Former Army major knows his history

Russell K. Brown says he has learned an important lesson about retirement - the "honey do" list is never finished.

Brown retired from the U.S. Army as a major, then retired from Georgia Power at Plant Vogtle. Brown said he now works "for my wife, and if I spend a few days getting all my jobs done, then she lets me do my research."

Brown writes and speaks about military, local history and genealogy, and edits the magazine of the Augusta-Richmond County Historical Society. Brown has his doctorate in U.S. History from Columbia Pacific University of California. He has written four books, one on the Masters Tournament and three on Georgia in the Civil War.

Brown's most recent book, Our Connection With Savannah, published by Mercer University Press, has been nominated by the publisher for the Jefferson Davis Award from the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Brown has been nominated for author of the year in the nonfiction category.

Our Connection With Savannah: A History of the 1st Battalion Georgia Sharpshooters tells the military history of the sharpshooters during the Civil War. Sharpshooters differed from typical soldiers, because they fought in a unit with people they had never met before. Woven into the story are individual profiles of the men, including their commander, Maj. Arthur Schaff. The sharpshooters were praised by commanders and inspecting officers for their feats early in the war. However, the war took its toll on the battalion and its morale hit the pits.

The cover of the book features Capt. Arthur Shaaff. Brown said he first became interested in Shaaff while doing research for his other Civil War books. Shaaff's grandfather, John Forsythe, was a governor of Georgia.

"I enjoy researching our past. I think it's helpful to people in Georgia to know their history. History is illuminating," Brown said.

The book is available from Mercer University Press at www.mupress.org, or from Border's Books in Augusta.

Brown will discuss his book at 6 p.m. Tuesday with the Sons of Confederate Veterans, Gen. Ambrose Wright Camp, at Edmunds Bar-B-Que & Catering, 3935 Washington Road, Martinez.