National Ed Bearss Symposium: American Military History and Combat

Description

Click here for the brochure and pricing: American Military History Brochure.

Featuring Larry Alexander, Ted Alexander, Scott Anderson, Steve Bockmiller, Steve French, Col. Douglas Mastriano, David Moore, Thomas J. Ryan, Dr. Richard Sommers and Martin West. Special guest Edwin Bearss! Based at the Hampton Inn in Chambersburg, Pa.

Exploring American military history! Tours of the following: Civil War sites in southern Pennsylvania including Monterey Pass; military history sites in Washington County, Maryland including the Hagerstown Aviation Museum; the Forbes Campaign of 1758 featuring stops at Fort Ligonier, Bushy Run Battlefield and more. Talks also given by the historians listed above.

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, May 1

Breakfast at Hampton Inn (avail. 6 – 10 a.m.)

8 a.m. – 5 p.m. “Civil War Sites in and around Chambersburg” bus & walking tour led by Ted Alexander and Steve French

• Check-in at Hampton Inn at 7:15-7:45 a.m.
• Bus leaves from Hampton Inn at 8 a.m.
• Delicious lunch included
• Dinner on your own

Bus Tour Description:

Join two leading authorities on the Civil War in the Cumberland Valley as we visit many off-the-beaten-path sites. The southern Cumberland Valley saw more continuous Civil War action than any other region north of the Potomac from 1861 to 1865.

Sites to visit:

• Monterey Pass Battlefield and Visitor Center exploring the Retreat from Gettysburg.
• Captain Dahlgren action site in Greencastle in which 10 Union Cavalry under Dahlgren’s command attacked a group of Confederates on July 2, 1863.
• Jeb Stuart’s headquarters in Mercersburg
• Messersmiths Woods, Lee’s Headquarters in June 1863 in Chambersburg. From here, Lee made the decision to move East toward Gettysburg.
• Ritner Boarding House where John Brown planned the Harpers Ferry Raid in Chambersburg during the summer of 1859.
• And more!

Dinner on your own

Thursday, May 2

Breakfast at Hampton Inn (avail. 6 – 10 a.m.)

8 a.m. – 5 p.m. “Military History Sites in Washington County, Maryland” bus & walking tour led by Steve Bockmiller

• Check-in at Hampton Inn at 7:15-7:45 a.m.
• Bus leaves from Hampton Inn at 8 a.m.
• Delicious lunch included
• Dinner on your own

Bus Tour Description:

Hagerstown and Washington County, Md are among the most historic areas in the country. Join us as we get a taste for some of that history in the sites listed below.

Sites to visit:

• Fort Frederick State Park, site of the reconstructed colonial fort known as Fort Frederick. Fort Frederick was active in the French and Indian War and was designed as a place of refuge for settlers fleeing from Indian raids. The fort was used in 1763 during Pontiac’s Rebellion. It was also used in the American Revolution as a prisoner of war camp with as many as 1,000 captured British and German soldiers.
• Historic sites in downtown Hagerstown including the July 6, 1863 battle during the Retreat from Gettysburg.
• Hagerstown Aviation Museum which has preserved more than 100 years of aviation design. The museum is home to 21 historic aircrafts – of which 16 were built in Hagerstown, Md.
• Washington Confederate Cemetery
• Fort Ritchie, WW2 and Cold War site as well as the home of the celebrated “Ritchie Boys”
• And more!

Dinner on your own

7 p.m. Evening Session

• “Henry Bouquet’s Expedition Against the Ohio Indians in 1764” - talk by Scholar in Residence, Martin West.

West will examine the events leading up to the capitulation of the Indians in the Ohio country.

Friday, May 3

Breakfast at Hampton Inn (avail. 6 – 10 a.m.)

8:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m. Sessions at Hampton Inn

• Lunch on your own
• Dinner included

Topics to discuss include:

• “Take No Prisoners, Weaponize Small Pox, and Unleash the Dogs of War” - Martin West

A discussion on British wilderness warfare.

• “The Generalship of Ulysses S. Grant and the American Civil War” - Dr. Richard Sommers

Do not miss this talk by one of the leading authorities on General Grant.

