Edwin C. Bearss, R.I.P.

Edwin C. Bearss, former Chief Historian of the United States National Park Service, died a few days ago at the age of 97. He was the author of many books and beloved by everyone I know who had contact with him. Mr. Bearss was very generous with his time. He read three of my manuscripts and gave me good advice about each of them. From him I learned to curb my use of superlatives and employ "one of the best (or worst)" instead of "the best (or worst)." The former is more judicious. We met in person only one time, more than 20 years ago at the dedication of the marker for the 39th Illinois on the Darbytown Road about 12 miles southeast of Richmond. As I wrote my first book I learned that a man from my township in Illinois had carried the 39th's flag in a successful charge against Confederate earthworks on August 16, 1864, captured a Confederate flag, and earned a battlefield commission and a Medal of Honor. Some of us from the township had raised the money to mark the spot. The dedication took place on a beautiful, sunny August 16th, not overly warm for Virginia. My three young children ran around among a few other spectators on a field over which Federals and Confederates had charged and blasted one another more than a hundred years before. Mr. Bearss was kind enough to speak on the occasion. Gesturing with his good arm, he spoke slowly, distinctly and authoritatively on the battle fought there. Mr. Bearss was once a Marine. One of my children is now a Marine. How grateful to God I am that I recently had to thank Mr. Bearss for all his help and informed him of the career choice of the little boy playing on the site of our township's glory. Many of us have soft spots for Marines, as some have for Texans. God bless you, Mr. Bearss.