T. Harry Gatton Award Recipients

T. Harry Gatton Award Recipients

Background on the Award

The T. Harry Gatton Award, presented annually since 2008 by the Raleigh Civil War Round Table, was made possible through a generous endowment by Mary Gatton in the memory of her late husband as a way to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the understanding of and appreciation for the American Civil War.   The award is typically presented at the January meeting, which for over 10 years featured Ed Bearss, the inaugural recpient of the award, as the main speaker at the meeting.

Thomas Harry Gatton (born March 10, 1918) was a native of Iredell County, NC, graduated from UNC at Chapel Hill where he was inducted into the Order of the Golden Fleece, and served in the US Navy during WW II, achieving the rank of Lt. Commander.

A former newspaper editor and radio station director, his career included service as Executive Secretary to US Senator Sam J. Ervin and Executive Vice President of the NC Bankers Association.   He served on numerous boards, authored 10 published banking histories, and was chairman of the NC Historical Commission.   He was the recipient of numerous awards including the Christopher Crittenden Cup for the preservation of NC history.   He died July 28, 2001.

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  • 2022 - Mary Lynn Bryan, Mac Healy, and David Winslow






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  • 2020 - Donny B. Taylor

    • This year’s Gatton Awardee is Donny B. Taylor in recognition of his outstanding leadership as Site Manager of Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site from 2000-2019.   Since the state first acquired 51 acres in 1957, protected sacred ground at Bentonville has grown to over 2000 acres of the most significant portions of this 1865 battlefield.   Much of this extraordinary growth occurred during Donny’s tenure, with the support of the Civil War Trust (now American Battlefield Trust) and other organizations.

    As a Kinston native and experienced farmer, Donny cultivated exceptional rapport with and support from the local community.   One unique aspect of the site is that it remains pristine with unimpeded views much like 1865, and it retains miles of extant earthworks.   Interpretive walking trails and a self-guided auto tour have been developed and a sophisticated GPS project has been implemented to map resources within the battle area.   The 150th anniversary commemoration in 2015 attracted more than 60,000 visitors.   Donny has left an enduring legacy for North Carolinians and a solid foundation for future preservation and interpretation.

    Donny attended Lenoir Community College and Mount Olive College, served in the N.C. National Guard from 1968-1980 (Sgt. First Class), and served the Wyse Fork Volunteer Fire Department for 30 years, including 3 years as chief.   He and his wife Mary Jane Taylor have 2 daughters, 2 sons, and 4 grandchildren.   Since retirement, Donny now lives in Rosewood, N.C., continues to serve as interim Chairman of the Board of the Friends of Bentonville Battlefield, Inc., and enjoys his hobbies of Civil War history and nature photography.

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  • 2019 - Chris Fonvielle, Ph.D.

    • Dr. Chris Fonvielle is an associate professor emeritus of the Department of History at UNC, Wilmington.    He is a native Wilmingtonian with a lifelong interest in American Civil War, North Carolina, and Cape Fear history.   He attended public schools, graduating from New Hanover High School in 1971.   After receiving his B.A. in anthropology at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, Chris served as the last curator of the Blockade Runners of the Confederacy Museum.   He subsequently received his M.A. in American history at East Carolina University, and his Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina.   In 1996, he returned to UNC Wilmington where he taught courses in his areas of interest until retiring last year.

    Chris has pursued a life-long interest in the American Civil War, North Carolina, the Lower Cape Fear, and Southern history.   His in-depth research focuses on Civil War coastal operations and defenses, blockade running, and the navies.   He has published numerous books including:   To Forge a Thunderbolt:   Fort Anderson and the battle for Wilmington; Faces of Fort Fisher 1861-1864; Louis Froelich:   Arms-Maker to the Confederacy; and Fort Fisher 1865:   The Photographs of T.H. O’Sullivan.

