Hagley’s Civil War Education Series Continues with the Story of a Quaker Solider

Wilmington, Delaware – October 2011 – Henry Gawthrop was one of several Quakers who served as commissioned officers in the 4^th Delaware Volunteer Infantry. Hagley Museum and Library presents the second lecture of its Civil War Education Series, “Quaker Soldier: The Civil War Experience of Henry Gawthrop of the 4th Delaware” by historian Justin Carisio, on Thursday, October 20, 7 p.m. The lecture will be held in the Copeland Room of the Hagley Library. It is free and open to the public. Use Hagley’s Buck Road East entrance off Route 100 in Wilmington, Delaware.

“Late in life, Henry Gawthrop drew upon his wartime diaries and letters to create an extended narrative of his military service,” says Carisio. “Bound as a book, this unique manuscript offers one of the most extensive views we have of a Delaware veteran's experience of the war.”

Mr. Carisio will share key episodes from this work including Gawthrop's decision to enlist, his account of the regiment's role in the June 1864 Assault on Petersburg, and the challenges he faced coping with his wounds in the war's immediate aftermath.

The last lecture of the Hagley Civil War education series will be December 1, 2011, with Jane Peters Estes. Her presentation of “Christmas Past” will explore the origins of many of our holiday traditions and highlights Christmas customs observed during the Civil War.

The current Hagley exhibit in the Visitor Center, “An Oath of Allegiance to the Republic: the du Ponts and the Civil War,” explores the roles played by several du Pont family members, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Co., and the local community in response to the Civil War. It also delves into their involvement at the state, national, and international levels in resolving the most devastating conflict Americans have ever seen.

Hagley Museum and Library collects, preserves, and interprets the unfolding history of American enterprise. Hagley is located on Route 141 in Wilmington, Delaware. For more information, call (302) 658-2400 weekdays or visit www.hagley.org

###