History's Front Lines: Battlefield Trust Spotlights Authors for $50,000 Prize

WASHINGTON, DC – April 30, 2026 – The American Battlefield Trust today announced the finalists for its prestigious 2026 Prize for History, a $50,000 award that honors authors who root their narratives in the very soil of America’s formative conflicts. The announcement spotlights seven distinguished works of military history, each vying for a prize that champions the irreplaceable role of historic landscapes as primary sources for understanding the past.

Now in its third year, the award recognizes an outstanding book published in 2025 focusing on the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, or the Civil War. It is a cornerstone of the Trust's effort to promote what it calls the "power of place"—the idea that walking the grounds of Ticonderoga, Petersburg, or Gettysburg offers insights that documents alone cannot provide.

As the nation prepares for its 250th anniversary, the prize carries a particular resonance. "This summer, as our nation marks its 250th anniversary, countless minds will naturally turn to the events that have shaped our American story and the backdrops against which they unfolded," said Trust President David Duncan in the announcement. "We hope this award encourages more authors to embrace the irreplaceable research and perspective that come from studying the hallowed grounds of our nation's battlefields – and galvanizes readers to action through preservation initiatives."

From the Page to the Battlefield

The American Battlefield Trust Prize for History was established not merely to celebrate literary excellence, but to forge a stronger public connection between the stories we read and the ground that holds them. The prize is endowed by a private donor, ensuring its $50,000 purse does not divert funds from the organization's primary mission of land preservation. This unique structure highlights a symbiotic relationship: powerful historical writing can inspire preservation, while preserved battlefields provide a wellspring of new knowledge for future historians.

The award has quickly gained prominence in the field. The inaugural prize in 2024 was awarded to historian Elizabeth Varon for her nuanced biography, Longstreet: The Confederate General Who Defied the South. In 2025, Alan Pell Crawford won for This Fierce People: The Untold Story of America's Revolutionary War in the South, a work praised for its deep dive into a lesser-known theater of the war. These selections underscore the prize's commitment to works that offer fresh perspectives and rigorous, place-based research.

By rewarding authors who walk the terrain, study the sightlines, and analyze the geography of conflict, the Trust argues that a deeper, more tangible understanding of history emerges. It is a philosophy that views battlefields not as static monuments, but as dynamic, open-air archives essential for continued scholarship.

A Field of Literary Contenders

The 2026 finalists represent a remarkable cross-section of modern historical writing, from sweeping narratives by Pulitzer Prize winners to meticulously focused academic studies. The list, presented alphabetically, includes:

• Rick Atkinson, *The Fate of the Day: The War for America, Fort Ticonderoga to Charleston, 1777-1780* (Crown): From a master of military narrative, this work continues Atkinson's lauded exploration of the American Revolution.

• Richard Bell, *The American Revolution and the Fate of the World* (Riverhead): A University of Maryland historian known for placing American events in a global context, Bell examines the Revolution's international impact.

• Ken Burns and Geoffrey Ward, *The American Revolution* (Alfred A. Knopf): The celebrated filmmaker and his longtime writing partner bring their renowned storytelling to the nation's founding conflict, likely as a companion to a major documentary project.

• John Ferling, *Shots Heard Round the World* (Bloomsbury): A veteran historian of the era, Ferling returns to the opening salvos of the Revolution, promising deep insight into the war's origins.

• A. Wilson Greene, *A Campaign of Giants: The Battle for Petersburg Volume 2, From the Crater's Aftermath to the Battle of Burgess Mill* (University of North Carolina Press): A deeply respected Civil War scholar, Greene delivers the next installment in his definitive, multi-volume study of the crucial Petersburg Campaign.

• Mark Edward Lender & James Kirby Martin, *War Without Mercy: Liberty or Death in the American Revolution* (Osprey): Two eminent scholars of the Revolution team up to explore the brutal realities and high stakes of the fight for independence.

• Damian Shiels, *Green and Blue: Irish Americans in the Union Military* (Louisiana State University Press): An expert on the Irish experience in the Civil War, Shiels focuses on the vital contributions of Irish American soldiers to the Union cause.

These authors and their works highlight the vibrancy of historical inquiry, tackling complex subjects and bringing new life to events that continue to shape the nation.

The Enduring Battle for Preservation

Underpinning the entire prize initiative is the American Battlefield Trust's four-decade mission of preservation. The organization, which will mark its 40th anniversary next year, has successfully protected more than 60,000 acres of hallowed ground across 160 battlefields in 25 states. This land, once threatened by development, is now safe for education, commemoration, and the kind of on-the-ground research the prize celebrates.

However, the threat is far from over. Historically sensitive landscapes remain vulnerable to encroachment from residential and commercial development, including the recent proliferation of massive data centers in key historical areas. Each acre lost is a page torn from the nation's physical history book. The Trust's work, amplified by the attention the book prize generates, serves as a constant reminder that preservation is an ongoing battle.

The winner of the 2026 prize, along with two runners-up, will be announced and celebrated at a donor event in October. For the public, the intellectual energy of the prize will culminate at the Battlefield BookFest. Held November 13-14 in historic Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the event will feature talks by all the finalists, offering readers a unique opportunity to engage with the minds shaping our understanding of American history. As the nation reflects on its 250-year journey, these authors and the landscapes they study provide a vital link to the sacrifices and struggles that defined its course.