Pamplin Historical Park

Roundtable: Six Days of Awful Fighting
2022-03-03 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Pamplin Historical Park, 6125 Boydton Plank Road, Petersburg, VA, 23803, United States
Speaker Eric Wittenberg will discuss, “Six Days of Awful Fighting: Cavalry Operations on the Road to Cold Harbor.”
Most students of the Civil War are familiar with the terrible infantry fighting that occurred on June 1-3, 1864 at Cold Harbor in Hanover County, Virginia. Many however, are unfamiliar with the concerted cavalry fighting that took place prior to the battle of Cold Harbor on May 27 to June 1. This fighting pitted the Cavalry Corps of the Army of the Potomac against the Cavalry Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia. These forces opposed each other at places like Hanovertown, Haw’s Shop, Matadequin Creek, Hanover Court House, Ashland, and, finally, Cold Harbor itself. The May 28, 1864, battle of Haw’s Shop was considered the fiercest cavalry battle of the war to date; but, it would be shadowed two weeks later by the battle of Trevilian Station. Haw’s Shop elevated Maj. Gen. Wade Hampton to prominence as the new commander of the Army of Northern Virginia’s Cavalry Corps following the death of the former cavalry chief, Maj. Gen. J. E. B. Stuart, 16 days earlier. Other notable characters involved in these actions include Philip H. Sheridan, Fitzhugh Lee, George A. Custer, and David M. Gregg.
Eric J. Wittenberg is an award-winning author of Civil War history from southeastern Pennsylvania. He is a graduate of Dickinson College, the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. He is a partner in the Columbus, Ohio law firm of Cook, Sladoje & Wittenberg Co., L.P.A., where he manages the firm’s litigation practice.
Wittenberg has authored 22 books on the American Civil War and over three dozen articles published in national publications. He speaks and conducts battlefield tours regularly across the country. He continues to serve as a board member with several organizations to include the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust and the Little Big Horn Associates, and often works with the American Battlefields Trust on battlefield preservation initiatives.
The Petersburg Civil War Roundtable (PCWRT) will meet the first Thursday of each month at Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm. Annual membership is $40.00. Individuals who are already members of Pamplin Historical Park can become members of PCWRT for $20.00. Non-members can attend for $5.00 each meeting. Call (804) 861-2408 for more information.

Roundtable: Washington D.C. Defenses
2022-04-07 19:00 - 20:00
Join speaker Steven Phan as he shares the story of “The Washington D.C. Defenses during the Civil War.”
In the wake of the Union defeat at First Manassas, federal engineers set to work constructing a ring of defenses around the capital. At wars’ end in 1865, around 68 major forts surrounded Washington D.C. which included 93 batteries consisting of over 900 cannons. This network of forts was connected by 30 miles of roads to supply and allow for the transferring of troops between forts.
This formidable ring of capital defenses were manned initially by volunteer regiments who mustered into service in 1861. They would become know as the “Heavy” regiments as their assignments included drill and training on the massive siege guns during their garrison duty. After a relatively cushy duty outside of the capital, the Heavies would be sent to the front lines in the spring of 1864. They would suffer some of the highest casualty rates while trying to prove themselves to the more veteran regiments.
Steven T. Phan is a Park Ranger and historian at the Civil War Defenses of Washington. Phan has also worked as an intern and park guide at Richmond National Battlefield Park, Hopewell Culture National park and Rock Creek Park. He is the author of several articles about Asians and Pacific Islanders in the Civil War and is currently writing a book on the Civil War Defenses of Washington. A military scholar of the Civil War era, Phan’s research mainly focuses on fortifications, military occupation, operational command and the Western Theater during the Civil War. He holds a Masters degree in American History, with a concentration in Public History.
The Petersburg Civil War Roundtable (PCWRT) will meet the first Thursday of each month at Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm. Annual membership is $40.00. Individuals who are already members of Pamplin Historical Park can become members of PCWRT for $20.00. Non-members can attend for $5.00 each meeting. Call (804) 861-2408 for more information.
This is an in-person event.

