Our monthly meetings are moving to the
ADAMS COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
EVENTS CENTER
625 Biglerville Road, Gettysburg, PA
OPENING NIGHT is April 27, 2023, 7:00 pm
From Gettysburg to Little Bighorn: The Rise, Fall, and Misconceptions of George Armstrong Custer
James Hessler
Based on name recognition alone, George Armstrong Custer is among the most famous individuals to participate in the Gettysburg Campaign. A notable Union hero in the Civil War, he continued his notoriety afterwards in the U.S. Frontier Army. Yet, much of what people think they know about Custer is a murky mixture of fact and fiction. We will trace Custer’s career rise and fall from the Civil War through Little Big Horn. What factors helped him during the Civil War but faltered during his Western career? What popularly held misconceptions continue to prevent Custer from achieving his true historical context? Join us as we discuss “the second most famous person associated with Gettysburg.”
James Hessler has worked as a Licensed Battlefield Guide at Gettysburg National Military Park for two decades. Jim has authored or co-authored three full-length books on the Gettysburg campaign: Sickles at Gettysburg (2009), Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg (2015), and Gettysburg’s Peach Orchard (2019). His books received several distinguished book awards.
Jim currently co-hosts the popular Battle of Gettysburg Podcast. His other media appearances include Travel Channel, C-SPAN, NPR, PCN-TV, and other outlets. He also authored articles in Gettysburg Magazine, America’s Civil War, and Hallowed Ground Magazine. He was one of the primary content designers for the American Battlefield Trust’s mobile Gettysburg application.
Jim is a frequent speaker for Civil War Round Tables and other historical groups nationwide. In addition to Gettysburg, he leads tours at several other battlefields and historic sites across the country. He currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Little Bighorn Associates and formerly on the Executive Council for the Association of Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guides.
Follow Jim’s Facebook page at James Hessler’s Gettysburg History to receive updates on Jim’s current and future projects.
Our meetings are the Fourth Thursday of each month.
We meet at Adams County Historical Society Events Center,
625 Biglerville Road, Gettysburg, PA.
The doors open at 6:30 pm. Meeting starts at 7:00 pm.
The meeting will also be live-streamed. Please see below for information.
Monthly Meeting Minutes
You can now use your credit card or PayPal to securely pay for your Membership Dues. Please see the Membership page for the link.
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Join or Renew Your Membership |
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OFFICERS |
Bruce Davis, President 402.686.6969
Peter Miele, Vice President petemiele@gmail.com
Veronica Brestensky, Recording Secretary 412.719.3577
Linda Seamon, Membership Secretary 717.359.7339
David Diner, Treasurer 717.420.5730
Roger Heller, Program Director 717.398.2072
Linda Joswick, Webmaster 717.253.5477
Lynn Heller, Facebook Administrator 717.398.2072 |
BOARD MEMBERS |
Gary "Rip" Engle (5/25), Lynn Heller (5/24), Roger Heller (5/25), Michele Hessler (5/23), Abbie Hoffman (5/23), Leon Reed 5/24)
Board Member Ex Officio: Therese Orr |
Next Board Meeting:
Board
Meetings are are virtual meetings until it is safe to meet again. Minutes will be posted.
Board Meeting Minutes |
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COMMITTEES |
Plaque Committee:
Reviews and places plaques on buildings that existed during the Battle in Adams County. For information or an application, contact Deb Novotny.
Book Award Committee:
Review books for the Gettysburg Civil War Roundtable Book Award.
Field Trip Committee:
Plan future trips for the members of the Civil War Roundtable.
If you are interested in more information, or joining, one the committees, please contact any Officer or Board Member. |
EVENT INFORMATION |
Members Only Tour
Saturday, May 6, 2023
9:30 am
A Tour of McAllister's Mill
By Kendra Debany
Click here for more information on the tour.
Reynolds Woods Witness Tree Pen Set for Sale
In 1987, the CWRT of Gettysburg bought a slab of the Witness Tree that fell in the Reynolds Woods. They used it to create wood bases for a pen set. Recently these wood bases were rediscovered and the CWRT has made the pen sets available again for purchase. For more information, or to place an order, please see our Witness Tree Pen Set Flyer.
You do not need to be a member of FaceBook to view the videos. |
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Welcome to the web site of the Civil War Round Table of Gettysburg! Since first organized in 1957, we’ve met on the 4th Thursday of every month, until recently in the cozy confines of the Grand Army of the Republic Hall on Middle Street. As the gatherings there were shoulder-to-shoulder, hardly practicable for the age of covid, we’ve made a temporary move to the Gettysburg United Methodist Church, 30 West High Street — which has a certain symmetry, as the GAR building was itself the Civil War-era Methodist Church. Our current space has a lot of advantages, including room for social distancing, free parking in the back, an air filtration system, and excellent livestream capability. The latter is particularly important in the new normal. Starting with the covid shutdowns in March of 2020, we spent the next 14 months with ZOOM only presentations and were surprised at how many people tuned in from across the country. Even as we’ve returned to in person gatherings, we continue to livestream, archiving the presentations for on demand viewing. Elsewhere on this page, you’ll find a link to our past programs, as well as instructions for tuning into our real time gatherings. Our expanding membership includes Civil War enthusiasts from coast to coast; we’d love to include you in our number and hope you’ll check out the membership information elsewhere on this site. Of course, we invite you drop in on one of our meetings. Visitors are always welcome! As you’ll see listed on this site, we’ve got an outstanding roster of speakers lined up for 2022. You might also “Like” our Facebook page, where we post regular updates and photos. Finally, as you have any questions about our group, I invite you to contact me personally: brdgettysburg@gmail.com.
Bruce Davis
President
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SPEAKERS |

Saturday May 6
9:30-noon
Kendra Debany
A Tour of McAllister’s Mill 
May 25
Ron Kirkwood
The Spangler Farm During the Battle of Gettysburg Part 2. 
June 22 (rain date June 29)
Peter Miele
The Attack of Scales’ Brigade at the Seminary 
July 27 (rain date July 31)
Larry Korcyzk
The Wheatfield 
August 24 (rain date Aug 31)
Dr. Carol Reardon
A tour of the Spangler Farm 
September 28
Bradley Gottfried
Comparing Antietam and Gettysburg 
October 26
Dennis Doyle
Illinois Regiments at Gettysburg 
November 16
Janet McCabe
The Story of Rufus Weaver

December 7
Holiday Banquet at The Dobbin House
Jill Titus
Gettysburg in 1963
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News Briefs
Civil War Trust Organization
Preservation
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