In 2025, the Foundation will host either one research fellow for a one or two week session, or two fellows for one week sessions. Each fellowship provides $1,250 ( per one week session) to support the cost of travel and per diem expenses for researchers to use the Foundation’s John “Jack” Ackerly III Memorial Library at the Foundation’s headquarters in New Market, Virginia, for a period of at least five consecutive days per session.

The fellowships are open to graduate students, academics, teachers, museum professionals, and independent scholars whose research interests may benefit from the Foundation’s holdings, collections and historic sites.

The Foundation’s library collections include approximately 5,000 Civil War books, including complete sets of The Official Records of the War of the Rebellion, The Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion, the Roster of Union Soldiers 1861-1865, the Confederate State Rosters, The Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, the Virginia Regimental Series, the Confederate Veteran , the Southern Historical Society Papers, Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, and many more.

The collection also includes more than 3,000 catalogued Civil War periodicals and magazines, and a growing collection of primary documents and archival materials. The extensive collection of original artifacts at the Foundation’s historic sites and museums at New Market, Winchester and Port Republic are also available for review and examination. Fellows will have access to multiple Civil War battlefields throughout the Valley that are owned, preserved and interpreted by the Foundation.

Fellowships will be awarded to applicants focusing on the American Civil War era in the Shenandoah Valley , broadly conceived, and whose topics match the Foundation’s collections. The Library’s holdings can be accessed at https: //www.shenandoahatwar.org/library-database.      

Recipients will be required to complete their fellowship research within a period of one year from the date of the award. Fellows will be asked to make an evening presentation to the public during residence and to summarize their research project and findings in writing. These findings will be submitted to the Foundation’s Education Committee.

Awardees while in residence at the Library will be provided with lodging, a photocopy allowance, technical support, and collection orientation.

Applicants should send a resume or C.V., a cover letter describing their research project and how the Library and the Foundation’s related holdings and collections would benefit their work to the Foundation by December 1, 2024.

Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation

Education Committee

PO Box 897

New Market, VA 22844

For more information, contact the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation at 540-740-4545 or email info@svbf.net