We depart today to visit some of the most important historical sites of the Civil War. Our first stop is Petersburg National Battlefield. It was the longest military event of the Civil War: nine and a half months, 70,000 casualties, the suffering of civilians, thousands of U. S. Colored Troops, and the decline of Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. It was here Gen. Ulysses S. Grant cut off all of Petersburg’s supply lines ensuring the fall of Richmond on April 3, 1865. Six days later, Lee surrendered. Next stop is Pamplin Park and The National Museum of the Civil War Soldier. This is a privately owned National Historic Landmark which provides a location for the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier. Here we will learn of the preserving of the physical space on which the battle was fought and interpreting it. The park includes several pre-Civil War structures that are an integral part of the park landscape. Dinner will be included this evening in at Halfway House Restaurant. We overnight in Richmond. (D)

During the American Civil War, Richmond served as the second and permanent capital of the Confederate States of America and it became the main target of Union armies. We will visit The American Museum of the Civil War at Tredegar. It features hundreds of original artifacts, dynamic theater experiences and compelling imagery. You will be able to explore, understand and feel the dramatic story of the American Civil War and its legacy. The White House of the Confederacy was the home of Confederate President Jefferson Davis during the war. The museum maintains a comprehensive collection of artifacts, manuscripts, books, pamphlets, and photographs. Next we will learn of the Civil War’s bloody climax. No other place vividly reflects the War’s tragic cost in all its forms as the Spotsylvania Court House battle. A town bombarded and looted. Farms large and small ruined. Refugees by the thousands forced into the countryside. More than 85,000 men were wounded and 15,000 killed—most are buried in unknown graves. The Fredericksburg National Battlefield Park presents the rich and varied experiences of the people who lived, worked and fought on these lands before, during, and after the Civil War.

We travel to Manassas where on a warm July day in 1861 two armies of a divided nation clashed for the first time on the fields overlooking Bull Run. Ten hours of heavy fighting swept away the idea that the war’s outcome would be quickly decided. Next, we visit the tiny town of Harpers Ferry. The war found Harpers Ferry right on the boundary between the Union and Confederate forces. The strategic position along this border and the valuable manufacturing base, along with being a railroad junction on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, it was a coveted strategic goal for both sides, but particularly the South. Stonewall Jackson’s assault on the Federal forces at the Battle of Harpers Ferry in September 1862, led to the capitulation of 12,500 Union troops, which was the largest number of Union prisoners taken at one time during the war. Next, we travel to Sharpsburg, Maryland and Antietam National Battlefield. Here our guide will share the details of the location of the Civil War’s bloodiest one-day battle. On September 17, 1862 Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia and Union General George B. McClellan’s Army of the Potomac had a combined tally of 22,717 dead, wounded, or missing. Following an included dinner, we overnight in the Gettysburg area. (D)

This morning we travel to Gettysburg, the scene of one of the most decisive battles of the Civil War. We visit the Gettysburg Visitors Center and Cyclorama, a 360 degree painting depicting the Battle of Gettysburg. Next, we tour the battlefield and learn about this 3-day battle in July 1863 where more than 50,000 casualties were counted. Lunch is included at the Dobbin House, Gettysburg’s oldest, most historic home which has been beautifully and authentically restored. Built in 1914, the Historic Round Barn is one of only a handful of truly round barns surviving today. It’s surrounded by picturesque Pennsylvania foothills. (L)

For our last stop on the Civil War experience, we travel to Lexington, Virginia renowned for its beauty, charm, and historical significance. We are joined by a local guide who will share insights and details of historical locations and key battle sites in the area. We see Oakgrove Cemetery, Washington & Lee University, and Lee Chapel. We journey home with new insight from multiple perspectives involved in the American Civil War: Union and Confederate, enslaved and free African Americans, soldiers and civilians.