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Schedule a physically in person or virtual presentation today!
Presentations include a slide presentation and follow on discussion.
Schedule a physically in person or virtual presentation today!
Presentations include a slide presentation and follow on discussion.
"Treasure and Empire in the Civil War"
Presentation and discussion of efforts by the United States to maintain control over western mines and shipping lanes transporting wealth east, as well as Confederate efforts to interdict them with ground armies in western territories and with naval forces in the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Pacific Ocean. The United States and Confederacy go toe to toe with the continent of North America, and its vast mineral wealth, at stake. Based on the 2024 book Treasure and Empire in the civil War: The Panama Route, the West and the Campaigns to Control America's Mineral Wealth.
45-60 minutes + follow on discussion
"Chatelain offers a broad narrative , weaving careful research into an account encompassing the Pacific Coast, western states and territories, Latin America, and the West Indies. ... He explores how the struggle for financial resources and territorial gains played out on the war's geographical edges."
Sarah Kay Bierle,
Emerging Civil War.
"Chatelain offers a broad narrative , weaving careful research into an account encompassing the Pacific Coast, western states and territories, Latin America, and the West Indies. ... He explores how the struggle for financial resources and territorial gains played out on the war's geographical edges."
Sarah Kay Bierle,
Emerging Civil War.
"Defending the Arteries of Rebellion"
Presentation and discussion of the Confederacy's failed efforts to build a riverine naval force to maintain control of the Mississippi River Valley. Based on the 2020 book Defending the Arteries of Rebellion: Confederate Naval Operations in the Mississippi River Valley, 1861-1865.
45-60 minutes + follow on discussion
Chatelain's presentation "was outstanding - informative, well-constructed and presented in the manner of a good teacher. It was definitely top-notch, one of the best we've ever had."
Civil Warriors Round Table
Chatelain's presentation "was outstanding - informative, well-constructed and presented in the manner of a good teacher. It was definitely top-notch, one of the best we've ever had."
Civil Warriors Round Table
"Postwar Identity Crisis of the Confederate Navy's Officer Corps"
Presentation and discussion of the crisis of identity Confederate naval officers faced after the Civil War and efforts by many of these officers to find closure after the war outside of the American South exemplified through foreign exile, foreign military service, filibustering, or movement to the American West. Based on the 2022 article "Postwar identity Crisis of the Confederate Navy's Officer Corps" published in US Military History Review.
45-60 minutes + follow on discussion
An often overlooked aspect of American History, this is a necessary and informative discussion about the 'Long Civil War.'"
Gabriel Garcia,
The Historian's Lounge
An often overlooked aspect of American History, this is a necessary and informative discussion about the 'Long Civil War.'"
Gabriel Garcia,
The Historian's Lounge
"Geography Meets History: Annual Freshet Impacts on 1862's Mississippi River Valley Naval Activity"
Presentation and discussion of how river levels and geography impacted battles raging in 1862 to control the Mississippi River valley. The rivers became independent actors in these naval battles as spring snowmelt forced rivers to flood stage. To control the Mississippi River valley, naval commanders on both sides had to win the battle against riverine geography.
45-60 minutes + follow on discussion
"Unpacking Mobile Bay's Criticality"
Presentation and discussion of the battle of Mobile Baym including how the struggle impacted the course of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln's reelection, and U.S. Navy memory and lore.
45-60 minutes + follow on discussion
"Ambitions and Challenges of a
Confederate Navy European Ironclad Squadron"
Presentation and discussion of Confederate Navy efforts to construct an ironclad squadron in Great Britain and France, the purpose behind this potential squadron, its potential mission, and the challenges facing the Confederacy in building and organizing such a force. Examines the blockade, international diplomacy, neutrality, and naval aspects of such an ironclad squadron.
45-60 minutes + follow on discussion
"Knew almost nothing about this topic" and Neil Chatelain's presentation "made the entire conference worthwhile."
Feedback from Chatelain's
Presentation at the 2022
Emerging Civil War Symposium
"Knew almost nothing about this topic" and Neil Chatelain's presentation "made the entire conference worthwhile."
Feedback from Chatelain's
Presentation at the 2022
Emerging Civil War Symposium
"Charleston 1863: Evaluating Command, Control, and Technology"
Presentation and discussion of both United States and Confederate development and implementation of interservice joint military-naval cooperation, as well as new wartime technologies during 1863 campaigns at Charleston, South Carolina. Examines who cooperated well with others, who fell short, and factors that impacted the overall result of operations at Charleton in 1863.
45-60 minutes + follow on discussion
"Fought Like Devils: The Confederate Gunboat McRae"
Presentation and discussion of the role of the Confederate war steamer McRae and its role in defending the Mississippi River in naval campaigns throughout the Mississippi River Valley in 1861 and 1862. Based on the 2014 book Fought Like Devils: The Confederate Gunboat McRae.
45-60 minutes + follow on discussion
"I could certainly relate to the small ship experience."
CDR John Calloway, USN (ret.),
Commanding Officer,
USS Elrod FFG 55
Upcoming Presentations
Upcoming Presentations
August 1, 2025: "Confederate Privateering Activity in San Francisco," 2025 Emerging Civil War Symposium, Spotsylvania, VA.
October 9, 2025: "Unpacking Mobile Bay's Criticality", Chickamauga and Chattanooga Civil War Round Table, Virtual Presentation.
December 17, 2025: "Geography Meets History: Annual Freshet Impacts on 1862's Mississippi River Valley Naval Activity", Tallahassee History Roundtable, Virtual Presentation.
