confederate Ironclad ship Merrimack. The Southerners destroyed their technological wonder to keep it from falling into the hands of the Union.  Listeners will also hear why John Dahlgren was Lincoln’s favorite admiral promoted over 50 higher ranking officers and the impact on their relationship of both men having lost a son in the Civil War.

Dr. Craig L. Symonds 2008 book, Lincoln and His Admirals: Abraham Lincoln, the U.S. Navy, and the Civil War, won the Barondess Prize, the Laney Prize, the Lyman Prize, the Lincoln Prize, and the Abraham Lincoln Institute Book Award.   He also won the Nevins-Freeman Prize in 2009

Symonds is Professor Emeritus of History at the U.S. Naval Academy and the author or editor of twenty-five books, including prize-winning biographies of Joseph E. Johnston (1992), Patrick Cleburne (1997), and Franklin Buchanan (1999), as well as The American Heritage History of the Battle of Gettysburg (2001).  Decision at Sea: Five Naval Battles that Shaped American History, won the Theodore and Franklin D. Roosevelt Prize for Naval History in 2006.  His latest work is The Battle of Midway, which will be published by Oxford University Press in October 2011.

The Maryland Historical Society was founded in 1844 and is the world’s largest museum and library dedicated to the history of Maryland. Occupying an entire city block in the Mount Vernon district of Baltimore, the society’s mission is to “collect, preserve, and interpret the objects and materials that reflect Maryland’s diverse cultural heritage.” The Society is home to the original manuscript of the Star Spangled Banner and publishes a quarterly titled “Maryland Historical Magazine.” More information about the Maryland Historical Society can be found online at http://www.mdhs.org/

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