This program will be available for sale to the general public starting on March 7, 2026.Want to register before then? Become a member today, or if you are already a member, log in to register for this program. Lincoln's Tragic Admiral: Samuel Francis Du Pont Evening Lecture/Seminar Monday, June 15, 2026 - 6:45 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. ET Code: 1K0700 Location: This online program is presented on Zoom. Select your Registration $25 Member $35 Gen. Admission Resize text Samuel Francis Du Pont by Daniel Huntington (National Portrait Gallery) Once revered as one of the U.S. Navy’s finest officers, Rear Adm. Samuel Francis Du Pont is now remembered—if at all—for resisting technological advancement and for leading the disastrous ironclad attack on Charleston in April 1863. Although he was lauded for helping to win an early Union victory in South Carolina, the failed attack on Charleston destroyed his career and reputation. Kevin J. Weddle, distinguished fellow and military historian at the U.S. Army War College, challenges this reduction of Du Pont’s legacy to reveal that although Du Pont championed technological innovation, he outspokenly opposed the use of the new ironclads to attack Charleston. Only when his objections were overridden did his use of these modern vessels bring his career to a tragic end. Weddle exposes this historical misunderstanding, while also pinpointing Du Pont’s crucial role in the development of United States naval strategy and his work in modernizing the navy between the Mexican War and the Civil War. General Information View Common FAQs and Policies about our Online Programs on Zoom.
