The Historical Society is to be congratulated upon its enterprise in planning and securing the course of lectures on the battles of the Civil War, the first of which is to be delivered this evening. The course as marked out is unique and ought to be highly popular. The majority of the lectures are to be given by gentlemen who were engaged in the operations described and who in addition have given particular study to the subjects of which they treat. Two or three of the lectures, however, will be given by civilians, but by gentlemen none the less competent to discuss their subjects. Lectures of this sort by such finished historical scholars as John C. Ropes and Dr. Channing cannot fail to be of interest, if for no better reason as presenting an instructive contrast in the point of view of the military operations described, taken by the civilian and by the actual soldier.

The course does not undertake to describe completely the entire course of the campaigns of the Civil War in their endless detail. An attempt will rather be made to give a vivid impression of the war by describing graphically the more important battles, thus illustrating the more significant phases of the war and bringing out the bearing upon the general result of the particular events described. The lectures are to be illustrated by large special maps. Nearly all the lectures have been prepared with special reference to this course. Some difficulty has been experienced in filling out the list, as military gentlemen are usually strongly averse to speaking in public upon the subjects of their own campaigns. The chance of presenting the story of the war before the younger generation that is now coming upon the scene and also before a university audience have been motives sufficient to remove such scruples in many cases, a result for which the Historical Society is to be tendered our sincere thanks. Gen. Gordon who lectures tonight was engaged in the battle he describes, in command of a Massachusett's regiment, we believe. He has written a book covering the subject, which has been reserved in the library for the use of those who wish to investigate the subject more particularly. He has made an especial study of the FitzJohn Porter case, and in his lecture will discuss the case in some detail.