National Ed Bearss Symposium: American Military History

Click here for the brochure.
Seminar based at Hampton Inn at 955 Lesher Road, Chambersburg, PA 17201.
 
Deluxe continental breakfast for Hampton Inn guests each morning.  Each participant will receive a packet of tactical maps and a name badge.
 
Wednesday, April 4
Breakfast at Hampton Inn (avail. 6 - 10 a.m.)
8 a.m. - 4:30p.m. “Colonial War Sites of the Lower Cumberland Valley” bus & walking tour led by Ted Alexander and Dave Moore
· Bus leaves from Hampton Inn
· Delicious Lunch at Mrs. Gibble’s Restaurant
· Dinner on your own
Bus Tour Description:
The southern Cumberland Valley was the scene of numerous incidents in the 18th century from the French & Indian and Pontiac Wars up to the Whiskey Rebellion. Incidents include Indian massacres and colonial revolts against the authorities. We will visit the site of the massacre of 10 school children near Greencastle attacked by Pontiac warriors.
Sites to visit:
· Fort Chambers
· Fort McCord Memorial
· Fort Loudoun
· Enoch Brown Massacre Park
· And more!
Dinner on your own
7 p.m. Evening Sessions at Hampton Inn
· Welcome to the Seminar - Ted Alexander
· “Shadowing Grant: The Reminiscences of Simon Whistler” -  Steve Recker
 After serving at Antietam, Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville with the 130th Pennsylvania, Simon Whistler was commissioned Acting Assistant Surgeon to serve on the hospital ship Connecticut. Whistler kept a detailed diary of his service, which will be examined.
· “Custer’s Last Stand” - Steve French
  June 25, 2018 marks the 142nd anniversary of the Battle of the Little Bighorn where overwhelming numbers of Sioux and Northern Cheyenne warriors soundly defeated the celebrated 7th United States Cavalry, led by Union Civil War hero Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer. The illustrated talk will examine the background of the battle, the fight, its aftermath and its role in popular culture.   
This is a presentation not to be missed.
Thursday, April 5
Breakfast at Hampton Inn (avail. 6 - 10 a.m.)
8 a.m. - 6 p.m. “Civil War Harrisburg” bus & walking tour led by Jim Schmick and Wayne Motts
· Bus leaves from Hampton Inn
· Lunch at Camp Curtin Memorial Church
· Dinner on your own
Bus Tour Description:
Join us as we discover the historic state capitol of Pennsylvania’s role in the turbulent 1860s. Sites visited are Camp Curtin State Park, Harrisburg Cemetery, the final resting place of both Blue and Gray, and the National Civil War Museum where we will have a behind-the-scenes tour led by museum president Wayne Motts. The day will conclude with a tour of the U.S. Army Heritage Center in Carlisle, Pa.
Sites to visit:
· Lincoln Sites in Harrisburg
· Camp Curtin Park & Church—site of the largest training grounds of the Civil War
· Behind-the-scenes tour of the National Civil War Museum led by Wayne Motts
· Allied Expeditionary Force Trenches exhibit at the U.S. Army Heritage & Education Center (temporary exhibit)
· And more!
6 p.m. Dinner on your own
8 p.m. Evening Session
· “WWI: Battle of Belleau Wood” - Ed Bearss
A former marine will present the story of one of the Marine Corps most famous battles.
· “Highlights of the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution” - Bert Dunkerly
· The Southern Campaign was Britain's last attempt to end the war, and we will see why it failed.
Friday, April 6
Breakfast at Hampton Inn (avail. 6 - 10 a.m.)
8 a.m. -12:30 p.m. Sessions at Hampton Inn
· Sessions at Hampton Inn
· Lunch included
· Dinner on your own
Topics to discuss include:
· “The Battle of the Alamo” -  Jerry Holsworth
 Don’t miss hearing a native Texas historian discuss the importance and impact of the Alamo in American history.
· “Forgotten Name, Forgotten Deeds: The Ringgold Legacy” - George Anikis
Examines the life of Maj. Samuel Ringgold, “Father of modern artillery.” In 1846, he lost his life at the Battle of Palo Alto. Ringgold’s tactics and bravery at that battle were a major factor to the American victory.
