One War at a Time: Diplomacy during the Civil War (Winter Lecture Series)

Featuring some of the best Rangers, historians, and authors from across the country, this popular eight-week Winter Lecture Series returns to the Gettysburg National Military Park (NMP) Museum and Visitor Center in 2026!

The Winter Lecture Series is held at 1:30 p.m. on weekends in the Gettysburg NMP Museum and Visitor Center from January 10 through March 8, 2026. Seating is available on a first come – first serve basis. Free tickets are available day of at the Gettysburg NMP Museum and Visitor Center. Schedule is subject to change.

Saturday, March 7 – One War at a Time: Diplomacy during the Civil War
Ranger John Nicholas, Gettysburg National Military Park

While battles raged across American soil, another struggle unfolded in quiet rooms and diplomatic courts across the ocean. Join Ranger John Nicholas to explore how Union leaders worked to prevent foreign recognition of the Confederacy, and how President Lincoln’s shrewd diplomatic strategy—summed up in his phrase “One war at a time”—helped preserve the Union by keeping Europe out of America’s Civil War. Discover the high-stakes world of Civil War diplomacy and the international threads woven into the Gettysburg story.