`Cotton and War Economics' topic for the Inland Empire Civil War Round Table

The Inland Empire Civil War Round Table offers two programs in March, a discussion of “Cotton and War Economics” in a Monday online presentation and an in-person program Wednesday featuring Mike Reetz portraying Horace Porter, Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s aide-de-camp.

Gordon Gidlund, a board member of the Inland Empire Civil War Round Table, will present the Monday program, beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Zoom.

In his talk, he will discuss the cotton embargo, the Red River Campaign and and the French banking house of Emilie

Erlanger and Co. issuing 7% cotton bonds in 1863 to support the Confederacy, according to a news release.

For the Zoom link to his Monday presentation for the Inland Empire Civil War Round Table, go to inlandempirecwrt.org.

The Wednesday program will be at 2 p.m. in the Assembly Room of the A.K. Smiley Public Library, 125 W. Vine St., Redlands, and will also be available on Zoom, with the link at inlandempirecwrt.org.

At that program, Mike Reetz of Menifee, a member the Inland Empire Civil War Round Table and docent at the Lincoln Memorial Shrine in Redlands, will present “How the American Revolutionary War Echoed Through the Life of Horace Porter.”

Reetz’s presentation will highlight Porter’s family connections; education; Civil War service, including his relationship with Grant; and his military and public service record.

Following the program, members and guests may take a tour of the Lincoln Memorial Shrine, led by curator Nathan Gonzales. The tour will include a new exhibit at the Lincoln Shrine, “Imitative Lincoln: Art Derived from Photographs.”

For info about the Inland Empire Civil War Round Table: inlandempirecwrt.org.

Redlands’ Lincoln Memorial Shrine: lincolnshrine.org.