DANBURY, CONN. — Ralph Langham, a 12-year veteran of historical reenactments of Antietam, Gettysburg and other pivotal battles between Union and Confederate forces, will provide military and political perspectives on the Civil War in a lecture on Thursday, Nov. 15, at Western Connecticut State University.

Langham, a New Fairfield resident and retired computer security specialist for IBM and U.S. Trust, will draw from extensive historical research and personal experience in battle reenactments and living history events as an officer of the 79th New York Cameron Highlanders Regiment. His lecture will be at 2 p.m. on the first floor of Warner Hall on the university’s Midtown campus, 181 White St. in Danbury. Admission will be free and the public is invited.

A participant since 1995 in reenacted engagements portraying company and regimental actions at Antietam, Gettysburg, Secessionville and other historical sites, Langham recently was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the 79th Regiment  He also serves as treasurer of the recently formed reenactment company representing the Danbury-based 11th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry. He played the roles of both Union and Confederate officers in the film “Gods and Generals,” and has received an honorary commission as lieutenant colonel in the 7th Arkansas Company of the Confederate States of America.

The Web site of the 79th New York Cameron Highlanders Company B, whose men and women reenactors portray both military and civilian roles at Civil War events, observed that members also appear in parades, civic occasions and school activities throughout the year.

“Our goal is to accurately re-create the camp life and existence of the average soldier who fought for the Union in the Civil War, as well as the civilians who supported the military in camp life,” the Web site noted. “We continually strive to improve our impressions through research, reading and new experiences.”

Upon his graduation from Stetson University in 1962, Langham entered the U.S. Army and served as a technical director and operations officer with oversight responsibilities for eight Nikes-Hercules missile defense sites. After leaving the Army, he became an applications programmer at IBM, moving to systems analysis as an expert in countering virus, worm and other software attacks. He joined U.S. Trust in 1993 as a computer security analyst, and retired as an assistant vice president in 2005.

He has resided in New Fairfield since 1966, and remains active in local scouting activities and civic service as a member of the Board of Education. His daughter Ellie has joined him in Civil War reenactments since 1996.    

His lecture is sponsored by the WCSU History Society. For more information, call (203) 837-8484. 

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