Putting one's money where one's mouth is. . .

Ed Bearss, left, and Brian Pohanka (photo by Rudy Perini)

On this day, four years ago, we lost one of the best and most devoted historians of the American Civil War, Brian Pohanka (seen at right, above, with legendary Civil War historian and guide, Edwin C. Bearss). Brian was merely 50-years-old, and at the height of his powers, with myriad projects in the works and untold numbers of them yet to begin. His storied career is recounted in this Washington Post obituary. For all of Brian's work on Civil War subjects, I was most fascinated and excited by his research, and his comprehensive grasp of events along the Greasy Grass in 1876. I love the book, Where Custer Fell, and selfishly regret that I never got to visit the Little Bighorn in company with Brian. Several people and I—good friends of Brian's like Paula Gidjunis and Keith Young—had spoken of hiring Brian for a private trip to Montana.

I was fortunate to get to know Brian first through his writing for Civil War Regiments quarterly, when we published one of his pieces on the 5th New York, and later through his participation in the Civil War Forum, when he attended some of our annual get-togethers. The photo at top was the 4th CWF gathering, 2000, with Ed and Brian on the Mississippi River at Vicksburg (photo by Rudy Perini). Brian was also a mover and a shaker in the area of battlefield preservation. A 2006 press release from the Civil War Preservation Trust—the preeminent preservation organization for Civil War sites (see the previous blog entry discussing CWPT's new website)—details Pohanka's all-but-anonymous, and stunning generosity:

From the very beginnings of the Civil War battlefield preservation movement, Brian Pohanka led the charge. He not only gave of his time and talents, but frequently and generously reached into his wallet as well. We at Civil War Preservation Trust are proud to carry on the work he began nearly two decades ago.’
Pohanka’s generosity to battlefield preservation was unequalled. In addition to the $1 million bequest, he and his wife Cricket quietly donated an equal amount to CWPT in 2004. Over the years, Pohanka gave generously to both CWPT and countless other local battlefield preservation groups—in his will, he also set aside money for the Central Virginia Battlegrounds Trust ($500,000), the Richmond Battlefields Association ($500,000), and the Save Historic Antietam Foundation ($200,000).

Edwin C. "3 Rugs" Bearss, High Private 17th Virginia "Wildcat" Cavalry

To prevent the good folks at Civil War Interactive from reporting that I went a week without updating my blog, here are a few random photos from past Civil War Forum battlefield conferences. This first image, above, was from the 2007 gathering at Appomattox, and is an exclusive—I'm confident that I have scooped all other Civil War blogs with this unpublished image of one of Ed Bearss's lesser-known Civil War ancestors. Ed was one of our three guides that day, and at the close of the tour, Appomattox NHP historian Patrick Schroeder surprised us by arranging for this rare photo (and one of historian Ron Wilson's ancestor as well) to be mounted in the exhibit area. It probably was not intended to be committed to the internet—effectively until the end of time—but maybe this exceptional image will lead to the discovery of other fighting rug portraits.


Below, the aforementioned Appomattox historians Ron Wilson, left, and Patrick Schroeder.















Here was fought the Battle of Sutherland's Station, April 2, 1865.
In the photo, Ed Bearss and his backup singers.















Jumping now from Virginia to Tennessee, the grave of Sam Watkins, Company Aytch, Zion Presbyterian Church Cemetery.















The one and only Jim Ogden, historian at Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park, in this instance photographed at Stones River. Non-regulation tie.















My kitchen counter. Did someone say pitchers and catchers will be reporting soon?