Roundtable: Voices from the Attic
2022-05-05 19:00 - 20:00
Join speaker Carleton Young as he shares the story of “Voices from the Attic: The Williamstown Boys in the Civil War.”
Young discovered a large collection of letters from two Civil War soldiers while cleaning out a relatives attic. This propelled Carleton Young on a more than decade long journey to research the two soldiers and explore the battlefields where the two Vermont soldiers fought. His book Voices From the Attic: The Williamstown Boys in the Civil War, tells the story of the two brothers and their journey in the Peninsula Campaign, then at South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, and Cedar Creek. Their history was preserved through their surprisingly detailed and insightful letters. Young will share their journey and his own at this special evening event.
Carleton Young earned his MA in history from Ohio University and completed his PhD in the history of education from the University of Pittsburgh. He was a teacher of AP American history at Thomas Jefferson High School in Pittsburgh for 37 years. Young has additionally taught as an adjunct professor at the Community College of Allegheny County, the University of Pittsburgh, Eastern Gateway Community College, and in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Carnegie Mellon University.
The Petersburg Civil War Roundtable (PCWRT) will meet the first Thursday of each month at Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm. Annual membership is $40.00. Individuals who are already members of Pamplin Historical Park can become members of PCWRT for $20.00. Non-members can attend for $5.00 each meeting. Call (804) 861-2408 for more information.
This is an in-person event.

Roundtable: Attack at Daylight and Whip Them
2022-06-02 19:00 - 20:00 | Pamplin Historical Park, 6125 Boydton Plank Road, Petersburg, VA, 23803, United States
Join speaker Greg Mertz as he shares the story of his book titled, “Attack at Daylight and Whip Them: The Battle of Shiloh, April 6-7, 1862.”
The Petersburg Civil War Roundtable (PCWRT) will meet the first Thursday of each month at Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm. Annual membership is $40.00. Individuals who are already members of Pamplin Historical Park can become members of PCWRT for $20.00. Non-members can attend for $5.00 each meeting. Call (804) 861-2408 for more information.
This is an in-person event.

Roundtable: A Thousand May Fall
2022-08-04 19:00 - 20:00
Join speaker Brian Matthew Jordan as he shares stories from his book in a presentation titled, “A Thousand May Fall: Life, Death, and Survival in the Union Army.”
Jordan’s presentation centers around the 107th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, whose men fought in two defining Civil War battles being Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. Most in the regiment were ethnic Germans as were nearly 200,000 of the immigrants who fought for the Union. They fought the enemy on the battlefield and those at their adopted homeland who questioned their loyalty and patriotism.
Jordan’s book A Thousand May Fall, includes new research based on diaries, letters and unpublished memoirs. It reveals the history of the common Civil War soldier and the immigrant story to assimilate into their new home.
Brian Matthew Jordan is an associate professor of history at Sam Houston State University. His first book, Marching Home: Union Veterans and Their Unending Civil War, was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for History.
The Petersburg Civil War Roundtable (PCWRT) will meet the first Thursday of each month at Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm. Annual membership is $40.00. Individuals who are already members of Pamplin Historical Park can become members of PCWRT for $20.00. Non-members can attend for $5.00 each meeting. Call (804) 861-2408 for more information.
This is an in-person event.

Roundtable: Marching Masters
2022-09-01 19:00 - 20:00 | Pamplin Historical Park, 6125 Boydton Plank Road, Petersburg, VA, 23803, United States
Join speaker Dr. Colin Woodward as he shares the story of “Marching Masters: Slaves, Race, and the Confederate Army.”
In Marching Masters, Colin Woodward explores not only the importance of slavery in the minds of Confederate soldiers but also its effects on military policy and decision making. Beyond showing how essential the defense of slavery was in motivating Confederate troops to fight, Woodward examines the Rebels’ persistent belief in the need to defend slavery and deploy it militarily as the war raged on. Slavery proved essential to the Confederate war machine, and Rebels strove to protect it just as they did Southern cities, towns, and railroads. Slaves served by the tens of thousands in the Southern armies. They served not as soldiers, but as menial laborers who cooked meals, washed horses, and dug ditches. Woodward continues the story into the Reconstruction and Jim Crow eras beyond the Confederacy’s surrender.
Drawing upon hundreds of soldiers’ letters, diaries, and memoirs, Marching Masters combines the latest social and military history in its compelling examination of the last bloody years of slavery in the United States.
Colin Edward Woodward was educated at Trinity College in Hartford and Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, where he received his Ph.D. in 2005. Dr. Woodward is a historian and writer, with fifteen years of experience working at colleges, universities, and museums. Past jobs have included the Virginia Museum of History and Culture, Smith College, the UALR Center for Arkansas History and Culture in Little Rock, Stratford Hall, and Hampden-Sydney College. He is the author of Marching Masters: Slavery, Race, and the Confederate Army during the Civil War, which is available through University of Virginia Press.
The Petersburg Civil War Roundtable (PCWRT) will meet the first Thursday of each month at Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm. Annual membership is $40.00. Individuals who are already members of Pamplin Historical Park can become members of PCWRT for $20.00. Non-members can attend for $5.00 each meeting. Call (804) 861-2408 for more information.
This is an in-person event.

