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150th ANNIVERSARY EDITION 2013 Vol XXI V IRGINIA’S C IVIL W AR GUIDE TO B A T T L E F I E L D S & S I T E S INFO BY REGION Central Virginia 3–14 Tidewater 17–21 Valley & Mountains 26–35 Southside 36–41 Northern Virginia 42–46 CALENDAR 150th Anniversary 22–23 ~ DRIVING TOURS ~ Overland Campaign 14 Peninsula Campaign 17 Lee’s Retreat 36–37 ON THE WEB CivilWarTraveler.com/ EAST/VA The wounding of Stonewall Jackson during the Battle of Chancellorsville. Jackson died at Guinea Station May 10, 1863. L VirginiaCivilWar.org ooking back after 150 years, Virginia in 1863 seems strangely quiet. The brutal campaigns of 1862, which touched nearly every part of the state, were over. The even bloodier battles in 1864 were yet to come. So what to make of Virginia’s Civil War in 1863? 1863 in Virginia On the military front, Confederate fortunes in Virginia looked okay as the year began. Robert E. Lee’s army was still strong and still in Fredericksburg after fending off Union attacks there in December. Still, Union forces occupied a huge hunk of the state and the sup- ply of food to Lee’s army, and to civilians, was becoming a big problem during that winter and early spring. So big, in fact, that simmering discomfort in Richmond — stoked by an over abundance of sick and wounded, refugees and prisoners, and a shortage of food and other resources to deal with it all — boiled over in an early April riot. Lee was concerned enough about supplies to dispatch Gen. James Longstreet to Southside Virginia, in part to gather food for his army. PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 2 Don't miss any Civil War travel news: Subscribe to the free, monthly CivilWarTraveler.com E-Newsletter Go to CivilWarTraveler.com – click on "e-news" 2 GUIDE TO VIRGINIA’S CIVIL WAR 1863 in Virginia, cont’d from page 1 Hungry or not, the Confederate army was in good enough shape to turn back another Union offensive at Fredericksburg in early May. New Union commander Gen. Joseph Hooker thought he could get around Lee’s army instead of attacking it head-on. That didn’t work either. After desperate fighting near Chancellorsville, the Union army was sent packing… again. Lee’s masterful victory set the stage for another Confederate march north. But this time he had to make the trip without Stonewall Jackson, who died after being wounded during the height of the battle. The Confederates hit the road toward Pennsylvania in June, the infantry taking a route through the northern Shenandoah Valley, west of the Blue Ridge mountains. The leading elements of the Southern army brushed aside The Richmond bread riot, April 2, 1863 a Union force in Winchester while Confederate cavalry — somewhat chastened by relatively poor That fall, both armies dispatched signifperformances at Kelly’s Ford and Brandy icant numbers of troops to fight in Georgia Station — held off their counterparts east and Tennessee. The battles at Chickamauga of the mountains, protecting Lee’s right (GA) and Chattanooga (TN) diverted atflank. tention from the Eastern Theater. For the next couple of months the war’s While all that was happening down focus left Virginia as the heavy fighting south, Lee saw a chance to renew the ofshifted north and south. fensive in Virginia. After a Union cavalry Lee’s army limped home after the foray south of the Rappahanock in OcBattle of Gettysburg ( July 1–3), fighting tober, Lee launched a “left hook” directed rearguard actions along the way, including toward the Union flank and rear. The blow one near Front Royal, before both armies forced the Federals back toward Centreville settled into camps near the Rappahannock and their Washington defenses. Lee’s plan and Rapidan rivers west of Fredericksburg. appeared to be working until Confederate Gen. A.P. Hill’s troops rashly attacked a very strong Union rear guard at Bristoe Station on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. The Oct. 14 defeat