Nick Picerno, SVBF

[bdtex]

Nick Picerno, Vice Chairman and Chairman Emeritus and longtime member of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefield Foundation(SVBF), passed away from brain cancer on Wednesday, October 8, 2025. He was 71. He and the SBVF were very gracious and generous to us during the 2023 CWT Muster at Winchester/Cedar Creek/New Market. The above picture was taken during the kickoff meeting in the War Room at our HQ Hotel. I thought I had a picture of him with us in the field at Winchester but apparently not. He had quite a collection of artifacts and relics and showed some of them to us the couple of days he was with us. The SVBF has done a remarkable job of battlefield reclamation/restoration/preservation.

 

[milhistbuff1]

View attachment 563754

Nick Picerno, Vice Chairman and Chairman Emeritus and longtime member of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefield Foundation(SVBF), passed away from brain cancer on Wednesday, October 8, 2025. He was 71. He and the SBVF were very gracious and generous to us during the 2023 CWT Muster at Winchester/Cedar Creek/New Market. The above picture was taken during the kickoff meeting in the War Room at our HQ Hotel. I thought I had a picture of him with us in the field at Winchester but apparently not. He had quite a collection of artifacts and relics and showed some of them to us the couple of days he was with us. The SVBF has done a remarkable job of battlefield reclamation/restoration/preservation.

May he rest in peace. He'll be dearly missed by many. IIRC his artifacts are on loan to Museum in the old Frederick County Courthouse. Was his 2022 CWT presentation on 10Th Maine & Gen. Mansfield recorded? I found the event announcement thread but no entry in the CWT Presents archive.

Here's the link to the museum referenced. Shen. Valley Civil War Museum

 

[bdtex]

Was his 2022 CWT presentation on 10Th Maine & Gen. Mansfield recorded?

Not that I am aware of.

 

[milhistbuff1]

Not that I am aware of.

Thank you, SVBF has set up a donation link in his memory.

 

[lelliott19]

Nick was a true icon among Civil War historians. He single handedly "brought along" a host of up- and-coming authors, historians, and collectors through his kindness, generosity, and simple encouragement. He was generous with praise. Nick knew everyone - and could recall each historian's speciifc interest or specialty. He connected people with others whose research might intersect. In short, Nick Picerno was a prince among men and his loss is a huge blow to the Civil War community and the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation.

May his life, well lived, and all its precious memories, bear with them to the bereaved family the comfort needed at this time.

Was his 2022 CWT presentation on 10Th Maine & Gen. Mansfield recorded? I found the event announcement thread but no entry in the CWT Presents archive.

Here is that recording.

 

[milhistbuff1]

Nick was a true icon among Civil War historians. He single handedly "brought along" a host of up- and-coming authors, historians, and collectors through his kindness, generosity, and simple encouragement. He was generous with praise. Nick knew everyone and could recall each historian's speciifc interest or specialty. He connected people with others whose research might intersect. In short, Nick Picerno was a prince among men and his loss is a huge blow to the Civil War community and the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation.

May his life, well lived, and all its precious memories, bear with them to the bereaved family the comfort needed at this time.

Here is that recording.

Thank you, much appreciated and seconded.

 

[lelliott19]

I thought I had a picture of him with us in the field at Winchester...

 

[lelliott19]

A couple more I really like. Up first, Nick "holds court" as we eagerly hang on every word and animated hand gesture.

This one is perhaps the best of all. Nick holds up George Beal's shoulder straps for the group to see. Then he handed them to us so we could pass them around for everyone to get an up close look.

 

[Jamieva]

We're losing too many people this year.

 

[Belfoured]

We're losing too many people this year.

And leaving large shoes to fill, as well.

 

[milhistbuff1]

I see Battlefields and Bourbon also had him on. B&B with Nick

 

[Stryker65]

I had a great time talking to Nick at the 2023 Winchester muster:

 

[LCYingling3rd]

What a sad loss! I thought his talks and tours with us during the 2023 Muster were excellent. The fact that he brought along key artifacts from his personal collection to share with us out in the field was so special and, I believe, really gave us a sense of connection to the action he was discussing.

