A certified teacher in the state of Virginia who is passionate about giving tours that bring history to life.
John has been a student of the Civil War since his first visit to the Gettysburg National Military Park when he was 10 years old. That one trip sparked an interest in the Civil War that has never left him. That interest in the Civil War grew further when he would take road trips with his father to visit numerous historical, and especially Civil War sites. Their road trips took them to 1st and 2nd Manassas, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, Grant’s Tomb, Lee’s Tomb, and Jackson’s grave in Lexington, Shiloh, Fort Sumter, Appomattox, Antietam, Corinth, Vicksburg, Chickamauga, Harper’s Ferry, and more.
This love of the Civil War, and American history, led John to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in American history from Southern New Hampshire University. John graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2018 from SNHU. During his time going for his BA degree, John interned with the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park. His time there took him to all six duty stations in the park. This included the four area battlefields, Chatham Manor, and the Jackson Death Site. This expanded knowledge of this area’s history played a significant role in John’s future choice to move here with his wife Sarah.
After his internship, John worked for the National Park Service in Maryland at Fort Washington Park, Oxon Hill Farm. He then spent a Summer working in Utah at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. After his time in Utah, John and his now wife Sarah decided to move to Fredericksburg. Since moving here in 2019, John is working towards his Master’s degree in American history from Southern New Hampshire University. He has also become a certified teacher in the state of Virginia and teaches middle school English. John has been with Battlefield Tours of Virginia since 2019.
He has given two presentations to his local roundtable in Fredericksburg. One was on Burnside at Fredericksburg, and the other was about the Forgotten Fall of 1863 in Virginia. He has a few blog posts on the Emerging Civil War website. John’s focus on history is to challenge the popular norm of historical thought. Also, to challenge people to go beyond what they have heard and seen in documentaries, and to think deeper about topics that seemed black and white. It is always my goal when giving a tour to bring history to life.
Peace, Tranquility, Death, and Destruction
Emerging Civil War
April 2021
Lee’s Luck
Emerging Civil War
March 2021
General John F. Reynolds
Emerging Civil War
February 2021