July 2023 marks not only the 160th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg and capture of Vicksburg, but it also marks the 160th Anniversary of the July 18, 1863, attack on Battery Wagner on Morris Island, South Carolina. This attack was spearheaded by the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, a regiment of African American soldiers whose story was told, in part, in the 1989 movie Glory. While the 54th Massachusetts remains one of the most famous fighting units of the American Civil War, many are surprised to learn that when it was first organized, there were more men from Pennsylvania in the ranks of this storied regiment than from any other state, including more than 100 men who hailed from southcentral Pennsylvania. National Park Service Ranger John Hoptak will cover an in-depth examination of the southcentral Pennsylvanians who served in the 54th Massachusetts, including some who called Gettysburg and Adams County home.
John D. Hoptak has worked as an interpreter and educator with the National Park Service since 2006, first at Antietam National Battlefield and, since 2012, at Gettysburg National Military Park. A native of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, John is also the author of numerous articles and several books including The Battle of South Mountain, First in Defense of the Union, Confrontation at Gettysburg and Dear Ma: The Civil War Letters of Curtis Pollock.
Join us to commemorate the 161st anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg with Sacred Trust 2024 Talks & Book Signings at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center.
Details to be announced in the spring of 2024. For more information, visit www.gettysburg...
24 авг 2024
