Oakville resident John A. Nischwitz, a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, signed copies of his Civil War trivia book earlier this month at Gettysburg.

The book, “Collections of a Civil War Trivia Junkie,” brings to light “many details about the Civil War that have seldom, if ever, been addressed,” according to a news release.

Besides 280 pages of facts and figures, the book, published last fall, features more than 150 high-quality photographs that “provide a living picture of the challenges and hardships” endured by those who lived during the Civil War.

Nischwitz, a 1964 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, served more than 10 years on active duty, including tours of duty in Korea and Vietnam, and 18 years in the Army Reserve. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, the Infantry Officer’s Advanced Course and the U.S. Army Airborne and Ranger courses.

Nischwitz has taught military history at several levels and has toured all the major battlefields of the Civil War. He has written monthly trivia quizzes for the St. Louis Civil War Roundtable since 1997 and numerous book reviews for the Missouri Historical Society.

Nischwitz worked as a procurement manager for several St. Louis companies before retiring in 2005. He is a certified purchasing manager and a master gardener, and has written numerous articles on business subjects during his purchasing career.

He and his wife of more than 42 years, Mary Jo, have six children and 10 grandchildren.

Nischwitz is working on several more Civil War books and one on the Wild West.