January 6, 2026: "Treasure and Empire in the Civil War", Brunswick Civil War Roundtable, Brunswick County, NC.
February 10, 2026: "Defending the Arteries of Rebellion", Fort Worth Civil War Round Table, Fort Worth, TX.
May 19, 2026: "Treasure and Empire in the Civil War", Scottsdale Civil War Roundtable, Scottsdale, AZ.
June 1, 2026: "Treasure and Empire in the Civil War", Atlanta Civil War Roundtable, Atlanta, GA.
Previous Professional Presentations Given
(Links are to video recordings of presentations)
Previous Professional Presentations Given
(Links are to video recordings of presentations)
May 7, 2025: "Emerging Scholar: Mentoring Emerging Historians," Emerging Civil War, Online Presentation.
April 24, 2025: "Petersburg, 1865: A Panel Discussion," Thersites the Historian, Virtual Panel.
April 4, 2025: "The People's Civil War: Five Individuals in the Conflict", Lone Star College North Harris Civil War History Conference, Houston, TX.
January 14, 2025: "Treasure and Empire in the Civil War", Fort Worth Civil War Round Table, Fort Worth, TX.
December 24, 2024: "Civil War Christmas Stories", Emerging Civil War Podcast.
December 18, 2024: "Treasure and Empire in the Civil War", Tallahassee History Roundtable, Virtual Presentation.
October 17, 2024: "Treasure and Empire in the Civil War", Houston Civil War Roundtable, Houston, TX.
August 14, 2024: "Admiral David Dixon Porter", Emerging Civil War Podcast.
August 3, 2024: "Unpacking Mobile Bay's Criticality", 2024 Emerging Civil War Symposium, Spotsylvania, VA.
July 13, 2024: "Civil War New Orleans: A Tour", 2024 American Battlefield Trust Summer Teacher Institute, New Orleans, LA.
May 13, 2024: "Author interview", The Wandering Scribe, Virtual Interview.
May 8, 2024: "Emerging Scholar: Book Reviews", Emerging Civil War, Virtual Workshop.
May 1, 2024: "Treasure and Empire in the Civil War", The American History Gazette Podcast.
April 27, 2024: "Annual Freshet Impacts on 1862's Mississippi River Valley Naval Campaigns", 2024 Baton Rouge Civil War Symposium, Baton Route, LA.
April 5, 2024: "Treasure and Empire in the Civil War", Emerging Civil War Podcast.
March 19, 2024: "The Panama Route in the US Civil War", 2024 Lone Star College North Harris Economics Conference. Harris County, Texas.
February 27, 2024: "Virtual Resources Think Tank", Virtual American Battlefield Trust Educator Workshop.
January 19, 2024: "Emerging Scholar: Organizing Speaking Presentations, Emerging Civil War, Virtual Workshop.
December 1, 2023, "The Mississippi River's Importance in the Civil War" The History Gazette Podcast.
October 29, 2023: "Leveraging Digitized Archives for the Classroom", 2023 Texas Council for Social Studies Conference, Houston, Texas.
October 28, 2023: "Leveraging Digitized Archives for the Classroom", 2023 Texas Council for Social Studies Conference, Houston, Texas.
October 19,2023: "Emerging Scholar: Historical Engagement Via Social Media" Emerging Civil War, Virtual Presentation.
September 21, 2023: "Tactical Confederate Naval Evacuations of Military Forces: Two Case Studies in Joint Cooperation, 2023 McMullen Naval History Symposium, U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland.
September 9, 2023: "Defending the Arteries of Rebellion", Civil War Round Table of Central Louisiana's Second Saturday's with Savas Beatie, Virtual Presentation.
July 24, 2023, 10:30 am est: "Leveraging Digitized Archives for the Classroom", 2023 American Battlefield Trust Virtual Teacher Institute, Virtual Presentation.
July 20, 2023: Emerging Scholar: Planning Speaking Engagements" Emerging Civil War, Virtual Presentation.
June 12, 2023: "Defending the Arteries of Rebellion", Western North Carolina Civil War Roundtable, Waynesville, NC.
May 11, 2023: Emerging as a Scholar: What is Peer Review?" Emerging Civil War, Virtual Presentation.
September 15, 2022: "Defending the Arteries of Rebellion", Miami Civil War Roundtable, Miami, FL, Virtual Presentation.
August 5, 2022: "Ambitions and Challenges of a Confederate Navy European Ironclad Squadron", 2022 Emerging Civil War Symposium, Spotsylvania, VA.
June 8, 2022: "Defending the Arteries of Rebellion", Civil Warriors Round Table, West Hills, CA, Virtual Presentation.
March 15, 2022: "Defending the Arteries of Rebellion", Lincoln-Davis Civil War Roundtable, Alsip, IL.
January 14, 2021: "Defending the Arteries of Rebellion", Montgomery County, MD, Civil War Roundtable, Virtual Presentation.
2015: "A Series of International Incidents: The Transatlantic Odyssey of the Confederacy's Only Seagoing Ironclad", Graduate Conference of Transatlantic History, The University of Texas-Arlington, Arlington, TX.
2015: "Citizen Sailors: The Defense of Memphis by the Confederate River Defense Fleet", Texas A&M History Conference, College Station, TX.
2009: "'Her Deck Was a Perfect Shambles': The History of the Confederate Gunboat McRae" Louisiana Historical Association, Monroe, LA.
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