When she was in ninth grade at Columbia High School, Cindy Beaston watched the movie "Gettysburg" as part of a class assignment. Viewing the film set her on a trajectory that would influence the rest of her life.

"My mom and I rented the movie from Blockbuster, and I watched it over and over for a week straight," Beaston recalled, noting that the assignment required her to memorize the names of characters. While viewing the film, she particularly became interested in the story of Confederate Gen. James Longstreet. "I needed to know more," Beaston said.

Since then, Beaston has become a Civil War buff, and she'll present two lectures this month, showcasing her knowledge of the war. She will speak about "U.S. Grant: Bulldog of the Union Army" at Hempfield recCenter, 950 Church St., Landisville, on Thursday, Jan. 26, and she'll discuss "Sallie Ann: A Very Special Soldier" at Columbia Public Library, 24 S. Sixth St., on Monday, Jan. 30. Both lectures will begin at 6 p.m.

For the Grant lecture, Beaston will delve into the life of the man who became the 18th president of the United States. "Everybody's heard the name Ulysses S. Grant, but everyone doesn't know who he really was," she said. Her talk will cover his cadet days at West Point, the poverty he experienced after his achievements in the Mexican-American War and his rise to fame in the Civil War.

At the library, Beaston will share the accomplishments of Sallie Ann, a brindle bull terrier who played an important role with the 11th Pennsylvania infantry. "She went into every battle," Beaston stated. "She knew the calls, knew the drills." Beaston will bring her own brindle bull terrier, appropriately named Sallie Ann, to the talk.

Beaston works as a lifeguard and swim instructor at Hempfield Rec, but her free time is spent fulfilling her passion for history. She joined the Civil War Roundtable at Lititz Public Library, but when it disbanded, she started her own group in Columbia. The Gen. Welsh Post 118 Roundtable is named for a Columbia general and meets monthly at the Columbia Public Library. Beaston has presented numerous lectures on Columbia's Civil War soldiers, and she is in the process of writing a historical fiction book about these heroes.

A few years ago, Beaston got to meet the actor Tom Berenger, who portrayed Gen. Longstreet in "Gettysburg." She took the opportunity to tease him a bit about her passion, telling him, "I'm a Civil War historian, and it's all your fault."

In all seriousness, Beaston hopes her presentations will help people remember an important time in our country's past. "I can see these events and these people in my mind, and I try to get people to imagine what it was like," she said. "I feel like I have formed relationships with these soldiers, and I want to honor them."

For the Hempfield Rec lecture, reservations are requested by calling 717-898-3102. For the lecture at the Columbia Public Library, reservations are not needed.