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.

Penn State’s 17th annual battlefield study tour was held on September 18-21, 2008, in Staunton, VA, and focused its four-day program on “Stonewall Jackson’s Way: The Valley Campaign of 1862.” Led by Richard Center Scholar-in-Residence Carol Reardon and her faculty of five expert battlefield tour leaders and historians, over ninety attendees explored one of the Civil War’s most interesting generals and one of the most brilliant military operations in history.

This year participants managed to elude torrential rainfalls typical of past tours and enjoyed seasonable weather and exceptional teaching. As one participant noted, “History is much more real, enjoyable, and just plain fun with great leaders and an enthusiastic commander [Carol Reardon].”

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 2009 Battlefield Study Tour

September 17–20, 2009: 17th Annual Penn State Battlefield Study Tour of the Second Battle of Manassas/Bull Run with faculty host Dr. Carol Reardon and historian Jeffry D. Wert '76.

Join Civil War historians for a study of General Robert E. Lee's most decisive and brilliant campaign in Virginia. The complex Second Battle of Manassas in August 1862 resulted in high casualties and illustrated the importance of sound leadership on the field of battle. After his resounding defeat, Union General John Pope lost command of his Army of Virginia and destroyed the reputations of his key subordinates, Generals Irvin McDowell and Fitz John Porter. In achieving a clear victory, Lee–with the active cooperation of Generals Stonewall Jackson and James Longstreet-cleared the way for his first invasion of the North.

For more information about this program, contact Penn State Alumni Association at 1-800-548-5466, option 5, then option 5 again.