Coinciding with the Civil War Sesquicentennial, this year’s theme was 1861, the “Gathering Storm.” The hosts, Lee’s Lieutenants and the Federal General’s Corps, delivered incredibly unique performances that focused on the period leading up to the war. It was neat to see all of the Confederate Generals dressed up in their blue U.S. Army uniforms when performing the scenes that took place prior to secession. Some of the performances included a re-enactment of the two president’s inaugural addresses, an emotional piece that dealt with the separation of friends, a discussion over the issues of loyalty and traitors, and the always popular “Meet the Generals.”

I had the privilege of sharing the Author’s Tent with some outstanding historians including Jerry Hilsworth, author of Civil War Winchester and Scott Mingus Sr. (and his son) author of Flames Beyond Gettysburg and about 6 other titles. I really enjoyed the opportunity to get to know these guys who are all experts in their field of study. Jerry’s knowledge of Winchester’s wartime experiences, especially off of the battlefield, was tremendous and Scott’s expertise on regiments like the Louisiana Tigers blew me away. Scott’s son, a professor from Liberty University, and I shared some great conversations on the state of Major League Baseball.

Everyone was very receptive to Kirkland’s story and asked great questions. The one comment I got repeatedly was that folks were familiar with the monument in Fredericksburg, but never knew the story behind it. Every time I hear that it reinforces how important this story is and how thankful I am to be part of this movie. One of the biggest joys for me as the producer is the opportunities that I get to meet people. Over the last year we have screened the The Angel of Marye’s Heights in Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Lexington, Lynchburg, Pittsburgh, Manassas, Winchester, Arlington, Savannah, Columbia and Brunswick. The Angel is also being shown (and sold) at multiple museums and used in history classrooms from New York to California. People from almost every state have purchased a copy of the DVD and we even have some international sales. The buzz keeps growing and growing.

This past weekend was the cap on a year that has reinforced the idea (for me) that doing this stuff really matters. Whether it’s writing a book, attending a re-enactment, producing a documentary, or simply talking to people, those of us that have dedicated a portion of our lives to preserving and presenting the history of our nation are doing a great service to the memories of those who came before us. This is proven by the people we meet, who validate our efforts and make all of this worth it.