John David Hoptak

John Hoptak is a Civil War author and historian with a master's degree in history from Lehigh University. For the past eleven years, he has been employed as a Park Ranger with the National Park Service first at Antietam National Battlefield and currently at Gettysburg National Military Park. He is the author of several Civil War history books, including "The Battle of South Mountain" (History Press, 2011), "Confrontation at Gettysburg" (History Press, 2012), "First in Defense of the Union" ...See more

John Hoptak is a Civil War author and historian with a master's degree in history from Lehigh University. For the past eleven years, he has been employed as a Park Ranger with the National Park Service first at Antietam National Battlefield and currently at Gettysburg National Military Park. He is the author of several Civil War history books, including "The Battle of South Mountain" (History Press, 2011), "Confrontation at Gettysburg" (History Press, 2012), "First in Defense of the Union" (AuthorHouse, 2004), and "Antietam: September 17, 1862" (Western Maryland Interpretive Association, 2011). In addition, John is the author of numerous articles that have appeared in such publications as "America's Civil War," "Civil War Times," and "Pennsylvania Heritage." Hoptak is also a frequent lecturer at Civil War roundtables and other organizations across much of the eastern United States, from Atlanta, Georgia, Lexington, Kentucky, and Rockville, Connecticut. To date, he has delivered over fifty such lectures. John has also appeared in several Civil War documentaries, including the recent "Blood and Fury" series for the American Heroes Channel as well as some PBS shows. A native of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, and lifelong student of the Civil War, John's primary focus has been on the 48th Pennsylvania Infantry and the role of his native area during the conflict. See less