I will always remember how he showed us Union general William Dwight's actual original report for his Division's action during the Third Battle of Winchester. Nick explained how the general had been extremely critical of fellow Division commander Cuvier Grover in his report and how that had angered 19th Corps commander William Emory - causing him to have general Dwight arrested and held for Courts Martial after the battle. Nick explained how Dwight remained in trouble until he changed his report, removing the unacceptable criticism. He explained how the original distasteful report had been lost to history and only the revised one remained. It was Nick who discovered that the old report was not missing, but that general Dwight had literally done an 18th century version of "cutting and pasting" by literally rewriting the report and gluing the new version over the old report! It was absolutely fascinating that we could literally see the seams in the report where the new page was glued over top of the old report - proving that the supposedly "lost report" was right there in front of us in Nick's hands!!! We all laughed as we tried to convince him to steam the two pages apart so that we could all read exactly what general Dwight had said about general Grover that got him in such hot water! That was a special moment with Nick that we will never forget!

He was like that - making history interesting and accessible. I am sure many of you remember how he was able to get us into the newly preserved Miller family farmhouse on the Cedar Creek battlefield in Middletown, VA. I was lucky enough to hear more of his fascinating and informative talks and tour with him again around Winchester in 2024 during the 160th anniversary events for Third Winchester, Fisher's Hill, Tom's Brook, and Cedar Creek. All battlefields that Nick was instrumental in preserving for posterity with his work for the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation. Not only was he an extremely knowledgeable and an astute historian, but he was also genuinely friendly, fun, funny and great to be around! I doubt we can accurately measure the amount wonderful and important contributions Nick has made to the study and preservation of American Civil War history.

He will be greatly missed.

Rest in peace...

 

[bdtex]

What a sad loss! I thought his talks and tours with us during the 2023 Muster were excellent. The fact that he brought along key artifacts from his personal collection to share with us out in the field was so special and, I believe, really gave us a sense of connection to the action he was discussing.

I will always remember how he showed us Union general William Dwight's actual original report for his Division's action during the Third Battle of Winchester. Nick explained how the general had been extremely critical of fellow Division commander Cuvier Grover in his report and how that had angered 19th Corps commander William Emory - causing him to have general Dwight arrested and held for Courts Martial after the battle. Nick explained how Dwight remained in trouble until he changed his report, removing the unacceptable criticism. He explained how the original distasteful report had been lost to history and only the revised one remained. It was Nick who discovered that the old report was not missing, but that general Dwight had literally done an 18th century version of "cutting and pasting" by literally rewriting the report and gluing the new version over the old report! It was absolutely fascinating that we could literally see the seams in the report where the new page was glued over top of the old report - proving that the supposedly "lost report" was right there in front of us in Nick's hands!!! We all laughed as we tried to convince him to steam the two pages apart so that we could all read exactly what general Dwight had said about general Grover that got him in such hot water! That was a special moment with Nick that we will never forget!

He was like that - making history interesting and accessible. I am sure many of you remember how he was able to get us into the newly preserved Miller family farmhouse on the Cedar Creek battlefield in Middletown, VA. I was lucky enough to hear more of his fascinating and informative talks and tour with him again around Winchester in 2024 during the 160th anniversary events for Third Winchester, Fisher's Hill, Tom's Brook, and Cedar Creek. All battlefields that Nick was instrumental in preserving for posterity with his work for the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation. Not only was he an extremely knowledgeable and an astute historian, but he was also genuinely friendly, fun, funny and great to be around! I doubt we can accurately measure the amount wonderful and important contributions Nick has made to the study and preservation of American Civil War history.

He will be greatly missed.

Rest in peace...

As much as I enjoyed everything you described, I think I enjoyed our visit at the Winchester Courthouse Museum the most. The SVBF held an afterhours reception there just for us and even provided light refreshments and snacks. Nick was there too. Some of the attendees showed their appreciation by making a donation to and joining the SVBF. I knew it was on our itinerary but I didn't know how cool it was going to be.

 

[LCYingling3rd]

As much as I enjoyed everything you described, I think I enjoyed our visit at the Winchester Courthouse Museum the most. The SVBF held an afterhours reception there just for us and even provided light refreshments and snacks. Nick was there too. Some of the attendees showed their appreciation by making a donation to and joining the SVBF. I knew it was on our itinerary but I didn't know how cool it was going to be.

