The General John A. Logan Museum will be presenting a pair of programs in November.
These programs, and a related exhibit "Egypt, Lincoln and the Civil War" are made possible in part by a grant for the Illinois Humanities Council, the National Endowment for the humanities, and the Illinois General Assembly. Local sponsors for these events are First Bank and Trust of Murphysboro and the Murphysboro Apple Festival.
The first program will be John A. Logan and Southern Illinois in the Civil War by Gary Ecelbarger. It will take place in rooms H127-128 at John A. Logan College in Carterville from 7-8:30 p.m. on Nov. 12.
Gary Ecelbarger, author of Black Jack Logan: An Extraordinary Life in Peace and War, returns to Southern Illinois to talk about Logan and his fellow Egyptians. Many Southern Illinois (including Logan's family) were slow to make up their minds as to whether their loyalties lay with the North or the South in the early months of the Civil War. Ecelbarger will explore Logan's relationship with his fellow Egyptians from 1860-1865, from Congressman Logan's silent neutrality at the beginning of the war to General Logan's campaign to re-elect Abraham Lincoln, the President who he vehemently campaigned against four years earlier. He will also discuss Logan's growing fame and changing philosophy during this same period.
The second program, A History of Lincoln in "Egypt" by Samuel Wheeler will take place on Saturday, Nov. 14 from 1-2:30 p.m. at Stinson Library in Anna.
The southern branch of the Lincoln Heritage Trail runs through Southern Illinois but other than the site of the Lincoln-Douglas Debate very little is known about the relationship of our 16th President and Southern Illinois. In 1940, George W. Smith wrote When Lincoln Came to Egypt to explain the relationship. This program will review Smith's classic works and update Lincoln's activities with the places and people of Southern Illinois.
Following the program, attendees are invited to Historic St. Anne's to view the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum traveling exhibit. The 20-foot panoramic display features historic pictures, narratives and timelines from the life of Lincoln. Darrell Dexter's recent book, A Trot Down to Egypt, concerning Union County and Southern Illinois at the time of the debate, and other gift items commemorating the Jonesboro debate will be available for purchase.