• • Ed Bearss Presentation

  12 – 2 p.m. Lunch is on your own

  2 – 6 p.m. Sessions Cont.

  • “The Military Heritage of America” - panel discussion with Martin West and others

  Opportunity for the audience to ask questions related to the topic.

  • “The Retreat from Gettysburg” – Thomas Ryan, winner of the 2017 Ed Bearss Award

  Thomas Ryan is an award-winning author and will discuss his new book: “Lee is Trapped and Must Be Taken”: Eleven Fateful Days after Gettysburg, July 4-14, 1863.

  • “Biggest Brothers: The Life of Major Dick Winters” - Larry Alexander

  Our speaker knew Major Winters and wrote the New York Times best-selling biography of the leader of “The Band of Brothers.”

  6 p.m. Dinner included

  7 p.m. Evening Session

  • “Sergeant Alvin York: Hero of the Argonne” - Colonel Douglas Mastriano

  Our speaker is an award-winning author. His biography of Sergeant York is the first full length study in decades.

   

  Saturday, May 4

  Breakfast at Hampton Inn (avail. 6 – 10 a.m.)

  7:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. “The Forbes Road” bus & walking tour led by David Moore

  • Bus leaves from Hampton Inn
  • Lunch included
  • Dinner on your own

  Bus Tour Description:

  Join a leading authority on the colonial wars as we trek in the footsteps of the British Army in the French and Indian and Pontiac Wars.

  Sites to visit:

  • Historic Fort Loudon featuring musket firing demonstration (weather permitting)
  • Bedford, PA historic sites related to the colonial wars and the Whiskey Rebellion.
  • Fort Ligonier & Museum, which contains some of the best collections of French and Indian artifacts in North America. The Fort is a British fortification from the French and Indian War and served as a staging area for the Forbes Expedition of 1758. During the eight years of its existence as a garrison, the Fort was never taken by an enemy.
  • Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pa.—site of the tragic terrorist attack and plane crash. The memorial was made to honor the passengers and crew of Flight 93, who stopped terrorists from reaching their target by fighting the hijackers on Sept. 11, 2001.
  • *If time permits, the group will also visit Bushy Run Battlefield. This is the site of the Battle of Bushy Run fought on Aug. 5-6, 1763 during Pontiac’s Rebellion. It was a major victory for the British and enabled them to secure control of the Ohio River Valley.
  • And more!

   

  Sunday, May 5

  Breakfast at Hampton Inn (avail. 6 – 10 a.m.)

  8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Sessions at Hampton Inn

  Topics to discuss include:

  • “The Military Aspects of the Holocaust” - Scott Anderson

  Scott Anderson will examine the role of the Wehrmacht in one of histories worst genocides. Artifacts on display include 8mm German rifle, Anti personnel and vehicle mines, currency, authentic personal letter from Auschwitz, D-day newspaper, German bayonet and scabbard with German belt buckle and fireman’s axe and more!

  • “The Civil War in and Around Chambersburg” - Ted Alexander

  The years 1861-1865 witnessed constant military activity in the lower Cumberland Valley. Indeed the area was impacted by the war more than any other region north of the Potomac. Join us as the leading authority on the subject discusses this topic in-depth.

  • Civil War Talk TBA

   

** Conference Completion.

Thank you for your patronage! **

Battlefield Preservation

Chambersburg’s Civil War Seminars & Tours has raised over $215,000 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 lkennedy@chambersburg.org.

Seminar registration fee schedule:

• $625  Generals Package (Entire seminar)
• $535  Members Weekend Package (Thursday thru Sunday)
• $130  Wednesday Bus Tour Only
• $145  Thursday Bus Tour Only (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
• $40  Thursday Evening Session Only (7 p.m. to 9 p.m.)
• $130  Friday Sessions Only (8 a.m. to 9 p.m.)
• $195  Saturday Bus Tour Only
• $45  Sunday Only
• *Early Bird Pricing – Save $30 when you register for the Generals Package by February 1, 2019. Use code EARLY30 when  registering online.

Registration includes:

• Packet of maps with itinerary and tour memorabilia
• Name badge and participant contact info
• Beverages during bus tours & sessions
• Meals as described
• Civil War & More – book vendor during Wednesday, Thursday and Friday sessions