You are right. That was a special event for our CivilWarTalk members! Getting together with Nick, his wife, and many of the SVBF staff in that wonderful, extremely historic Court House Museum was certainly something I won't forget! He really will be missed!

I certainly continue to renew my membership with the SVBF and I am sure many of us do. They continue preserving amazing properties up and down the Valley. I just toured some of the new land of the 2nd Battle of Winchester that they have preserved and it is wonderful! They recently saved property by the West Fort where the Louisiana Tigers fought and at Stephenson's Depot. That is where my mother's ancestor of the 2nd VA captured my father's ancestor of the 87th PA. And they just preserved another property at Fisher's Hill. They are a wonderful organization.

 

[bdtex]

I certainly continue to renew my membership with the SVBF and I am sure many of us do. They continue preserving amazing properties up and down the Valley. I just toured some of the new land of the 2nd Battle of Winchester that they have preserved and it is wonderful! They recently saved property by the West Fort where the Louisiana Tigers fought and at Stephenson's Depot. That is where my mother's ancestor of the 2nd VA captured my father's ancestor of the 87th PA. And they just preserved another property at Fisher's Hill. They are a wonderful organization.

I am on the email list and kicked in some money last year for one of their projects. I don't recall which one it was.

 

[LCYingling3rd]

I am on the email list and kicked in some money last year for one of their projects. I don't recall which one it was.

That is so awesome! I appreciate it because I stay in Berkeley Springs, WV quite a bit now and the Shenandoah Valley is my "back yard" in a sense. So, I am extremely happy that much of it is being preserved. Thanks, every little bit helps!!!

The SVBF has been doing wonderful work up and down the Valley. They have been doing some substantial work on the southern end of the valley at battlefields like McDowell (1381 acres), Cross Keys (533 acres), Port Republic (760 acres), New Market (237 acres), and they have even started with 3 acres at the Piedmont battlefield. I have yet to visit those battlefields to see the new acquisitions. And I have only seen pictures of their Visitor's Center and Museum at New Market.

You got to see some of the awesome work they are doing at the lower, northern end of the Valley. We toured 3rd Winchester, Cedar Creek and Fisher's Hill. They have picked up some important new properties at several battlefields bringing totals up to; Cedar Creek (1037 acres), Fishers Hill (1116 acres), Tom's Brook (984 acres), and they now have saved 222 acres at 2nd Winchester and 62 acres at Kernstown. And finally, they have helped preserve their first acres outside of Virginia by assisting in a public/private project to save two parcels of land at the Hoke's Run/1st Falling Waters battlefield in Berkeley County, WV outside of Martinsburg. That is huge for me not just because it was the first battle in the Valley and the first battle for folks like Thomas J. Jackson, JEB Stuart, and George Thomas, but because my mother was born and raised in Martinsburg and many of my ACW ancestors are from the Back Creek Valley of Berkeley County, WV. Yea!!! LOL

So, thanks again for helping to make some of these projects possible!

 

[Kathy the history sleuth]

View attachment 563754

Nick Picerno, Vice Chairman and Chairman Emeritus and longtime member of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefield Foundation(SVBF), passed away from brain cancer on Wednesday, October 8, 2025. He was 71. He and the SBVF were very gracious and generous to us during the 2023 CWT Muster at Winchester/Cedar Creek/New Market. The above picture was taken during the kickoff meeting in the War Room at our HQ Hotel. I thought I had a picture of him with us in the field at Winchester but apparently not. He had quite a collection of artifacts and relics and showed some of them to us the couple of days he was with us. The SVBF has done a remarkable job of battlefield reclamation/restoration/preservation.

RIP. I enjoyed his talks at the Muster. I'm not surprised to hear about his support of others seeking to learn.

 

[Jeffry]

I'm proud to have called him a friend. Here he is in September 2021 at the "dedication" of the Maine monument at the Third Winchester battlefield (the monument hadn't arrived yet because of production delays, but the scheduled event went on). I'll miss him.

 

[ErnieMac]

I was saddened to hear of his passing. As others have noted the success of the 2023 Shenandoah Muster was in no small part to Nick's efforts.