QU history professor to discuss Civil War book Thursday at Lincoln-Douglas Debate Museum

QUINCY — J. Matthew Ward, assistant professor of history, will give a presentation on his book, “Garden of Ruins: Occupied Louisiana in the Civil War,” at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21, at the Lincoln-Douglas Debate Museum, 128 N. Fifth.

“Garden of Ruins: Occupied Louisiana in the Civil War” is a history of how the Union military occupied Louisiana during the Civil War, how the Confederate state government responded and how common people living in the state related to both Union and Confederate powers during the war.

In a press release, Ward said, “Most of the time when people think about the Civil War, they think about famous generals and big battles, but many people experienced the war in a far more local sense. My book is an overview of the everyday activities and policies of military officials and common civilians in hopes of understanding the war on a more local level. From this perspective, we can understand that household issues and domestic life were of utmost concern to soldiers and civilians.”

Ward’s presentation will conclude with a question-and-answer session and a book signing. This presentation is the November event for History Happy Hour program at the Lincoln-Douglas Debate Museum. Doors open at 5 p.m. with a mini reception.