Tour Talk: Sheridan Recovers the Valley, with Gary Ecelbarger and Scott Patchan

It’s not the size of the dog in the fight; it’s the size of the fight in the dog. Perhaps Ulysses S. Grant had this thought in mind in the summer of 1864. That’s when the Army’s Commanding General appointed the diminutive—and, as of yet, unproven—Philip Sheridan to lead the Union’s forces in the Shenandoah … Read more

Tour Talk: On Sacred Grounds, with Neil Mangum

If timing is everything in life, then perhaps it’s no surprise that the Indian Wars are so often overlooked in the annals of U.S. history. Wedged between the close of the Civil War and Custer’s last stand at Little Bighorn, this fascinating 10-year period saw awful bloodshed throughout the Northwest as white settlers tested the … Read more

The Overland Campaign Part 1, with Gordon Rhea

In the annals of classic military confrontations, the Overland Campaign stands out as a clash of the titans. And it was for sure, as Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee matched wits for the first time in a grueling six-week battle for precious Virginia territory. But as BGES member and noted historian Gordon Rhea … Read more

Tour Talk: To the Bitter End: North Carolina in 1865, with Bert Dunkerly and Wade Sokolosky

When it comes to dynamic duos, BGES has one that ranks with the all-time greats: Bert Dunkerly and Wade Sokolosky. On March 25–28, 2020, the pair will team up to host “To the Bitter End: North Carolina in 1865,” a four-day tour detailing the fierce fighting from Averasboro to Bentonville that took place as the … Read more

Tour Talk: The Texas Two Step, with Neil Mangum

Texas has long intrigued us with raucous tales of its fiercely independent past: The Wild West, shoot-’em-up battles, the Alamo defiance, cattle round-ups, the legendary Texas Rangers … and that only touches on a tiny bit of this fascinating state’s story. Kicking off a new year of BGES touring, historian Neil Mangum is leading two tours in … Read more