22 Responses to Question of the Week: What Civil War sites are you visiting this year?
Already visited Gettysburg and will do so again shortly. Just returned from Manassas/Bull Run (and an 11-mile hike through the battlefields). Perhaps will make an inaugural visit to Sharpsburg/Antietam. But the highlight no doubt will be a return to our local and key Battle of Hanging Rock, known locally as “the Gettysburg of Southwest Virginia.”
Since I live in the Williamsburg area, and I belong to the Williamsburg Battlefield Association, I will visit and reflect upon this nearly forgotten battle (which btw is almost been completely overrun by modern development) but was pivotal in the Peninsula Campaign of 1862.
I will be visiting the 1862 Shenandoah Valley campaign battlefields this September. I plan on visiting Buckland, Aldie, Middleburg, Upperville, and The Bower outside Martinsburg in August.
Gettysburg in October. Every October. Probably hit the seriously under-rated and under-visited Monocacy battlefield for a day as well. Maybe another Antietam trip soon.
We plan on breaking in our still-new RV this Summer. Any sites or battlefields that we get near will probably get a visit. Specifically, we’re hoping to see Chickamauga and Perryville. Especially Perryville.
Not a battlefield, but the site in Galveston, TX, where Gen. Gordon Grainger issued General Order No. 3 on June 19, 1865. It declared that all slaves in Texas “are now and henceforth shall be free”.
The war was over in Virginia, but Texas was late to the party, and required direct interdiction after the war’s end, to enforce the wartime order.
We won’t be there by Juneteenth, but Galveston still has the house where General Gordon made his HQ, and finally stood a marker up in 2006 in commemoration of the freeing of slaves. Also, having lived in Tulsa in the 60s and Texas in the 80s, I’ll savor this moment of triumph against racism.
I’ll visit roads and sites less traveled. On June 6 & 7, I’m planning to attend the Civil War Reenactment at Fort Pocahontas, located on the James River at 13150 Sturgeon Point Road in Charles City VA. Sometime later this summer or fall, I’ll return to the Cedar Mountain Battlefield, a segment of the new Culpepper State Park, after a decade hiatus to check out the improvements that are being made under the leadership of everyone’s good friend, Drew Gruber. After the hard winter freeze to knock down the bugs and critters, I’ll accept Rob Orrison’s standing invitation to visit the Confederate artillery sites along the Potomac River up in the Dumfry’s area that frustrated Union commerce to Washington City in 1861.
My daughter moved to a farm in “Civil War Central” a few years ago, so I can visit her in Boonesboro, Maryland, and have CW sites in every direction! Their farm is between the battlefields of South Mountain and Antietam. Thirty minutes East are Harpers Ferry and Monocacy. To the South is the Shenandoah Vally. Basically, the South invaded the North three times, and went through Washington County, MD, each of those times! Lots of little museums around too. Just in Boonesboro they have a History Museum full of unique CW artifacts, a National Road Museum (it started there), and a Trolly Museum. Nearby Frederick, MD, houses the always interesting Civil War Museum of Medicine. I still haven’t seen all of the sites around here!
I will visit about twenty-five sites this summer, most of them away from the battlefields. Civil Wars are often a battle for the homefront, and that is where I will be going.
I will be visiting about 25 sites this summer, from Minn. to North Carolina. Only a few will be at battlefields. Civil Wars are often fought on the homefront which is one of the most important places to study them.
With the weather warming up, what Civil War sites will you be visiting this year?
Already visited Gettysburg and will do so again shortly. Just returned from Manassas/Bull Run (and an 11-mile hike through the battlefields). Perhaps will make an inaugural visit to Sharpsburg/Antietam. But the highlight no doubt will be a return to our local and key Battle of Hanging Rock, known locally as “the Gettysburg of Southwest Virginia.”
Spotsylvania and Gettysburg
I plan to visit the Winchester, VA area to learn more about the Valley campaigns
The Fairfax Towne Center, Fairfax, VA. And many more like it, if we don’t protect our history.
Since I live in the Williamsburg area, and I belong to the Williamsburg Battlefield Association, I will visit and reflect upon this nearly forgotten battle (which btw is almost been completely overrun by modern development) but was pivotal in the Peninsula Campaign of 1862.
Tuttle Trail and Redoubt Park is a nice area to walk and the earthworks are impressively preserved.
I’ve been meaning to get over to the Stafford Civil War Park for a while now. Would also like to finally visit Fort Monroe.
I will be visiting the 1862 Shenandoah Valley campaign battlefields this September. I plan on visiting Buckland, Aldie, Middleburg, Upperville, and The Bower outside Martinsburg in August.
Just booked accommodations for Manassas and Antietam. Taking my son for his first visits. Looking forward to our time together.
I plan to go to Gettysburg, Harpers Ferry, and Antietam.
I’m hoping to visit Fort Donelson for the first time.
Gettysburg in October. Every October. Probably hit the seriously under-rated and under-visited Monocacy battlefield for a day as well. Maybe another Antietam trip soon.
We plan on breaking in our still-new RV this Summer. Any sites or battlefields that we get near will probably get a visit. Specifically, we’re hoping to see Chickamauga and Perryville. Especially Perryville.
I recently visited Gettysburg, Antietam, Crampton’s Gap, and Third Winchester.
Not a battlefield, but the site in Galveston, TX, where Gen. Gordon Grainger issued General Order No. 3 on June 19, 1865. It declared that all slaves in Texas “are now and henceforth shall be free”.
The war was over in Virginia, but Texas was late to the party, and required direct interdiction after the war’s end, to enforce the wartime order.
We won’t be there by Juneteenth, but Galveston still has the house where General Gordon made his HQ, and finally stood a marker up in 2006 in commemoration of the freeing of slaves. Also, having lived in Tulsa in the 60s and Texas in the 80s, I’ll savor this moment of triumph against racism.
Seven Days Battles!
I’ll visit roads and sites less traveled. On June 6 & 7, I’m planning to attend the Civil War Reenactment at Fort Pocahontas, located on the James River at 13150 Sturgeon Point Road in Charles City VA. Sometime later this summer or fall, I’ll return to the Cedar Mountain Battlefield, a segment of the new Culpepper State Park, after a decade hiatus to check out the improvements that are being made under the leadership of everyone’s good friend, Drew Gruber. After the hard winter freeze to knock down the bugs and critters, I’ll accept Rob Orrison’s standing invitation to visit the Confederate artillery sites along the Potomac River up in the Dumfry’s area that frustrated Union commerce to Washington City in 1861.
Gettysburg and Antietam again in September. Stones River and Chattanooga in February. Can hardly wait.
My daughter moved to a farm in “Civil War Central” a few years ago, so I can visit her in Boonesboro, Maryland, and have CW sites in every direction! Their farm is between the battlefields of South Mountain and Antietam. Thirty minutes East are Harpers Ferry and Monocacy. To the South is the Shenandoah Vally. Basically, the South invaded the North three times, and went through Washington County, MD, each of those times! Lots of little museums around too. Just in Boonesboro they have a History Museum full of unique CW artifacts, a National Road Museum (it started there), and a Trolly Museum. Nearby Frederick, MD, houses the always interesting Civil War Museum of Medicine. I still haven’t seen all of the sites around here!
Have visited Petersburg and Cold Harbor with Manassas and Fredericksburg to come.
I will visit about twenty-five sites this summer, most of them away from the battlefields. Civil Wars are often a battle for the homefront, and that is where I will be going.
I will be visiting about 25 sites this summer, from Minn. to North Carolina. Only a few will be at battlefields. Civil Wars are often fought on the homefront which is one of the most important places to study them.