“Life” magazine published a six-part feature on the centennial of the American Civil War in 1961. During this time, Professor Rea Redd, director of the Eberly Library, was only eight years old at the time, and he was completely fascinated.

“Not quite old enough to read it by myself, I asked my mother to read it to me aloud after the evening meal,” Redd said. “Some of the art work in the magazine now hangs on the wall of my office.”

Once Redd graduated from high school, he and his brother made a trip to Gettysburg. This led to multiple trips to see the historical site.

“During 1993, I began re-enacting the American Civil War.  I have returned to Gettysburg since then every November to commemorate the Gettysburg Address,” Redd said. “Add to that, I go to Gettysburg about 4 times a year now.”

Redd began publishing in 2012. The book Redd published is entitled, “The Gettysburg Campaign Study Guide Volume I.”

Redd’s book includes 1,400 questions on troop movements and engagements on the Gettysburg Campaign and identifications of portraits of commanders, photographs of battlefield monuments and locations on maps.

The purpose of Redd’s two volumes is to help those who want to take the Gettysburg Battlefield Licensed Guide exam.

“I was curious about what guides knew and also what I knew about the Battle of Gettysburg,” Redd said. “I took the test three times to test myself and scored 83 percent, 85 percent and 87 percent on the tests. Any score less than 92 percent failed the test.”

In addition to Redd’s love for Gettysburg, he was also recognized and asked to write for a book on the American Civil War during the Fall of 2015.

With Redd being an alumnus of Waynesburg College from 1970 to 1974, he found Waynesburg again in August of 1997 to return and work as a librarian.

“At Waynesburg as an undergraduate, I double majored in English and history,” Redd said. “During the decades between those two events I received a master’s degree in American history, taught every grade between kindergarten and twelfth, owned a retail chain of bookstores and earned a master’s degree in library science.”

After Redd’s first M.A., he worked for three years at the Coalition for Christian Outreach and during the 1990’s, he found interest in writing a monthly column on education and the internet for Boardwatch Magazine.

With Redd having work published, he aspires to have more material published this year, which is currently being read by editors at Savas Beatie Publishing.

“I am looking forward to having it published during 2018,” Redd said.

Redd is working on compiling information for another piece of work he plans to publish, entitled “Sharpshooters, Signals and Spies: A Tour of the Gettysburg Battlefield and Borough.”

“Also, I wish to complete some fiction which is set in Pittsburgh during the 1840’s,” said Redd, “and some fiction set on the Gettysburg Battlefield during the present day.”