For most students of the Civil War\, the o nly factor they can recall of the May 31\, 1862\, Battle of Seven Pines/Fa ir Oaks\, is that the battle resulted in Confederate General Robert E. Lee rising into command of Confederate armies in the east. What many fail to realize is just how close the Confederacy came to complete victory and how the battle became a near disaster for Union General George B. McClellan. Be it a disaster avoided or a lost opportunity\, the fact remains the Batt le of Seven Pines/Fair Oaks remains one of the most mis-understood battles of the American Civil War.
\nAuthor/historian Victor Vignola&rsquo\ ;s \;lively presentation explores the topic in detail. His first book& nbsp\;Contrasts in Command: The Battle of Fair Oaks &ndash\; May 31 &n dash\; June 1\, 1862\, has received high praise. So stunning is the s uccess of \;Contrasts in Command\, it has earned recognition as receiving the coveted \;2023 Fletcher Pratt Award. In addition\, th e \;American Battlefield Trust \;also recognized \;Contras ts \;as a Finalist for the 2023 Best Military History Book\, whil e Civil War Books and Authors\, an independent review journal of Civil War historiography\, included \;Contrasts \;in their list of Top 10 Books for 2023.
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Author Vignola&rsquo\;s research whi
le developing \;Contrasts \;directly led to preserving a
twelve-acre parcel of hallowed ground where the Fair Oaks fighting occurre
d. That parcel remains the only preserved ground for the entire Seven Pine
s/Fair Oaks battlefield. His work continues as he is completing a book on
the Battle of Seven Pines.
This virtual lecture is hosted and made possible by the North Jersey Civil War Round Table. \; Informal chat begins at 6:30pm\, and the lecture itself at 7pm.
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