Civil War speaker to give presentation

A respected author and historian will share his knowledge of Civil War soldiers' activities and behavior during a free presentation on Saturday, May 3, in Emporium.

Dr. Richard A. Sauers will present "The Boys in Blue: A Humorous Look at Youths in the Union Army" at 10 am at the Barbara Moscato Brown Memorial Library.

His talk will focus on how soldiers used practical jokes and tomfoolery to pass the time and to cope with the stress of warfare and deprivation.

Far too often, Union Civil War soldiers are perceived as cardboard cutouts who fought the enemy and won the war. Sauers will examine the common soldiers in blue and how they kept their focus during a war in which more than 600,000 men died.

"This program will be a fascinating journey that delves into the lives of the young soldiers of the Civil War," said Cameron County Genealogy Club leader Wendy Davis.

Dr. Sauers, 53, of White Oak, has written numerous books on the Civil War, including Gettysburg: The Meade-Sickles Controversy and How to Do Civil War Research.

He earned his doctorate from Pennsylvania State University in 1987, by which time he was already lecturing and teaching at Susquehanna University. He also worked as a historian at Harrisburg's Pennsylvania Capitol Preservation Committee.

In 1991, Sauers left the teaching profession in order to focus more on writing books about the Civil War. He was also employed at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall, as its museum curator.

Today, Sauers regularly contributes articles to U.S. military magazines. He's a recipient of the Archie K. Davis Fellowship for North Carolina scholars and he's active with the American Historical Association, National Geographic Society and Organization of American Historians.

Civil War books and research are gaining popularity. Dr. Sauers draws upon his many years of research experience to offer pointers that can help almost any Civil War project. He's able to point researchers to a broad array of collections that are now available and often easier to use in electronic form.

The program is sponsored by the Genealogy Club and Pa. Historical and Museum Commission. For additional information, email cameronco untygenealogy@gmail.com.