Atlanta Civil War Round Table 2010
Richard Barksdale Harwell Book Award
The Civil War Round Table of Atlanta, Georgia has awarded its 22nd annual Richard
Barksdale Harwell Book Award to Dr. Earl J. Hess for his book, In the Trenches at
Petersburg: Field Fortifications and Confederate Defeat. The Civil War Round
Table of Atlanta
has presented the Harwell Award annually since 1989 for the best book on a Civil
War topic published in the preceding year.
Dr. Hess (Ph.D., Purdue University, 1986) is Associate Professor and Chair of
the Department of History at Lincoln Memorial University. He has authored a
number of books on the Civil War, including: Lee's Tar Heels; Pickett's Charge:
The Last Attack at Gettysburg (nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in 2002); and
The Rifled Musket in Civil War Combat.
Published by The University of North Carolina Press, In the Trenches at
Petersburg, completes Dr. Hess's trilogy on trench warfare in the Eastern
Theater. As in the previous two volumes, the author conducted extensive original
research in primary sources and careful examination of surviving trench remains.
This well-written text, supplemented with excellent diagrams, maps and
photographs, contributes new thinking to the role of Civil War field
fortifications as well as the actions at Petersburg.
The Harwell Award honors the late Richard Barksdale Harwell,
a nationally recognized librarian, bibliographer, historian and first president
of the Atlanta Civil War Round Table. The Award consists of a monetary prize plus an engraved
plaque recognizing the event. Professor Hess is the 22nd Harwell Award winner.
Previous winners include James I. "Bud" Robertson, James McPherson, Gary
Gallagher, Emory Thomas, Gordon Rhea and William C. "Jack" Davis.
Dr. Hess will speak at the November 2010 meeting of the Civil War Round
Table of Atlanta. At that time he will be presented the Harwell Award.
Other finalists for the 2009 Harwell Award included: Russell Bond's, War Like a
Thunderbolt (Westholme Pub); David Powell's, The Maps of Chickamauga (Savas-Beatie
Pub); and Ed Longacre's, Cavalry of the Heartland (Westholme Pub).
Point of Contact for additional information on the Richard B. Harwell Book Award
is Gary Barnes, glb5282017@aol.com
