James Hessler has been a Licensed Battlefield Guide at Gettysburg National Military Park since 2003.

His book "Sickles at Gettysburg" (Savas Beatie, 2009) was awarded the prestigious Bachelder Coddington Award and the Gettysburg Civil War Round Table's Distinguished Book Award as the most outstanding work on the Gettysburg Campaign.

He co-authored with Licensed Battlefield Guide Wayne Motts, and maps by Civil War Trust cartographer Steve Stanley, "Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg" (Savas Beatie, 2015), the first battlefield guide to the legendary final attack at Gettysburg.

Jim has written a number of articles for publication, including "Gettysburg Magazine" and "America's Civil War." He was one of the primary content designers for, and appeared in, the Civil War Trust's mobile Gettysburg application.

He is a popular speaker at Civil War Round Tables and has appeared on NPR, Travel Channel (Monumental Mysteries, 2015), PCN-TV, Breitbart News (Pickett's Charge 150th Anniversary), and Civil War Radio. He was featured in the July 2013 issue of "Civil War Monitor" magazine and the book, "Searching for George Gordon Meade" (2013).

Jim is an adjunct professor at Harrisburg Area Community College (Gettysburg campus). In addition to being a member of Gettysburg's Association of Licensed Battlefield Guides he is also a member of Little Bighorn Associates and Custer Battlefield Memorial Association.

He lives in Gettysburg with his wife and children.

Visit his websites to purchase signed copies of his books: www.sicklesatgettysburg.com and www.pickettschargeatgettysburg.com.

Born and raised in central Ohio, Wayne graduated from The Ohio State University with a B.A. in military history in 1989. Moving to Gettysburg in 1990, Wayne earned a Masters Degree in American History from the Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania in 1994. He was one of the youngest persons ever to complete the licensing process to be a Licensed Battlefield Guide at Gettysburg National Military Park. He has guided parties around the famous field for 27 years. He has spoken to a wide range of historical bodies and groups on topics related to the American Civil War including the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. In addition to his speaking engagements, Wayne has published several pieces related to the American Civil War in a variety of publications. He is considered the leading authority in the nation on Southern General Lewis Addison Armistead of Pickett’s Charge fame and has published the only biography of the general entitled, Trust in God and Fear Nothing: Lewis A. Armistead, CSA. For ten years he was the research historian for renowned Civil War Artist Dale Gallon of Gettysburg where he assisted in the historical research of 40 works of fine art. He was the Senior Research Historian for TravelBrains Corporation and in this capacity researched material to be included in a number of audio visual products related to the American Civil War. The products produced by his research have been endorsed by the History Channel and have won numerous awards. In 2002, he accepted the position of curator at the Cumberland County Historical Society where he managed a collection of 8,000 artifacts. In 2004, he assumed duties as the collections manager of the Adams County Historical Society in Gettysburg. In 2005, Wayne was named executive director of the Society. He led this organization from January 2005 until April 2012 and assisted the Society and Lutheran Theological Seminary it the rehabilitation of Schmucker Hall one of the country’s most significant Civil War structures. In April 2012, he accepted the position of chief executive officer of the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Opened in 2001, the National Civil War Museum has over 65,000 square feet of total space with more than 21,000 square feet dedicated to exhibit and educational areas. It holds more than 25,000 historical items related to both sides of the conflict.