News Briefs

News Briefs — June 2019

Originally published June 2019 · p. 2

L to R: Dave Frank, Award Committee Chairman; A. Wilson Greene, historian and author holding the first Hugh G. Earnhart Civil War Scholarship Award; Professor Hugh Earnhart, founder of the Mahoning Valley Civil War Round Table and award namesake.

CANFIELD, Ohio—On April 8, 2019, renowned historian and author A. Wilson Greene was honored as the first recipient of the Hugh G. Earnhart Civil War Scholarship Award presented by the Mahoning Valley Civil War Round Table. Named after one of the round table’s founding members, the award is presented to a recipient for their outstanding contributions in the field of Civil War historiography. Mr.

Greene recently completed his triumphant work, A Campaign of Giants: The Battle for Petersburg from the Crossing of the James to the Battle of the Crater. The study is the first of a three volume series focused on the Petersburg Campaign that culminated in the Confederacy’s collapse in the Eastern Theater. Mr. Greene’s crisp writing style and extensive research led to his recognition throughout the Civil War field as the final word on the opening stages of the Petersburg offensive. Greene was one of the founders and initial president of the American Civil War Preservation Society that was so pivotal in preserving the hallowed Civil War battlefields threatened by development. His groundbreaking work led to his appointment as CEO of Pamplin Park, scene of the Union breakthrough at Petersburg leading to the Confederate retreat to Appomattox. Founded in 1982 by Professor Hugh Earnhart, the Mahoning Valley Civil War Round Table has grown into a nationally recognized roundtable leading to this initial recognition of scholarship in the Civil War field. The Mahoning Valley Civil War Round Table has been in existence since the early 1980s. Throughout the years, the MVCWRT has enjoyed the company of many renowned local, regional, and national speakers, including Ed Bearss, Chief Historian Emeritus with the National Park Service; former Executive Director of Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier, A. Wilson Greene; Wayne Motts, Chief Executive Officer of the National Civil War Museum, and scores of others. The MVCWRT has also spent dozens of hours volunteering throughout the years on the Gettysburg battlefield, as part of the Adopt-aPosition at Gettysburg National Military Park, as well as building trails at Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park. For the past ten years our organization has also donated raised funds to over twenty different historic sites and their mission of preservation and interpretation.