Eric J. Wittenberg
Eric J. Wittenberg (born March 26, 1961) is an American Civil War (Civil War) historian, author, lecturer, tour guide and battlefield preservationist. He is a practicing attorney in downtown Columbus, Ohio. His published works have focused especially on the Civil War cavalryman and the cavalry battles of the Civil War, with emphasis on the Army of the Potomac's Cavalry Corps. His first book, "Gettysburg's Forgotten Cavalry Actions", was chosen as the best new work addressing the Battle of Gettysburg in 1998, winning the Robert E. Lee Civil War Roundtable of Central New Jersey's Bachelder -Coddington Award. The second edition of this book, published in 2011, won the U. S. Army Historical Foundation's Distinguished Writing Award for that year's best reprint. In 2015, his book "The Devil's to Pay: John Buford at Gettysburg" won the Gettysburg Civil War Roundtable's 2015 Book Award. He was a member of the Governor of Ohio’s Advisory Commission on the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War and has been active with several Civil War battlefield preservation organizations. He and his wife Susan Skilken Wittenberg reside on the east side of Columbus, Ohio. Early life and education . Eric Wittenberg was born March 26, 1961 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He earned an undergraduate degree in political science and economics from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania in 1983. Wittenberg earned both a master's degree in public and international affairs from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1987. Law practice. Wittenberg has practiced law since 1987. His several areas of concentration include subjects related to his work as a historian, including internet law and media and publishing law, including copyright law . He is a partner in the Columbus, Ohio law firm of Cook, Sladoje & Wittenberg Co., L.P.A., where he manages the law firm's litigation practice. Wittenberg is a member of various bar associations and the Westerville, Ohio Chamber of Commerce. Battlefield preservation and civic work. Wittenberg was a member of the Governor of Ohio’s Advisory Commission on the Sesquicentennial of the Civil War. As of July 2016, Wittenberg is the vice president of the Buffington Island Battlefield Preservation Foundation. His preservation efforts have included work with the Civil War Preservation Trust, the Trevilian Station Foundation, and Brandy Station Foundation . Due to his familiarity with and expertise concerning Civil War battles and battlefields, he has given lectures on the Civil War and has led battlefield tours. Books and articles. "Gettysburg Magazine", "North & South", "Blue & Gray", "Hallowed Ground, America’s Civil War", and "Civil War Times Illustrated" have published over two dozen of Wittenberg's articles on cavalry in the American Civil War. Wittenberg has been on the board of directors for "North and South Magazine". He was a founding member and past president of the Central Ohio Civil War Roundtable. Wittenberg is the author or co-author of the following  books Wittenberg is the co-author with Michael Aubrecht of "YOU STINK! Major League Baseball's Terrible Teams and Pathetic Players". Kent, OH: Black Squirrel Books, 2012. . Wittenberg has a blog devoted to the Civil War, "Rantings of a Civil War Historian." His published works have focused on the Civil War cavalryman and the cavalry battles of the Civil War, especially on the Army of the Potomac’s Cavalry Corps. His first book, "Gettysburg's Forgotten Cavalry Actions", won the Robert E. Lee Civil War Roundtable of Central New Jersey's Bachelder-Coddington Award as the best new work addressing  the Battle of Gettysburg in 1998. The second edition won the Army Historical Foundation's Distinguished Writing Award, for Reprint, 2011. His book "The Devil's to Pay: John Buford at Gettysburg" won the Gettysburg Civil War Roundtable's 2015 Book Award.