"Animal Mascots of the Civil War"

The Torrington Historical Society will host a lecture by Professor Hamish Lutris on Wednesday, November 6th at 6:30 pm. The topic of this program will be 'Animal Mascots of the Civil War'.

The Civil War was fought by citizen armies that often had their own, very un-military, ways of fighting. One thing they did was to bring or adopt animals of many kinds. This talk will focus on those much-loved unit mascots. The idea of using animals to represent military units throughout history will be discussed, as well as the particular animals honored in Civil War lore and memorialization. The audience should learn something of the more personal side of a war that is often examined only in terms of casualties and logistics.

Hamish Lutris is an Associate Professor of History, Political Science and Geography at Capital Community College in Hartford. He is a well-known speaker and instructor throughout Connecticut and the region with long experience in Central Europe, having been involved in education, strategic planning and international agricultural research cooperation programs there. He has also worked in some of America’s premier natural and historical sites and has led naturalist and educational programs in both the U.S. and Europe. His program interests cover a number of areas including Native American history, the U.S. Civil War, World Wars I and II, the American West, as well as Scientific, Social and Cultural history.

This free event is sponsored by Torrington Savings Bank. Attendees are asked to register online through Eventbrite at Mascots of the Civil War

Walk-ins are welcome if space allows.