Steve Rossio, a well-known lecturer on the Civil War, will be at the Vicksburg Community Center to give a presentation on Tuesday, May 19 at 7 p.m. His talk will focus on April, 1865, the final month of the American Civil War, the fall of Richmond, the capture of Jefferson Davis (with a local connection), the road to Appomattox Court House…and the death of Abraham Lincoln.
Rossio captures those final harrowing and pivotal days of the American Civil War 150 years ago. It was a conflict that lasted four long years, claimed the lives of 700,000 people, devastated the Old South but saved the Union and brought an end to slavery. The reenactor’s presentation is sponsored by the Vicksburg Historical Society. Rossio is the Portage City historian at the Portage Library and has chronicled the history of Portage in its Heritage Library section. He is especially interested in Civil War history and travels the U.S. to reenacting events. He lectured in Vicksburg last year in October appearing in uniform as a sergeant in the Union Army and describing the life he led during his enlistment. He was so well received that the Historical Society wanted him to return, according to Ted Vliek, president of the group.