Roundtable: John Brown's Raid
2022-10-06 19:00 - 20:00 | Pamplin Historical Park, 6125 Boydton Plank Road, Petersburg, VA, 23803, United States
Join speaker Kevin Pawlak as he shares the story of “John Brown’s Raid: Harpers Ferry and the Coming of the Civil War.”
The Petersburg Civil War Roundtable (PCWRT) will meet the first Thursday of each month at Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm. Annual membership is $40.00. Individuals who are already members of Pamplin Historical Park can become members of PCWRT for $20.00. Non-members can attend for $5.00 each meeting. Call (804) 861-2408 for more information.
This is an in-person event.

Civil War Symposium-Winning Big: Lopsided Victories; Stunning Defeats
2022-10-21 18:00 - 2022-10-23 14:00
Don’t miss your chance to attend this year’s exciting program. Winning Big: Lopsided Victories; Stunning Defeats on October 21-23, 2022, features seven outstanding historians who are leaders in their field.

The Symposium begins at 6:00 pm with a Welcome Reception for all attendees at Pamplin Historical Park’s National Museum of the Civil War Soldier, located at 6125 Boydton Plank Road, Petersburg, VA.
Park Members pay $315 per person and non-members pay $349. The price includes all lectures, the Friday night reception, two mid-morning coffee breaks, two lunches, and the Saturday night banquet.
Speakers & Topics:
Dr. Stewart L. Bennett, Chair & Professor of History
Blue Mountain College
Battle of Brice’s Crossroads
Gary Ecelbarger
Battle of Atlanta
Michael J. McCarthy
Battle of Five Forks
James A. Ogden, III
Battle of Missionary Ridge
Frank A. O’Reilly, Historian
Battle of Fredericksburg & Marye’s Heights
Gordon Rhea
Battle of Cold Harbor
Jeffry D. Wert
Battle of Cedar Creek
Capacity for our Symposium and optional tour is limited. We have a first-come, first-served policy for registrations and we fully expect our remaining seats to sell out. We want to give you every opportunity to be with us in October for a great learning experience among friends and fellow history enthusiasts.

See the program flyer here and give one of our Membership or Group Booking Specialists a call at 1-877-PAMPLIN right away and reserve your place at what could well be the finest Civil War history gathering of the year.

Roundtable: Battle of Glendale
2022-11-03 19:00 - 20:00 | Pamplin Historical Park, 6125 Boydton Plank Road, Petersburg, VA, 23803, United States
Join speaker Doug Crenshaw as he shares the story of “The Battle of Glendale.”
The Petersburg Civil War Roundtable (PCWRT) will meet the first Thursday of each month at Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm. Annual membership is $40.00. Individuals who are already members of Pamplin Historical Park can become members of PCWRT for $20.00. Non-members can attend for $5.00 each meeting. Call (804) 861-2408 for more information.
This is an in-person event.

Veterans Day Observance
2022-11-11 09:00 - 17:00 | Pamplin Historical Park, 6125 Boydton Plank Road, Petersburg, VA, 23803, United States
Join us as we honor America’s veterans this Veterans Day on November 11, 2022 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with activities and programs throughout the day. Visitors can learn about the advancements in weaponry between the Civil War and World War I at a special weapons demonstration at 11:00 a,m.

A Veterans Day ceremony will start at noon to include a presentation of colors, cannon fire salute and speech. Families are then invited to join educator and musical soloist Deborah Soderholm. She has combined her two passions of singing and history to bring the music of the past alive. A history teacher and museum educator, she has also performed on various stages throughout the region doing everything from musical theater and cabarets to opera. She has performed with PCC’s Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, Opera in Williamsburg, Williamsburg Players, Peninsula Community Theater, Fort Lee Theater Company, Henricus Historical Park, and the American Youth Ballet. Deborah has also been heard as a church soloist, professional Christmas caroler for Merchant’s Square, acting and singing in programs for Colonial Williamsburg Art Museums and doing the national anthem for sporting events and special ceremonies. Everyone will enjoy songs of American patriotism and and those from World War I beginning at 1:30 p.m.

Afterwards, Civil War programming will be joined by a U.S. Army Depot Brigades in World War I lecture by author and historian Alexander Barnes at 2:45 p.m. Alexander F. Barnes served in the United States Marine Corps and Army National Guard, retiring as a warrant officer. He is currently the Virginia National Guard Command historian and author of seven books to include the title, United States Army Depot Brigades in World War I.

