Untitled (p. 43)
Originally published July-August 2026 · pp. 43
D. Scott Hartwig Receives Houston Civil War Round Table’s 2025 “Frank E. Vandiver Award of Merit” HOUSTON, TEXAS—Continuing a 42-year tradition, the Houston Civil War Round Table (HCWRT) has awarded Scott Hartwig the Frank E. Vandiver Award of Merit. The Vandiver Award recognizes outstanding contributions to Civil War scholarship or preservation efforts by an individual or an institution. Presented annually, the award honors the memory of Dr. Frank Everson Vandiver (1925– 2005), a renowned Civil War historian and one of the earliest members of HCWRT. Lynda Crist, a longtime member of HCWRT and editor of the Jefferson Davis Papers at Rice University, was the first recipient of the Vandiver Award in 1982. Other past winners include Gary Gallagher, Ed Bearss, Richard Sommers, Frank O’Reilly, William C. “Jack” Davis, Don Troiani, David E. Roth, James “Bud” Robertson, Eric Jacobson, Ed Cotham, Gordon Rhea, James McPherson, Brian Steel Wills, A. Wilson Greene, Timothy B. Smith, and Chris Mackowski. D. Scott Hartwig was the supervisory park historian at Gettysburg National Military Park and retired in 2014 after a 34-year career in the National Park Service, nearly all of it spent at Gettysburg. He received the regional Freeman Tilden Award for excellence in interpretation in 1993 and was a key player for the design of all aspects of the current Gettysburg museum/visitor center. Scott is the author of
To Antietam Creek: The Maryland Campaign from September 3 to September 16, published in September 2012 by Johns Hopkins University Press, and of I Dread the Thought of the Place: The Battle of Antietam and End of the Maryland Campaign, also published by Johns Hopkins in August 2023. Scott Hartwig and HCWRT The latter title won the President Walker Agnew. 2024 Barksdale Award, Emerging Civil War’s Book Award, and was one of two books that received honorable mention for the American Battlefield Trust 2024 History Prize. In announcing the award, HCWRT President Walker Agnew commented, “It is such a privilege for the HCWRT to be able to recognize Scott Hartwig’s long tenure as an incredible historian and scholar. The depth of his knowledge, along with his presentation skills, creates a wonderful level of entertainment for everyone.” A large, wooden Minié ball symbolizing the award was presented to Mr. Hartwig after he addressed the Houston Civil War Round Table at its monthly meeting on April 16, 2026.
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