Brian Pohanka


Brian Caldwell Pohanka was an American Civil War author, historian, and preservationist. He consulted for Civil War related films, such as Glory and Cold Mountain. He also made a brief and uncredited appearance as Union general Alexander S. Webb in the 1993 film of the battle of Gettysburg.
Pohanka advised on popular television documentaries, such as Civil War Journal on The History Channel and the Ken Burns documentary The Civil War. In addition, he was a reenactor and living historian, serving for over a decade as Captain of Company A of the 5th New York Volunteer Infantry, also known as "Duryée's Zouaves." He also attended annual reenactments at Gettysburg and the Little Bighorn.
Pohanka was named Battlefield Preservationist of the Year in 2004 by the Civil War Preservation Trust and the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust.
He died of cancer in 2005, and was buried at Columbia Gardens Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. He is survived by his wife, Cricket; father, brother and sister, among others.
Pohanka graduated from Dickinson College in 1977. In 2006, the college created a Faculty Chair in American Civil War History position in his honor, which has been held by history professor and noted Abraham Lincoln scholar Matthew Pinsker.

Published works