Whether town or field, forest or swamp, Penn State's Battlefield Study Tours venture into every crevice of the Civil War. Begun in 1992, the battlefield tours are a joint venture of the Richards Civil War Era Center and the Penn State Alumni Association. With a tour each fall, the program has reached hundreds of adults interested in continuing their education and experiencing first-hand the landscape of the Civil War.

The program offers a relaxed atmosphere and a broad array of Civil War topics. From Shiloh to Vicksburg to Williamsburg, recent tours have crisscrossed the United States.

The program is led by Richards Center Scholar-in-Residence Carol Reardon, professor of military history and award-winning author. Prof. Reardon plans and organizes the trip. She also carefully selects the other program faculty, usually independent scholars and educators who have published books and articles on a related topic. Because of the scholarly nature of the Battlefield Study Tour program, Penn State awards Continuing Education Units (CEUs), while Pennsylvania teachers may earn Act 48 professional development credits for their participation in the fall program.

The 2007 program featured the Battle of Chickamauga, a major victory in North Georgia in September 1863 for General Braxton Bragg's Army of Tennessee. The defeated Union army under Major General William S. Rosecrans retreated to Chattanooga to await the arrival of two generals who re-opened the way to victory: Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman.

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Fall 2008 Battlefield Study Tour

September 18-21, 2008: Stonewall Jackson's Way: The Valley Campaign of 1862, Harrisonburg, VA

"If this Valley is lost, Virginia is lost"

For more information about this program, contact Penn State Alumni Association at 1-800-548-5466.

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Fall 2009 Battlefield Study Tour

September 17–20, 2009: 17th Annual Penn State Battlefield Study Tour at Wilson’s Creek, Pea Ridge, and Prairie Grove