The Boy Major: Joseph W. Latimer in the American Civil War (Winter Lecture Series)

Featuring some of the best Rangers, historians, and authors from across the country, this popular eight-week Winter Lecture Series returns to the Gettysburg National Military Park (NMP) Museum and Visitor Center in 2026!

The Winter Lecture Series is held at 1:30 p.m. on weekends in the Gettysburg NMP Museum and Visitor Center from January 10 through March 8, 2026. Seating is available on a first come – first serve basis. Free tickets are available day of at the Gettysburg NMP Museum and Visitor Center. Schedule is subject to change.

Sunday, February 22 – The Boy Major: Joseph W. Latimer in the American Civil War
Historian Billy Griffith, Gettysburg Foundation

Brentsville, Virginia native Joseph White Latimer was one of the rising stars in the Confederate Artillery when his life was tragically cut short at age 19 following a mortal wound received at the Battle of Gettysburg on July 2, 1863. When the Civil War commenced, Latimer was in his second year at the Virginia Military Institute. He did not return to complete his studies, however, and instead joined the Courtney Artillery in September 1861 as a second lieutenant. His star rose quickly despite his young age, and he was made a major in R. Snowden Andrews’ Battalion by the spring of 1863. Affectionately referred to as the “Boy Major,” Latimer’s decision to join the fight, which he made while home in Brentsville in August 1861, placed him on the path to Gettysburg and towards an untimely death.