Kicking off the commemoration of the Sesquicentennial Anniversary of the American Civil War, the Loudoun County Civil War Roundtable and the Thomas Balch Library are proud to present a day with local Civil War authors on October 17, 2009. The event will begin at 10:00 a.m. at the library with a welcome by Civil War Roundtable president Bill Wilkin and will conclude at 4:30 p.m.

Authors from the Northern Virginia region will be selling and signing their books and speaking for 30 minutes each on their topics. In addition, there will be a variety of historical displays and exhibits including Civil War maps, documents, and artifacts. The Sons of Confederate Veterans, United Daughters of the Confederacy, and Sons of Union Veterans also will have informational displays set up for the public.

Uniformed reenactors will be present to answer questions and assist visitors as they move between the Thomas Balch Library and the nearby Leesburg Presbyterian Church where author's tables and book displays will be set up.

Featured Civil War authors will include Richard Crouch, David Frantum, Steven Meserve, Jim Morgan, and Calvin Zon. Mapmaker Eugene Scheel, Circuit Court Clerk John Fishback, and artifact collectors John Creamer and John Wyrick are the featured exhibitors.

Admission is free. Refreshments and food will be available for sale at the church.