We recommend optional Travel Insurance for this tour. Please ask for a brochure.

The American Civil War has been considered by many the single most significant event in our history. This event did not happen just on the fields of battle, but also in the towns and through the civilians as well as the soldiers. The stories are not just troop movements, but of the decisions that were made by those in charge and the politics behind the decisions. The stories of our Civil War include the lives of those farm boys who saw war as glorious and learned otherwise. The stories include the courageous civilians who dealt with the sacrifices of war who nursed friend and enemy as well as much more. This adventure is designed to appeal to those who have interest in the Civil War, who enjoy good stories and love visiting historic towns. Historians will lead you back to 1859 and paint an unbelievable picture for you to enjoy. This is not a dry tour but an exciting adventure in the fields and towns of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania.

Monday, June 20             Manassas 1861
Manassas National Battlefield Park was established in 1940 to preserve the scene of two major Civil War battles. Located a few miles north of the prized railroad junction of Manassas, Virginia, the peaceful Virginia countryside bore witness to clashes between the armies of the North and South in 1861 and1862. This afternoon, we’ll view the movie “End of Innocence”. This excellent presentation will set the stage for our next experience. Our historian will take us to places on the battlefield not normally seen by the average visitor. This evening we’ll drive to Hagerstown, Maryland for our overnight stay.

Tuesday, June 21             Harpers Ferry, October 1859 – Antietam, September 1862
Harpers Ferry, the site of the famous John Brown’s Raid in 1859 also changed hands eight times from 1861 to 1865. When Lee was preparing to take the war to the north – also known as Lee’s first invasion of the north – he sent Stonewall Jackson to capture Harpers Ferry in September of 1862 just prior to the Battle of Antietam. We’ll meet our historian for an insider’s look at the struggle for this piece of land. We’ll have free time in Harpers Ferry to explore and have lunch on our own before leaving for our tour of Antietam Battlefield. Antietam is known for hosting the bloodiest one day battle in American history. The two armies met in the Maryland farm fields bordering the trickling Antietam Creek near the town of Sharpsburg. The Union named the conflict the Battle of Antietam in honor of the creek while the South called it the Battle of Sharpsburg in honor of the town. From dawn till dark on the 17th the two armies threw frontal attacks at each other, littering the fields with their dead and wounded. Tactically, the battle ended in a draw. Strategically, it was a victory for the Union. This evening we’ll have dinner at a brewery in Frederick. After dinner, we’ll go on a private tour of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine. This museum is dedicated to telling the medical story of the Civil War. CB, D

Wednesday, June 22            Leesburg – Fredericksburg, December, 1862
This morning we’ll tour Oatlands. A stately mansion, beautiful rolling farmland, exquisite gardens, a repository of more than 200 years of American history and culture – all of these can be found at Oatlands Historic House and Gardens near Leesburg, Virginia. Established in the early 19th century by George Carter, Oatlands was a thriving wheat plantation and base for numerous business enterprises until the time of the Civil War. This Plantation is noted to be on the route that the Union soldiers used when fleeing the Battle of Manassas. After our tour we’ll travel to Fredericksburg. We’ll have free time to explore and have lunch in this charming town full of great bookshops and Civil War mementos. Later, we’ll meet our historian for a guided tour of the town and battlefield. The historian will explain why the Fredericksburg area was the site of four major battles. This evening we’ll check into our hotel. After dinner, we’ll tour the Rising Sun Tavern, built in 1760. CB, D

Thursday, June 23            Richmond – All Day
Our day in Richmond begins at The Richmond Civil War Visitor’s Center, located on a beautiful eight-acre National Historic Landmark site on the James River. Richmond’s new Canal Walk fronts the river here, and a pedestrian bridge gives visitors’ access to Belle Island, formerly a Civil War prison camp for captured Union soldiers. Here at Tredegar Iron Works are five surviving buildings that illustrate the ironworks era. We’ll have a guided tour of Richmond, showing us many of the sites connected to the war; several battlegrounds, Hollywood Cemetery, the Capitol, and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church where Jefferson Davis received word to evacuate Richmond. We will also visit the Museum of the Confederacy and the White House of the Confederacy. Tonight you’ll have time to explore the Shockoe Slip area for dinner on your own. CB

Friday, June 24            Gettysburg – July 1863
By late morning, we’ll arrive in Gettysburg, PA. We’ll have free time at the new Gettysburg Visitors Center. A rotunda gallery welcomes visitors and sets the stage for the museum experience. This is followed by a main museum gallery, which will be organized to help visitors understand and appreciate the museum’s major themes. The new facility also includes a feature film experience that will immerse the audience in the sights, sounds and emotions of the battle and its aftermath, while theaters in the galleries offer short films that focus on each of the three days of battle. Interactive stations located throughout the new museum gives visitors access to information about the people, the battle, the collection and the monuments. A new Cyclorama Gallery display has the completely restored Gettysburg Cyclorama painting, including the original skyline, the canopy and the original three-dimensional diorama that was missing for more than 40 years. For the first time in decades, visitors will be able to view the restored painting as the artist originally intended. This afternoon, we’ll have free time in down town Gettysburg for browsing and lunch before our Battlefield tour. A specially trained local guide will take you through the national Park where this famous three-day battle took place – see the monuments, hear the stories and feel history come alive! For dinner, we’ll enjoy the same meal that Abraham Lincoln ate following his Gettysburg address. We’ll also meet Abe Lincoln and hear him recite the Gettysburg Address before departing for home. CB, D