i'm an assistant professor at christopher newport university. it is a measure to welcome you to the mariners museum at newport news. >> if you have never been to newport news, i strongly recommend if for no other reason than to see this incredible museum, the mariners' museum. i would like to thank our sponsors and partners, without whom this conference would not be possible and the weekends events. our sponsors are bank of america, the virginia foundation for the humanities and southern structural steel. our partners are the museum of the confederacy, the center for american studies at christopher newport university, the hampton roads naval museum and noaa's museum sanctuary. i am pleased to introduce, david gerleman, an adjunct professor of history at george mason university where he teaches courses on 19th century and military history. he earned his ph.d. under the direction of john weiss simon. his dissertation was on the care, treatment, and use of civil war cavalry horses. i would like to tell you a little bit about the work that david does

assistant professor of american studies and a fellow at the center for american studies at christopher newport university, which is right across the road here from the mariners museum. it is a pleasure to welcome you this morning to the mariners museum in newport news. i know tham of you have come a long way to be here today at this wonderful event at this incredible museum. and for our friends who are watching us on c-span, i'd like to say that if you've never been to newport news i'd strongly recommend visiting if for no other reason than to see this incredible maritime museum, the mariners' museum. before we begin i'd like to thank our response ords aors an partners without whom the conference would not be possible and the weekend events. our sponsors are bank of america, the virginia foundation for the humanities, and southern structural steel. and our partners are the museum of the confederacy, the center for american studies at christopher newport university, the hampton roads naval museum, and noah's monitor national marine sanctuary. now, i'm pleased to introduce our next speaker, david gurlman.

. >>> police are investigating a suspected meth lab in a dorm room at christopher newport university in newport news, virginia. the wilson residence hall was reportedly evacuated friday night after police found a suspicious substance in one of the rooms. the university says items recovered from that room are now being analyzed by a lab in norfolk. >>> they invented the joystick and the gps. it's not apple. it's the u.s. navy and today the military opened its doors to give us a rare look into one of its research labs. the 50,000 square foot facility includes environmental test areas that replicate a desert, a jungle, a highland forest and coastal waters. sounds like fun. they even test their latest robotic inventions. photojournalist greg geist takes us inside. >> reporter: behind each door is a different environment. >> you have desert. you have tropical. >> reporter: each is tailored for scientists testing the next generation of artificial intelligence. >> this robotic arm system is able to dig through the sand and dig out any ieds that it finds of. >> reporter: this is the new auton

american studies at christopher new port university right across the road from the mariners museum. it is a pleasure to welcome you this morning to the mariners museum unnin newport news. i know many have come a long way to be here today at this wonderful event at this incredible museum. for friends watching on cspan. i would look to say if you have never bun to newport news, i strongly recommend visiting if for no other reason than to see the maritime museum, mariners museum. before i begin i would like to thank our sponsors and partners, without whom this conference would not be possible. and in fact the weekend's events. our sponsors are bank of america, the virginia foundation for the humanities, and southern structural steel. our partners, museum of the confederacy. studies for american studies at christopher new port university, and hampton, and noaa's marine sanctuary the now i am pleased to introduce our next speaker. an assistant editor with the papers of abraham lincoln project and adjunct professor of history at george mason university where he teaches courses on 19th century u.s. military. he earned his ph.d. in 1999 from southern illinois university,