· “The First Air War: The Men and Flying Machines of World War One” - Matt Borders
The Great War saw the rapid development and deployment of new and fascinating technologies, arguably the most obvious being the airplane.
12 - 1 p.m. Lunch included
1 - 5:30 p.m. Sessions Cont.
· “The Great Partnership: Lee, Jackson, and Confederate Prospects for Victory.” - Dr. Christian Keller
 This talk examines the multi-faceted Lee & Jackson strategic-level relationship and explains how Stonewall's death was viewed as a turning point in the war at the time. 
· “I Am Busy Drawing Pictures”: The Civil War  Art and Letters of Pvt. John Jacob Omenhausser, CSA. - Ross Kimmel, Mike Musick
  Our speakers have solved the mystery of who was the artist that rendered a body of 400 Civil War pieces of folk art depicting the life of Confederate prisoners of war at Point Lookout, Maryland.
· “Indian Wars and their Relation to the Texas Revolution” - Jerry Holsworth
· “Conquistadors to Pancho Villa: The Military History of the Southwest” Panel Discussion with Ed Bearss, Jerry Holsworth and others
5:30 p.m. Dinner on your own
7:15 p.m. Evening Session
· “Standing at Gettysburg: The Crossroads of History and Hollywood” - David Ward
  This lecture tells the story of Ward’s day at Gettysburg in 2011 with Daniel Day Lewis and Steven Spielberg as they prepared to produce the film Lincoln. The story also involves Ed Bearss. Ed was offered a screen test and wardrobe fitting…This is a little-known Bearss story and one of his most interesting and entertaining escapades.
Saturday, April 7
Breakfast at Hampton Inn (avail. 6 - 10 a.m.)
7 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. “By the Dawn’s Early Light: The Battle of Baltimore 1814”  bus & walking tour led by Ed Bearss and Steve Bockmiller
· Bus leaves from Hampton Inn
· Lunch included
· Screening Life of Ed Bearss DVD on bus
· Dinner on your own
Bus Tour Description:
The Battle of Baltimore, Sept. 12-15, 1814, was one of the major and decisive battles of the War of 1812. It was also an American victory over the British. Join us as we view sites, many of them off the beaten path, associated with the battle that inspired Francis Scott Key to write the national anthem. We’ll also visit the final resting place buried in the shadows of the Catoctin Mountains.
Sites to visit:
· Fort Howard
· North Point State Battlefield
· Fort McHenry
· Francis Scott Key Grave
· And more!
Sunday, April 8
Breakfast at Hampton Inn (avail. 6 - 10 a.m.)
8 a.m. - 4 p.m. “Civil War Shepherdstown” bus & walking tour led by Scott Anderson
· Bus leaves from Hampton Inn
· Lunch included
· Dinner on your own
Bus Tour Description:
Shepherdstown is the oldest town in West Virginia. Because of its location on the Potomac River, it changed hands numerous times during the Civil War. It was also the home of a number of Civil War personalities, among them—Henry Kyd Douglas. After the battle of Antietam, it was the site of the bloodiest battle in the state. Join us as we are guided by an authority on the history of the area as we view the historic architecture and Civil War sites in the town and surrounding area.
Sites to visit:
· Elmwood Confederate Cemetery
· Ferry Hill Plantation—boyhood home of Henry Kyd Douglas
· Shepherdstown Battlefield
· And more
 
** Please note: Bus driver compensation  included.
 
Battlefield Preservation
Chambersburg’s Civil War Seminars & Tours has raised over $200,000 for preservation since our founding. A portion of the proceeds from this event will be donated to nonprofit organizations associated with our tour.
Please support our raffles and silent auctions as all funds raised from these efforts are donated to preservation.
Interested in supporting battlefield preservation through gifts or monetary donations? Please contact Lark at 717-264-7101 or lplessinger@chambersburg.org.