    Most recently he served on the committee of the NC Historical Commission which was charged with making recommendations about the fate of our Confederate memorials.   A very thoughtful editorial by Chris on this topic appeared in the Wilmington newspaper and has been made available to the Raleigh and NC CWRTs through their newsletters and websites.

    Chris is a longtime friend of NC Civil War Round Tables and has addressed both the Raleigh and NC CWRTs.   Through his many activities, Chris has made significant contributions to the understanding of and appreciation for the American Civil War and is well-deserving of the Gatton Award honor.

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  • 2018 - Randy Sauls, J.D.

    • Randy is a native of Goldsboro, N.C, who attended Goldsboro City and Wayne County schools.   He earned his bachelor’s degree in American History in 1979 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and, in 1983, his Juris Doctorate from the Campbell University School of Law.   Randy is a licensed attorney and legal counsel and managing member of Sauls Title Company LLC.

    Randy was recognized for his leadership and accomplishments dedicated to the preservation of American Civil War history, research, and teaching especially in North Carolina.   He is a long-time student of Civil War history who has shared his knowledge by leading tours of its fields of battle and by speaking around North Carolina.   As founder and president of the Goldsboro Bridge Battlefield Association, he has played an instrumental role in the preservation and development as an historic site the 1862 Goldsboro Bridge Battlefield.

    He serves as a member of the Friends of Bentonville Battlefield Board and other civic organizations, and he is an honorary member of the Raleigh Civil War Round Table.

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  • 2017 - Wade Sokolosky, Col. U.S. Army (Ret.)

    • Wade is a native of Beaufort, N.C., who graduated from East Carolina and is a 25-year U.S. Army veteran.   He coauthored No Such Army Since the Days of Julius Caesar: Sherman’s Carolinas Campaign from Fayetteville to Averasboro, and wrote Final Roll Call: Confederate Losses during the Carolinas Campaign and To Prepare for Sherman’s Coming: The Battle of Wise’s Forks, March 1865.   Wade also spoke about Averasboro on the RCWRT’s documentary film about the end of the war in North Carolina.

    Wade was recognized for “his important efforts to study, preserve and share the Civil War heritage of his native North Carolina.   His research and publications have added to the understanding of some of North Carolina’s most significant military engagements, and he has willingly and freely shared his knowledge with students of the Civil War by lecturing, leading battlefield tours, and extending fellowship.”

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  • 2016 - Ernest Dollar

    • Ernie was recognized for his many endeavors related to Civil War education and preservation including diligent research into the last weeks of the war and leading the efforts to preserve remaining portions of the Morrisville Station battlefield.   The group also acknowledged Ernie’s many public history activities that have included service as executive director of the Preservation Society of Chapel Hill and currently as the executive director of the City of Raleigh Museum.

    Recently, during the sesquicentennial commemoration of the war, he tirelessly presented programs and led tour groups, educating citizens about their local Civil War heritage.   Ernie also spoke about the surrender of Raleigh and Morrisville on the RCWRT’s documentary film about the end of the war in North Carolina.

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  • 2015 - Philip Gerard, M.A.

    • Philip Gerard was born in 1955 and grew up in Newark, Delaware.   He earned a bachelors degree in English and Anthropology from the University of Delaware and received his master’s in creative writing.   He was a faculty member at Arizona State University and currently serves as the chairman of creative writing at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.   He is the author of two historical novels set in North Carolina, Hatteras Light and Cape Fear Rising as well as a recent work featuring Paul Revere and several non-fiction works.

    Philip has written a series of articles describing life and events during the Civil War in North Carolina that have been published monthly in Our State magazine.   Philip’s tales of Tarheels during the Civil War may be read at https://www.ourstate.com/civil-war-philip-gerard/.

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  • 2014 - Tom Kearney, Ph.D.

    • Tom Kearney was born and raised in Goldsboro and is a 1965 cum laude graduate from Wake Forest as a history major.   He completed his PhD coursework in history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.   