at Bristoe caused the Confederate operation to sputter. Lee’s last offensive campaign of the war was over. A little more than a month later, it was the Union army’s turn at frustration. Gen. George Meade, who took over for Hooker shortly before Gettysburg, had been stung by criticism that he not been aggressive enough. He launched a campaign of his own in late November, hoping to strike a blow against the Confederates south of the Rapidan River. Like Lee’s ill-fated October campaign, Meade’s effort sputtered, this time after inconclusive fighting in the last days of the month at Mine Run. So 1863 limped to a close with the armies in winter camps not all that far away from where they were the previous winter. Virginia’s short interlude was over. But both sides knew the war was far from over and that Virginia would once again take center stage. 150th Anniversary Event Highlights 2013 H ere are the highlights of Virginia’s 150th anniversary commemoration schedule. Please see CivilWarTraveler.com/ events for more information, changes and updates. MARCH Mosby raids – Commemorated at Fairfax (March 9) and Herndon (March 17). 703591-0506 (Fairfax) and herndonhistoicalsociety.org (Herndon) An Independent Newspaper © Copyright 2013 PAGE ONE HISTORY PUBLICATIONS The Guide to Virginia’s Civil War is published annually. Free copies are available at most Virginia Civil War sites and selected local/regional visitor centers. For a free copy by mail, visit CivilWarTraveler.com, click on a “Free Info” button, and fill out the form (check Virginia). A copy of the newspaper and other related Civil War travel information will be sent to you. PO Box 4232 Richmond VA 23220-4232 www.civilwartraveler.com/EAST/VA [email protected] Editor / Publisher Don Pierce 804-399-5737 Associate Publisher Norma Pierce Explosion at the Confederate Laboratory (March 13, 1863) – Talks and living history March 9 at Historic Tredegar in Richmond. nps.gov/rich Battle of Kelly’s Ford (March 17, 1863) – Commemorated with a tour and ball (March 16) and a symposium (March 17). brandystationfoundation.com APRIL Bread Riot in Richmond (April 2, 1863) – Tour in Richmond April 6. nps.gov/rich Siege of Suffolk (April 11-May 4, 1863) – •VantourfromLeeHallinNewport News April 20. leehall.org MAY Battle of Chancellorsville (May 1-5, 1863) – •Rangerprograms,allsortsoftoursand living history on the battlefield west of Fredericksburg April 27-May 5. Realtime walking tours May 1-4. nps.gov/frsp. •ReenactmentMay3-5.Seebattleofchancellorsville.com •MedicalprogramsatEllwood(fowb. org) and Kenmore in Fredericksburg (kenmore.org) May 4-5. Death of Stonewall Jackson (May 10, 1863) – •Specialrangerprogramsplannedatthe Stonewall Jackson Shrine (Guinea Station) May 9 and 10. nps.gov/frsp •TalkandspecialexhibitattheMuseum of the Confederacy in Richmond May 10–12. (moc.org) JUNE Roads to Gettysburg Battle of Brandy Station ( June 9, 1863) – Special in-depth tour of the battlefield June 8, tours of the Graffiti House visitor center June 7–9. brandystationfoundation.com Second Battle of Winchester ( June 13–15, 1863) – Car-caravan tour and tours of Star Fort June 14, living history at Star Fort and seminar and tour both June 15. shenandoahatwar.org Battles at Aldie, Middleburg and Upperville ( June 17–21, 1863) – Living history, special exhibits, talks and a reenactment June 14-16. mosbyheritagearea.org Note: Living history programs representing camps on the roads to (and from) Gettysburg are planned. See civilwartraveler.com/ events for details. JULY Battle of Wapping Heights ( July 23, 1863) – “On this day” tour planned near Front Royal July 23. shenandoahatwar.org OCTOBER Battle of Bristoe Station (Oct. 14, 1863) – Campaign symposium Sept. 14–15, bus tour Oct. 5 and living history weekend at the Bristoe Station Battlefield Heritage Park Oct. 12–14. 703-366-3049. NOVEMBER Mine Run Campaign (Nov. 27-Dec. 2, 1863) – Commemoration of the campaign Nov. 16. visitorangevirginia.com . u