Recipient of Ed Bearss Award Announced

Originally published September 2017 · p. 34

Recipient of Ed Bearss Award Announced CHAMBERSBURG, Penn.— Chambersburg Civil War Seminars & Tours is pleased to announce Thomas J. Ryan as the 2017 recipient of the Ed Bearss Award. Given annually, the award encourages the study of the American Civil War era by reimbursing the awardee with up to $1,000 for scholarly research.

Thomas J. Ryan. (Lifetouch Photography) Named in honor of the esteemed, nationally-known historian, Edwin “Ed” C. Bearss, the award will assist in the expenses associated with Ryan’s project, “Eleven Fateful Days in July 1863: Meade Tracks Lee’s Army after Gettysburg.” This project is co-authored with Rick Schaus, and the funds will help gather essential information for their project at Civil War repositories. “It is particularly gratifying that the award is named in honor of Ed Bearss, a man who is known universally throughout the Civil War community and a person of great charm and warmth who has contributed more to the cause than any two or three people could in a lifetime,” Ryan said. “My personal involvement with Ed has been primarily in relation to Gettysburg Magazine for which Ed wrote the introduction for each issue over many years; he was always especially complimentary about my articles.” The award is given each year to a deserving author working on a non-fiction book about the Civil War in Penn., Md., W.V., or the Shenandoah Valley. Ryan and Schaus plan to have their project completed by the end of this year to be included in Savas Beatie’s spring 2018 publication schedule. “It is indeed our honor to have Thomas Ryan as the recipient of the 2017 Ed Bearss Award,” said Ted Alexander, facilitator and co-founder of Chambersburg

Civil War Seminars. “Mr. Ryan has published many articles relating to the Civil War including his critically acclaimed Spies, Scouts, and Secrets in the Gettysburg Campaign. He is currently working on a book about the Confederate retreat from Gettysburg from the Union perspective.” Submissions for the award are reviewed by the Ed Bearss Award Committee with Dr. Richard Sommers of the U.S. Army War College as chair. Dr. Sommers and his committee of distinguished scholars will review applications in 2018. Applications are being accepted now through February 1, 2018. Funds raised for the award originate from donations, silent auction proceeds, and raffles. The award is supported by both Chambersburg Civil War Seminars and attendees at tours held throughout the year. Interested individuals should contact Lark Plessinger at [email protected] or call 717-2647101 ext. 206 for more information or to receive an application. Chambersburg Civil War Seminars & Tours is a division of the Greater Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce and held in partnership with historian Ted Alexander. Tours planned for 201718 include Lincoln at Antietam, National Ed Bearss Symposium, Roads to Gettysburg, and Mr. Lincoln’s Washington & John Wilkes Booth Escape Tour. Ed Bearss, John Schildt, Carol Reardon, Daniel Toomey, Eric Wittenberg, Ed Steers, Joan Chaconas, and more than 20 other speakers/ guides will lead our upcoming military history tours. Please visit www.CivilWarSeminars. org for more details or call Lark Plessinger at 717-264-7101 ext. 206. Thomas J. Ryan is also a book reviewer for Civil War News.