Please note: Optional Dinner will start at 6:00 PM. The Lecture will start at 7:00 PM. To make dinner reservations, email CvilleCWRT@gmail.com and indicate your entree choice: beef, salmon or chicken. Dinner includes salad and dessert. Cost is $24 for members and $30 for non-members.

LECTURE TOPIC: "The Potomac Will Be Effectively Closed, May 1861 - March 1862. Much overlooked in Civil War scholarship, the Potomac River in the first year of the War was the site of constant conflict and innovation. From Fall 1861 to Spring 1862, the Confederates along the Virginia side of teh Potomac blockaded the River, cutting off river access to the Federal capital. This had not only military, but also political and economic impacts.

SPEAKER BIO: Robert (Rob) Orrison received his Bachelor’s Degree in Historic Preservation at Longwood University and his Master’s Degree in Public History from George Mason University. Currently Rob serves as the Director for the Prince William County Office of Historic Preservation. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Frontier Culture Museum and serves as the Past President of the Virginia Association of Museums. His published works include several articles and books focus on the Civil War and the American Revolution. He lives near Fredericksburg, VA with his wife Jamie and sons Carter and Grayson.