UPPER LAKE, Calif. – The Redwood Empire Civil War Roundtable will hold a discussion on Monday, June 2, regarding the differing viewpoints of Ulysses S. Grant, the Civil War general and US president.

The group will gather beginning at 6:15 p.m. at the Tallman Hotel, 9550 Main St., Upper Lake.

The Battle of Cold Harbor raged from May 31 to June 12, 1864, near Mechanicsville, Va.

During that battle, Gen. Grant ordered a charge against the entrenched Confederate Army of Gen. Robert E. Lee.

Within minutes, upwards of 7,000 Union soldiers lay dead or wounded in what would be the worst defeat Grant ever experienced.

But refusing to admit the mistake, Grant insisted on not asking for a truce to gather up his wounded, leaving thousands of men to suffer for more than three days between the lines in the sweltering heat.  

When he finally asked for the truce, many of the wounded men had died from exposure, lack of water and lack of medical attention. Northern "Copperheads" branded him "Butcher Grant."  

Was this justified, or was it just a way of Lincoln's enemies to embarrass the administration in an election year?

Local historian and school teacher Zane Jensen will lead the discussion, and provide background to what was called "Grant's Overland Campaign" that was ultimately successful in bringing Lee to bay.

Jensen has visited numerous battlefields and has done exhaustive research on Civil War battles and its participants. He combines personal photos with archived pictures, animated maps, and video to give a full multimedia presentation.

Phil Smoley will open the roundtable with a  review of  many of the other events that occurred across the county in June 150 years ago during the Civil War.

There will be a short presentation given by first-time presenter Sarah Seago, a 17-year-old high school junior from Lakeport.  

Seago's topic will be morphine and how its use in the Civil War changed history.

Her research has revealed a viable theory to explain many generals' odd behavior during major battles, and her findings may astonish many historians.

The Redwood Empire Civil War Roundtable was formed to honor the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War and typically meets on the first Monday of each month to review the events of that month 150 years ago.  

Admission is free, all are welcome.  

For more information, contact Zane Jensen 707-349-6390 or Phil Smoley at 707-264-4905.