Civil War Institute director and history professor Peter Carmichael, 58, has died due to complications from a respiratory illness. President Bob Iuliano announced his death in an email to the campus community Sunday afternoon.
Carmichael was a published author, renowned Civil War scholar and Robert C. Fluhrer Professor of Civil War Era Studies at the College for 14 years.
Professor Peter Carmichael (Photo courtesy Gettysburg College)
“Pete’s impact on this community and in the community of Civil War scholars has been immeasurable,” wrote Iuliano. “He has helped us to see the Civil War through a broader and more nuanced lens and along the way guided legions of Gettysburg College students into the field of public history.”
Carmichael earned his bachelor’s degree in history at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and his doctorate from Penn State University in 1996. He held positions at Western Carolina University, the University of North Carolina Greensboro and West Virginia University before coming to Gettysburg College in 2010.
Carmichael is known for his books on the civil war: “The Last Generation: Young Virginians in Peace, War, and Reunion,” “The War for the Common Soldier,” and “Lee’s Young Artillerist: William R. J. Pegram.”
Carmichael also served on the Board of Directors and the Historians’ Council of the Gettysburg Foundation, and previously as a distinguished lecturer for the Organization of American Historians, as Gettysburg National Military Park’s first scholar-in-residence and as co-editor of the Civil War America series from the University of North Carolina Press.
Many students took to social media to share how Carmichael impacted their time at Gettysburg College.
Carmichael was also well-known among the Battle of Gettysburg history community. Matt Callery, host of podcast Addressing Gettysburg, shared a video on YouTube reflecting on Carmichael’s death.
“He was very integral to the Gettysburg history community, especially the Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College,” Callery remarked. “On a personal level, to me, he became a very good friend to me, and from the first time we had him on the show, he was an instant supporter.”
In his email, Iuliano said that the Gettysburg community will “sorely miss Pete’s leadership and dedication, but more than that we will sorely miss Pete. He very much helped make this campus the special place that it is. We will forever cherish his presence in our lives.”
The Carmichael family will receive visitors at Christ Lutheran Church on Chambersburg Street in Gettysburg Friday from 5-7 p.m. and Saturday from 9-10:30 a.m. The funeral will begin at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. This will be followed with a reception in the Atrium.