By 1808Delaware
In the late summer of 1864, the United States faced one of its darkest hours. After three years of civil war, Union morale was sinking fast. Casualties mounted, and with no clear end in sight, President Abraham Lincoln himself believed he was on the verge of losing the November election. Only a dramatic shift on the battlefield could change the tide.
That shift came in the Shenandoah Valley.
On Monday, September 29 at 7:00 PM, Civil War historian Brooks D. Simpson will visit Ohio Wesleyan University to explain how the Union victories in the valley during September and October 1864 not only boosted military fortunes but also revived the Union’s political future. His lecture, “Thunder in the Valley: Grant, Sheridan, and Hayes Triumph in the Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864,” will be held in the Benes Rooms of the Hamilton-Williams Campus Center, 40 Rowland Avenue, Delaware. Admission is free.
A Turning Point in History
Simpson will trace the sweeping campaign led by Ulysses S. Grant, Philip Sheridan, and future president Rutherford B. Hayes. Their victories in Virginia helped secure Lincoln’s re-election and set the Union firmly on the path to restoring the nation.
About the Speaker
Simpson, Ph.D., is a Foundation Professor of History at Arizona State University. He specializes in the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the American presidency. Over his career, he has authored 15 books, including the acclaimed “Ulysses S. Grant: Triumph Over Adversity, 1822–1865,” a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. He has also been featured on C-SPAN, the History Channel, and PBS’s “The American Experience.”
Honoring Richard W. Smith
This annual lecture is presented in memory of Richard W. Smith, Ph.D., who taught history at Ohio Wesleyan from 1950 to 1986. Smith, who passed away on July 1, 2025, at the age of 101, will be remembered at a memorial service on Sunday, September 28 at 2:00 PM in the same location.
For Those Who Cannot Attend
Simpson’s presentation will be recorded and later shared on YouTube for those unable to attend in person. More information about the OWU Department of History, the Smith Lecture, and the life of Professor Smith can be found at owu.edu/history.
Source, Photo: OWU
