Tag: Civil War and Day Trip Series (2011)

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Albemarle Boys in Pickett’s Charge

Rick Britton speaking at the Charlottesville Senior Center Wednesday.

Rick Britton speaking at the Charlottesville Senior Center Wednesday.

Regular listeners of our podcasts might know Rick Britton. He’s a Charlottesville-based author, lecturer, and cartographer. An award-winning historian, Rick also organizes a “Civil War Lecture and Day-Trip Series” in conjunction with the Charlottesville Senior Center.

On Wednesday, October 12, 2011, Rick Britton himself presented a lecture titled “Albemarle Boys in Pickett’s Charge.” Arguably the most famous attack in American history, Pickett’s Charge-fought on July 3, 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg’s third day-hurled 11,000 Southerners against a very strong Federal defensive line. In the very center of the attack marched 400 men from Charlottesville and Albemarle.

History buffs fill the Charlottesville Senior Center on a rainy Wednesday evening to enjoy the final lecture in this series for 2011.

History buffs fill the Charlottesville Senior Center on a rainy Wednesday evening to enjoy the final lecture in this series for 2011.

On Wednesday, October 26th to Friday the 28th, Rick Britton will be guiding a bus tour of the Gettysburg battlefield. The 3-day Gettysburg trip features guided tours of the most famous portions of the battlefield, a visit to the brand new Visitors Center, and organized evening activities. Bus tour departs from the Charlottesville Senior Center at 8:00 am. There is a fee for the tour. Call (434) 974-6538 for more information.

This is the seventh and final part of this series for 2011. You can listen to all seven parts of this series here.

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The Battle of Chancellorsville

Beth Parnicza speaking at the Charlottesville Senior Center Wednesday.

Beth Parnicza speaking at the
Charlottesville Senior Center
Wednesday.

Regular listeners of our podcasts might know Rick Britton.He’s a Charlottesville-based author, lecturer, and cartographer. An award-winning historian, Rick also organizes a “Civil War Lecture and Day-Trip Series” in conjunction with the Charlottesville Senior Center.

On Wednesday, September 21st, NPS historian Beth Parnicza-a recent university graduate whose poise and depth of knowledge were admired by all-delivered a talk on the Chancellorsville campaign and battle. Fought in 1863 over the first four days of May, Chancellorsville pitted Robert E. Lee’s 60,000-man Army of Northern Virginia against “Fighting Joe” Hooker’s 134,000. Amazingly, Lee was able to defeat Hooker and drive him back over the Rappahannock. Was Chancellorsville truly Lee’s masterpiece? Listen and hear what this young historian has to say!

On Wednesday, September 28th, Rick Britton will conduct a tour of the Chancellorsville Battlefield. The tour will take in the Visitors Center in the morning, and hear a presentation on “Stonewall” Jackson’s mortal wounding. After a picnic lunch the tour will spend the afternoon on this well-preserved Virginia battlefield. Bus tour departs from the Charlottesville Senior Center at 9:00 am. There is a fee for the tour. Call 974-6538 for more information.

This is part six of a seven part series for 2011. You can listen to all seven parts of this series here.

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Saving Stonewall’s Bacon: The Charlottesville Artillery at Port Republic

Rick Britton speaking at the Charlottesville Senior Center Wednesday.

Rick Britton speaking at the
Charlottesville Senior Center Wednesday.

Regular listeners of our podcasts might know Rick Britton. He’s a Charlottesville-based author, lecturer, and cartographer. An award-winning historian, Rick also organizes a “Civil War Lecture and Day-Trip Series” in conjunction with the Charlottesville Senior Center.

On Wednesday, August 17, 2011 Rick Britton himself delivered a presentation entitled “Saving Stonewall’s Bacon: The Charlottesville Artillery at Port Republic.” An interesting tale about an incident that took place on June 8th, 1862-just one day prior to the Battle of Port Republic-it’s about how the Charlottesville Artillerymen, brand new soldiers with no combat experience, stood to their guns and saved their army’s baggage and ammunition trains from capture by an uncharacteristically aggressive Federal cavalry force.

On Wednesday, August 24th, Rick Britton will conduct a tour of the Cross Keys and Port Republic Battlefields. Fought on June 8th and 9th, 1862, these twin Southern victories were the perfect finale for General Jackson’s successful Shenandoah Valley Campaign. The tour will visit Cross Keys in the morning, then lunch in Port Republic. In the afternoon the tour will take in stops on the Port Republic battleline. Bus tour departs from the Charlottesville Senior Center at 9:00 AM. There is a fee for the tour. Call 974-6538 for more information.

This is part five of a seven part series for 2011. You can listen to all seven parts of this series here.

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‘Stonewall’ Jackson’s Valley Campaign

Rick Britton introduces this month's guest speaker before a packed house at the Charlottesville Senior Center Wednesday.

Rick Britton introduces this month’s guest speaker before a packed house at the Charlottesville Senior Center Wednesday.

Regular listeners of our podcasts might know Rick Britton. He’s a Charlottesville-based author, lecturer, and cartographer. An award-winning historian, Rick also organizes a “Civil War Lecture and Day-Trip Series” in conjunction with the Charlottesville Senior Center.

