For the Miami Valley Today

ENGLEWOOD – Former Dayton Daily News writer Martin Gottlieb will speak about the Civil War politician and Daytonian Clement Vallandigham at the Randolph Township Historical Society’s History Center, 114 Valleyview Dr., Englewood, on April 13.

Vallandigham, a Congressman from Dayton at the beginning of the Civil War, was the leader of the Peace Democrats (popularly known as Copperheads), Northern Democrats who opposed the war. Vallandigham’s May 1863 arrest by military forces sparked a riot in Dayton. He was convicted of treason by a military tribunal, but Lincoln commuted his prison sentence to banishment behind Confederate lines.

Vallandigham continued agitation after making his way to Canada. After the war, he returned to Dayton, rebuilding his legal practice. He was rebuilding his legal career when he died after accidentally shooting himself.

Martin Gottlieb, author of “Lincoln’s Northern Nemesis: The War Opposition and Exile of Ohio’s Clement Vallandigham,” retired in 2011 after writing for the editorial page of the Dayton Daily News for 27 years. His columns were distributed nationally and appeared in at least 100 papers.

His talk will begin shortly after 7 p.m., and attendees should plan to arrive by 6:55 p.m. Admission is free, and masks are encouraged but optional. The talk will last approximately 60 minutes, with questions afterwards. Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing.

More details are available by calling 937-832-8538, emailing [email protected], or on the historical society’s Facebook page.