Award in Publication Excellence Presented to Terry L. Futrell
Originally published July-August 2026 · pp. 4–7
About the author
The East Tennessee Historical Society presented an Award in Publication Excellence to Terry L. Futrell on May 5 for his 2-part series on Burnside’s invasion of East Tennessee, published in Civil War News in 2025. The Awards of Excellence program annually recognizes individuals and organizations for significant contributions to the preservation, promotion, and interpretation of the region’s history. Eligible projects include exhibits, lectures, conferences, publications, print and broadcast media, teaching, and lifetime achievement. Futrell’s research on General Ambrose Burnside’s 1863 movement into East Tennessee represents a notable advancement in Civil War scholarship for the region. Through meticulous use of primary sources, he identifies and challenges longstanding inaccuracies in previous interpretations, particularly regarding troop movements and routes taken during the operation. His articles, published in Civil War News, provide a clearer, more precise understanding of Burnside’s operations and the broader East Tennessee Campaign. Futrell was also presented with three additional Awards of Excellence by the Society. These included two History in Media awards for a podcast titled East Tennessee Civil War Stories and a musical album titled When the Blue Flags Rode the Ridge, which features 12 original songs that speak to the region’s historical narrative while vividly capturing the emotions, culture, and experiences of the Civil War era. Futrell also received an Award in Publication Excellence for a book titled The Civil War in Morgan County, Tennessee, that he co-authored with Morgan County Historian Michael W. Nance. The book connects local events to the broader national conflict and highlights political divisions, social upheaval, and often-overlooked perspectives, including the important roles of women.
After teaching industrial electronics at the high school level for two years, Terry L. Futrell spent 45 years working in electronics engineering, industrial process improvement, and technology management in the nuclear industry. Since retirement, Terry focuses on US Civil War research, writing, photography, and songwriting. In the past ten years, he has published seven books and two magazine articles, with two additional books in process. Terry’s work is noted for its historical accuracy, the result of meticulous research using primary sources, including hard-to-find resources often overlooked by other historians and authors. Terry’s documentation of East Tennessee Civil War topics has been recognized with five Awards of Excellence from the East Tennessee Historical Society over the past six years. He currently maintains two podcasts focused on the Civil War in East Tennessee and on viewing life from a Christian worldview. Terry has used AI tools extensively over the past three years to support his creative activities and maintains his own computer server, on which he hosts several AI models for evaluation and development. Terry is an Electronics Engineering graduate of the University of Tennessee.
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STEADILY BUILDING A COLLECTION SINCE 1896 The Civil War artifact collection at the South Carolina Confederate Relic Room and Military Museum is unparalleled. Growing since 1896, it has doubled in the 21st century. The museum seeks to expand to showcase rare artifacts, including the Corky Huey and Colin J. McRae Archival Collections on European arms, as well as South Carolina-made weapons. Recent acquisitions include the Joseph Allen Edens Collection, featuring rare muskets, swords, and a frock coat. None are yet on exhibit, but can be viewed by appointment by calling 803-737-8095. 301 Gervais Street Columbia, SC
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Photographs from the Original Article
Captions and credits appear in the article text as originally printed.