2009 Presenters and Guides

Jeffry D. Wert
...is the author of eight books on the Civil War including Gettysburg Day Three, A Brotherhood of Valor, The Common Soldiers of the Stonewall Brigade, C.S.A., the Iron Brigade, U.S.A., and The Sword of Lincoln, a history of the Army of the Potomac. His articles and essays have appeared in numerous Civil War publications. His most recent book is Cavalryman of the Lost Cause. A Biography of J.E.B. Stuart.

Robert E.L. Krick
... is a leading authority on Civil War Richmond and the author of Staff Officers in Gray. A Biographical Register of the Staff Officers in the Army of Northern Virginia and The Fortieth Virginia Infantry. He writes frequently on Confederate topics, especially on Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. He will lead our tour of many Civil War sites in Richmond.

Michael D. Gorman
... designs and maintains the website Civil War Richmond which is “designed to be an ongoing research project into the City of Richmond during the Civil War.” Using primary sources, the site collects documents, photographs, maps and other materials assembled in a logical sequence. They are presented without commentary so that individuals may make use of them in an appropriate manner.

Dr. Danielle M. Torisky
... is an Associate professor of the Health Sciences Department and Dietetics Program at James Madison University. Her areas of interest include dietetics/medical history with a focus on the Civil War period nutrition for both soldiers and civilians. Her “Hospital Diet Kitchen” poster display was exhibited in the National Museum of Civil War Medicine. She has written a chapter on “Comfort Foods and Food Remedies…” in the book, Portals to Shenandoah Valley Folkways.

Chris Ferguson
... Chris Ferguson started researching Hollywood Cemetery in 1994 and began studying the lives of Confederate soldiers profiled in his book, Hollywood Cemetery: Her Forgotten Soldiers: Confederate Field Officers at Rest. He has recently published an index record of all known Confederates buried in the cemetery. His most recent book is Southerners At Rest. He is working on a book describing the history of the R.E. Lee Camp Soldiers Home.

Ben F. Fordney
... is the Director of the Institute. He has taught American, world and Western history at James Madison University, Bridgewater College and the Blue Ridge Community College. He is the author of Stoneman at Chancellorsville. The Coming of Age of Union Cavalry and George Stoneman: A Biography of the Union General. He is a board member and Program Director of the Shenandoah Valley Civil War Round Table.