    Tom taught American history at N.C. State University from 1970-1978 and now has a radio program on WPTF 680 AM (Raleigh) at 9 p.m.   Among his guests have been members of the RCWRT.

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  • 2013 - David Waller

    • David Waller was born and raised in Kinston, N.C., and attended North Lenoir High School and N.C. Wesleyan College.   He is known as “The Civil War Grave Hunter” for his efforts at locating and photographing more than 700 grave sites of Civil War generals and other notables.

    David has shared his passion in dozens of presentations to schools, history and heritage groups, churches, and other organizations.   He also has been featured on radio and television programs, as well as newspaper articles on topics related to the Civil War.   David has led many tours of historical sites as well.   He has served as President of the Raleigh Civil War Round Table as well as its Program Chair.

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  • 2012 - Leslie Rivers, M.A.

    • Leslie has taught history at both the high school and middle school level, and currently teaches at Anson Middle School.   She also has worked diligently to update the historical records of Anson and Union counties.   She is a member of a number of organizations and an inspiring educator.

    Since 1993, Leslie has been associated with the North Carolina Museum of History as a sponsor of history clubs.   Under her direction, her student teams have won several awards through the museum.   In 2007 and 2010, films she made with students related to the Civil War in Anson and Union counties won a state history competition and were shown at the museum throughout the following year.   Her students also won a state history competition for photo-graphs they took.   Leslie earned her bachelor’s degree in history and her masters in school administration from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

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  • 2011 - Mark Bradley, Ph.D.

    • Mark is recognized nationally for his knowledge of the battle of Bentonville and the surrender of Confederate forces at Durham Station.   He also has supported local preservation efforts.   Prior to moving to Washington, D.C., he was a member of the RCWRT.

    Mark currently is a staff historian at the U.S. Army Center of Military History in Washington, D.C.   He is an award winning author, having written the books This Astounding Close: The Road to Bennett Place, Last Stand in the Carolinas: The Battle of Bentonville, and Bluecoats and Tar Heels: Soldiers and Civilians in North Carolina During Reconstruction.   Mark also has authored numerous other articles and has written several book reviews. He earned his bachelor’s degree in history at N.C. State University and both his master’s and doctoral degrees at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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  • 2010 - Charles Hawks

    • Charles Hawks was recognized for his long-standing, valuable, and far-reaching contributions to the understanding of and appreciation for the American Civil War.   Mr. Hawks was instrumental in the creation and growth of the Raleigh Civil War Round Table and has been its greatest ambassador.

    In addition to serving as the editor of the Knapsack and on the Board of Directors, he worked tirelessly to grow our membership, plan trips and other special events, and graciously hosted members and guests in his home.   The Board of Directors and the General Membership gratefully acknowledge Mr. Hawks’ key role in the success of the Raleigh Civil War Round Table and his efforts at educating others about and generating interest in the American Civil War.

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  • 2009 - Nora Brooks, B.S.

    • Nora Brooks was recognized for her significant contributions to the understanding of and appreciation for the American Civil War through her edifying and entertaining portrayals of Millie Childe Lee, Mary Anna Jackson, and Julia Dent Grant.   In addition to her engaging first person, one-woman performances of Civil War personalities, the Board of Directors and the General Membership gratefully acknowledge Ms. Brooks’ role in teaching our youth about the Civil War and her beneficence to the Raleigh Civil War Round Table.

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  • 2008 - Ed Bearss, M.A., Hon. D.H.L.

    • The first Gatton Award was presented to Ed Bearss in recognition of his significant contributions to the understanding of and appreciation for the American Civil War through his renowned tours, talks, and books, as well as his tireless efforts in support of the preservation of countless Civil War battlefield sites and the memory of those who fought and died on them.

    In addition to these and many other contributions and achievements, the Board of Directors and the General Membership of the Raleigh Civil War Round Table gratefully acknowledge Mr. Bearss’ role in the success of this and numerous other Civil War Round Tables.

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