Troy Marshall

Troy Marshall

On Wednesday, July 20, 2011 Troy Marshall spoke about the brilliant campaign that made “Stonewall” Jackson famous. Through May and early June of 1862, Jackson and his 17,000-man “foot cavalry” out-marched, out-maneuvered, and out-fought several Federal forces totaling over 60,000 men.

On Wednesday, July 27, 2010, Rick Britton will conduct a Civil War day-trip into the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. The tour will start off by motoring down the Luray Valley, then take in the urban Front Royal battlefield, the Warren Rifles Confederate Museum, and the nearby Belle Boyd cottage, home of the famous Southern spy. The tour will also spend some time simply enjoying this charming Shenandoah Valley town. Bus tour departs from the Charlottesville Senior Center at 9:00 am. There is a fee for the tour. Call 974-6538 for more information.

This is part four of a six part series for 2011. You can listen to all six parts of this series here.

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General Thomas J. Jackson

Scott Harris speaking at the Charlottesville Senior Center.

Scott Harris speaking at the
Charlottesville Senior Center.

Regular listeners of our podcasts might know Rick Britton. He’s a Charlottesville-based author, lecturer, and cartographer. An award-winning historian, Rick also organizes a “Civil War Lecture and Day-Trip Series” in conjunction with the Charlottesville Senior Center.

On Wednesday, June 15, 2011 Scott Harris delivered a talk on Confederate General Thomas J. Jackson at Second Manassas, the 1862 action fought close to the spot where the general, in 1861, had won the nickname “Stonewall.” Fought as a meeting engagement on August 28th-30th, 1862, Second Manassas saw Jackson’s corps holding against the uncoordinated enemy assaults ordered by Union General John Pope. At Second Manassas, too, some of Jackson’s men, temporarily out of ammunition and desperate, resorted to throwing rocks.

On Wednesday, June 22nd, Rick Britton will conduct a tour of the Second Manassas Battlefield. The tour will take in the Visitors Center in the morning, then, following lunch nearby, spend the afternoon on this beautifully preserved Northern Virginia battlefield. Bus tour departs from the Charlottesville Senior Center at 9:00 AM. There is a fee for the tour. Call 974-6538 for more information.

This is part three of a six part series for 2011. You can listen to all six parts of this series here.

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The Life and Military Career of General U. S. Grant

Bill Ferraro speaking before a packed house at the Charlottesville Senior Center Wednesday.

Bill Ferraro speaking before a packed house
at the Charlottesville Senior Center Wednesday.

Regular listeners of our podcasts might know Rick Britton. He’s an award-wining historian and cartographer and a frequent guest on WINA’s Charlottesville Right Now with Coy Barefoot. Rick also organizes a Civil War lecture and day-trip series in conjunction with the Charlottesville Senior Center. On Wednesday, May 18, 2011 Bill Ferraro —a former Editor with the Papers of U. S. Grant— delivered a fascinating talk on the life and military career of General Grant.

Bill Ferraro

Bill Ferraro

Born in Ohio in 1822, and an 1843 graduate of West Point, Grant finished the Mexican War as a captain with citations for gallantry and meritorious conduct. After leaving the Army in 1854, he worked hard but nonetheless failed at a number of civilian undertakings. In the Civil War, however, Grant rose steadily in the ranks —from Colonel to General-in-Chief of the Armies— and, after coming east to take on Robert E. Lee and his seldom-bested Army of Northern Virginia, demonstrated his great inner strength and an iron-willed determination to grind down Confederate forces: two qualities sorely missing in previous commanders. Who was this successful Western General? Listen to find out why.

This is part two of a six part series for 2011. You can listen to all six parts of this series here.

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The Battle of Cold Harbor

Ed Sanders

Ed Sanders speaking before a packed house at the Charlottesville Senior Center. Part one of six.

Regular listeners of our podcasts might know Rick Britton. He’s an award-winning historian and cartographer and a frequent guest on WINA’s Charlottesville Right Now with Coy Barefoot. Rick also organizes a Civil War lecture and day-trip series in conjunction with the Charlottesville Senior Center.

On Wednesday, April 20th—to a packed crowd—NPS Historian Ed Sanders delivered a fantastic talk on one of the war’s most vicious battles. Fought between May 31st & June 12th, 1864—and featuring hopeless Federal assaults on June 3rd—the Battle of Cold Harbor was the last combat of U. S. Grant’s aggressive Overland Campaign. At Cold Harbor R. E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, dug in along a line stretching six miles, inflicted 6,000 casualties while suffering very few. It was a bloodletting that future President U. S. Grant lived to regret.

On Wednesday, April 27nd, Rick Britton will conduct an afternoon tour of the Cold Harbor Battlefield (just outside of Richmond). We’ll start off the day by taking in the new Civil War exhibit at the Virginia Historical Society. Then we’ll enjoy lunch at the Tobacco Company. Bus tour departs at 9:00 am and returns at about 5:00 pm. There is a fee for the tour. Call 974-6538 for more info!

This is the first of a six part series for 2011. You can listen to all six parts of this series here.