Richard J. Sommers

Dr. Richard J. Sommers has contributed extensively to Civil War and military history. In addition to his latest books Challenges of Command, and Richmond Redeemed, he has authored more than 100 books, chapters, articles, entries, and reviews on a wide variety of Civil War topics. The SB updated, expanded 150th anniversary edition of Richmond Redeemed earned the Army Historical Foundation Distinguished Writing Award as the best reprint on U.S. Army history for 2014. The original edition was awarded the Bell Wiley Prize for the best Civil War book published in 1981-82. Dr. Sommers himself is also the recipient of a host of awards, including the Harrisburg Civil War Round Table General John F. Hartranft Award “for meritorious service,” the Houston Civil War Round Table Frank E. Vandiver Award “for merit,” and the Army Heritage Center Foundation General John Armstrong Award “for significant contributions.” In 2015, the Army War College designated him a “Distinguished Fellow.” He is a popular speaker to Civil War audiences, including the Civil War Round Table circuit, all across America. He retired in 2014 as the Senior Historian of the Army Heritage and Education Center, where he served for more than four decades, but he continues to teach at the Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and to write and speak about the Civil War. Born in Indiana and educated at Carleton College (B.A.) and Rice University (Ph.D.), Dr. Sommers resides in Carlisle with his wife, Tracy.