A Civil War historian, retired Army officer, and former assistant professor of history at West Point, I began my duties in November 1993. Since then, the center has made significant progress developing its soldiers' database. The records specialists work on only one regiment at a time. Weekly quality control audits help ensure accurate data processing. The center's educational efforts have included hosting a summer seminar for social studies teachers, made possible by a grant from the West Virginia Humanities Council, and sponsoring as well as hosting five annual summer Civil War seminars that have been open to the general public.
Students attending a seminar can receive college credit.
In addition the center has hosted several evening and weekend courses on various Civil War topics and is producing an interactive educational software program about West Virginia's role in the war. Funded in part by a grant from the West Virginia Humanities Council, the program will be issued free of charge to secondary schools in the state. The center's staff recently has undertaken two new initiatives. In conjunction with the Johns Hopkins University School for Continuing Education, it is teaching leadership development courses that culminate with a staff ride of the various sites associated with the 1862 Maryland campaign. A Journal of the American Civil War .