Keeper of the Scales- Joined
- Jun 2, 2013
- Location
- Columbus, OH
In the spring of 1992, I had the great good fortune to meet Ted Alexander, the chief historian at Antietam National Battlefield. We quickly struck up a warm friendship that lasted for nearly 30 years. Ted had a heart as big as his body--if he liked you, he would do anything for you. That's the thing that I always will remember about him. He became like a big brother to me.
Ted is who got me interested in the retreat from Gettysburg, which was long one of his specialties. We spent many an hour together exploring those roads and obscure battlefields. He was always El Jefe de Retreatistas, and when the time came for J. D. Petruzzi, Mike Nugent and me to put together our book on the retreat--especially the driving tours--Ted was the first person we called.
Along the way, Ted invited me to present at one of the programs of the Chambersburg Civil War Seminars, and I soon became one of the regulars at those events. Attending year after year, I got to know many of the participants--they became friends.
Unfortunately, Ted had to step down as program coordinator last year due to health problems, and having understudied him for some time, I became the logical successor. While I was--and am--honored to be the one to succeed Ted, it made me terribly sad to have to do so, because it meant the end of an era.
A cascade of health issues forced Ted to have to move into an assisted living facility a number of months ago, and I hoped that he would be comfortable there. Due to COVID-19, I hadn't been able to go visit him there.
Yesterday, I learned that Ted was in the ICU in a hospital in Hagerstown, Maryland, and that the prognosis wasn't good. And this morning, I awoke to the unhappy news that Ted has left us. I'm grateful that he didn't suffer for long, but I will greatly miss my friend.
Sleep well, my dear friend. You've earned it. You leave behind a giant pair of shoes that I can only hope to try to fill, and you will be badly missed.
Ted is who got me interested in the retreat from Gettysburg, which was long one of his specialties. We spent many an hour together exploring those roads and obscure battlefields. He was always El Jefe de Retreatistas, and when the time came for J. D. Petruzzi, Mike Nugent and me to put together our book on the retreat--especially the driving tours--Ted was the first person we called.
Along the way, Ted invited me to present at one of the programs of the Chambersburg Civil War Seminars, and I soon became one of the regulars at those events. Attending year after year, I got to know many of the participants--they became friends.
Unfortunately, Ted had to step down as program coordinator last year due to health problems, and having understudied him for some time, I became the logical successor. While I was--and am--honored to be the one to succeed Ted, it made me terribly sad to have to do so, because it meant the end of an era.
A cascade of health issues forced Ted to have to move into an assisted living facility a number of months ago, and I hoped that he would be comfortable there. Due to COVID-19, I hadn't been able to go visit him there.
Yesterday, I learned that Ted was in the ICU in a hospital in Hagerstown, Maryland, and that the prognosis wasn't good. And this morning, I awoke to the unhappy news that Ted has left us. I'm grateful that he didn't suffer for long, but I will greatly miss my friend.
Sleep well, my dear friend. You've earned it. You leave behind a giant pair of shoes that I can only hope to try to fill, and you will be badly missed.
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