I’m not really a fanboy. I don’t worship or really even care about celebrities. Sure, I got a little giddy when I met the MST3K folks, but even that doesn’t compare to how thrilled I get over a new Troy Harman tour!

As you’ve been informed, The past three days have been pretty much Christmas for me. Those days are the anniversary of the battle of Gettysburg. In years past, I’d be there in person taking the tours offered by the rangers at the park.

Over the years, I’ve gotten to know several of the rangers. It’s not like I’m buddies with them or anything, but I’d be there enough that I’d be one of the “familiar faces” they’d recognize.

The anniversary tours are like opening night. There are huge amounts of research that go into these things. The tours aren’t usually simple overviews of the battle. While tours like that are certainly available, these tours focus on specific events or regiments, singular or isolated actions.

In the weeks before the anniversary, the rangers test out the tours with smaller groups and without PCN TV coverage. If the anniversary tours are like opening night, these are the dress rehearsals.

I started checking out Troy Harman’s dress rehearsal tours and through them got to know the man better than I otherwise would have.

Here is a man who cares deeply about Gettysburg. He loves the battle, the town, the residents, the downtown and the landscape. He cares about the area’s history as a whole, not just 1863.

What first got me interested in Troy’s tours was the theories he’d throw out there. The were fairly radical by Gettysburg historical standards. Some made a lot of sense to me (like this ideas surrounding Pickett’s Charge) and some really fell flat (like Hunterstown). But, at least he was thinking outside of the box.

Historical research and interpretation isn’t the simple repetition of the last generation of historians. The events must be viewed with new and unbiased eyes to uncover what truly happened. Mistakes of past historians must be corrected just as much as their achievements must be heralded (if not more).

Otherwise, we wind up with stuff like “the rebs went to Gettysburg looking for shoes.”

Troy seems to try to read between lines, reinterpreting the accepted view. It is probably impossible to always agree with his conclusions, but I always get really excited when he throws them out there.

Though I can’t be there this year, last night I was able to watch his tour online via pcntv.com. It really wasn’t like being there, of course, but it was close enough. He even proposed a theory that I don’t quite buy just yet (we’ll see).

Throughout Troy’s tours, he continually thanks those who have helped him in research and allowed him and his 300 closest friends tramp across their property (he often goes off park land for his tours). At the end, he thanks us all and tells us that he loves us. And really, that’s just cool. You really can tell that the whole thing is done out of love.

Today is a whole day of broadcasts of the tours from this anniversary. There’s even a Troy tour on East Cemetery Hill (at 5pm PDT)! I’m here for the duration. I’ve got my computer hooked up to my TV and while the resolution is so-so, it’s the best I can do!

I’d rather spend the 4th of July with friends, and if I were there these past few days, I could (well, actually no I couldn’t… because I’d be there – but anyway). But I’m here, and while friends are close at hand, I’ll be glued to my TV set, geeking out.