79th PA Presentation on Sunday at Trinity Lutheran Church

First block of S. Duke St., c. 1865
Stereoview by William Gill

On Sunday, June 30, I will be debuting a presentation on the Normal Rifles (Company E, 79th Pennsylvania) during Trinity Lutheran Church's Forum Hour.  Trinity's pastor, Timothy Mentzer, asked me to give a talk about something related to the Civil War, and I thought focusing on one company through the war would be the best way to give a perspective on what the war meant to those who experienced it.  All are welcome to attend the presentation, which begins at 9:45 a.m. in the Fondersmith Auditorium of Trinity Lutheran Church, 31 S. Duke Street, Lancaster.  Hopefully, I'll be giving this talk on many more occasions in Lancaster County, as well.

The talk will focus on the stories of ten soldiers of Company E, 79th Pennsylvania, which was known as the "Normal Rifles" for its connection to the State Normal School at Millersville. We'll learn about their backgrounds, the events in which they participated between 1861 and 1865 from the perspective of their families and friends in Lancaster, and how they shaped the war's memory.  I'll try to include as many pictures and connections to modern-day Lancaster as possible.  The ten soldiers whom I have selected for their diverse experiences and for which the records they left are:

1. Morris D. Wickersham
2. Sigmund E. Wisner
3. Edwin K. Martin
4. Elias H. Witmer
5. Stephen S. Clair
6. Thomas B. Hambleton
7. William L. Lamborn
8. Reuben C. Long
9. George M. Delp
10. Michael W. Brandt

I hope to see you on Sunday!

Note: See last year's presentation, which focused on a wartime history of Trinity Lutheran Church, here.