Meet Christopher Earle of Wallingford, Ct.

American Battlefield Trust: How were you first introduced to the Trust, and what motivated you to join?

Christopher:  I first replied to a mailing from the Civil War Trust in 2001. I had subscribed to Civil War Times for over 30 years at that point and I believe that's how the Trust got my name. Starting with a family trip in 1964, when I was nine years old, we visited any sites including Gettysburg, Antietam, Harpers Ferry and most of the Virginia Battlefields, recognizing the enthusiasm produced by the Civil War Centennial. My Dad was nuts about all this and the bug jumped from him and bit me at an early age. So, given the chance to help save the battlefields appealed to me.

Which facet of our organization’s activities most strongly resonates with you? 

The purchasing and saving of this hallowed ground.

Which battlefield sites that you’ve visited have left the most profound impact on you?

Living in New England, Gettysburg is the closest Civil War site to me geographically and between trips with my Dad and my boys and other family and friends I have been there over 20 times, so I have to say Gettysburg. But, I have been to all the major Civil War Eastern Battlefields and a few Western ones, as well as all the major Revolutionary War sites. The goal in the next year is to see Shiloh and Vicksburg.  

If you could meet any historical figure, who would you choose and why?

What would you like to pass on to future generations? 

I would like to leave more battlefield land for my children and grandchildren to visit. I am trying to accomplish that, in my own small way, through being a Color Bearer.

Is there anything else you want to share? 

Being a Color Bearer is a very personal thing and a choice that I have made, gladly, to have a greater effect in preservation.