Pamplin Historical Park Executive Director, Jerry Desmond will conduct a guided walking tour at 3:30 p.m. of the Breakthrough Battlefield, which occurred on April 2, 1865. The tour will offer attendees a chance to hear about the events which unfolded on that fateful morning while viewing some of the most well-preserved earthworks in the country. A notable story to be shared is that of Captain Charles Gould of the U.S. 5th Vermont Infantry Regiment who is credited as being the first man to enter the Confederate held earthworks. Gould would later receive the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle.

All visitors will have the opportunity to explore the 424-acre park to include the Breakthrough Battlefield which on April 2, 1865, resulted in the evacuation of both Petersburg and Richmond. A temporary exhibit titled “292 Days, A City at War” can be toured and is open through December 17, 2022. It presents the civilian side of the war as the City of Petersburg laid under siege for 292 days from June of 1864 to April of 1865. The exhibit is divided into two parts. The first part examines the history of Petersburg and its impressive growth from its founding around 1675 as a trading post known as Peter’s Point to the secession of Virginia from the United States in 1861. Then the war came, the second part of the exhibit covers the war years from the secession vote to the end of the siege.

All event activities and programs are included with regular daily paid admission.

Christmas Celebration
2022-12-17 09:00 - 17:00 | Pamplin Historical Park, 6125 Boydton Plank Road, Petersburg, VA, 23803, United States
Join us as we celebrate the holidays with living historians from the American Revolution and Civil War who will will share; soldier’s life, holiday traditions and demonstrate weapons.
The Harken Back String Band will perform a selection of holiday music for all to enjoy. Make and take home craft activities along book readings and a visit from Santa will excite the young and young at heart.
A separate ticketed “Tea & Tidings” event will be held at 2:30 pm.
Travel back to the Victorian era, when many of our Christmas traditions first made their appearance in everyday society. The first Christmas card, the first Christmas crackers, the first Christmas tree, all of the items we take for granted came about during the 19th century.
While you enjoy unlimited refills in your tea cup, and snack on tea treats, play various Victorian holiday games! Many games have an element of skill or smarts needed. While others are meant to tell fortunes for the new year. Snapdragon involves raisins and fire! (Please note that we will not be playing this game during the tea program).
Learn about the food for the holiday feasts of Yule Tides past. The sweet treats, the main meal, the side dishes, all will be told where and when their traditions originated. Learn what recipes followed into the 21st century!
Get your Tea & Tidings tickets today by clicking here.
Schedule:
10:00- 10:45 am
War So Terrible

11:00- 11:45 am
Christmas through the Ages
Revolutionary and Civil War Soldiers,
Weapons demonstrations and Holiday Traditions

12:00- 12:30 pm
Decorating is For the Birds
Craft together a few ornaments, reading The Fir Tree by Hans Christian Anderson

12:45- 1:30 pm
Harken Back String Band
Holiday Music

1:40- 2:00pm
Santa Claus Comes to Town
Arrival, Reading of the Twas the Night before Christmas,
Talk about Ornaments as Gifts

2:30- 4:00 pm
Tea & Tidings: Feasts, Fun, & Games
* Separate Ticketed Event

2:15- 3:00 pm
Christmas through the Ages
Revolutionary and Civil War Soldiers,
Weapons demonstrations and Holiday Traditions

3:30- 4:00 pm
Ornaments or Presents?
Talk and craft Ornaments as Gifts
Listen to The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry

Interpretation encounters will include: civilian Christmas, Revolutionary War Camp Christmas and a Civil War Camp Christmas.

Roundtable: Battle of Fort Gregg
2023-04-06 19:00 - 20:00
Join speaker John Fox as he shares the story of “The Battle of Fort Gregg.”
Mr. Fox’s The Confederate Alamo is the first book-length study ever written about the chaotic and bloody Battle of Fort Gregg. By April 2, 1865, General Ulysses S. Grant’s men had tightened their noose around the vital town of Petersburg, Virginia. Trapped on three sides with a river at their back, the soldiers from General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia had never faced such dire circumstances. To give Lee time to craft an escape, a small motley group of threadbare Southerners made a suicidal last stand at a place called Fort Gregg. Famous Civil War historian Douglas Southall Freeman described this fight as “one of the most dramatic incidents of an overwhelming day.” The venerable Union commander, Major General John Gibbon, observed, “[t]he struggle was one of the most desperate ever witnessed.”
John J. Fox grew up in Richmond, Virginia. He graduated from Washington & Lee University with a BA in U.S. History in 1981 and then served on active duty in the U.S. Army for seven years as an armor officer and aviator. His 2004 book, Red Clay to Richmond: Trail of the 35th Georgia Infantry Regiment, received the “ 2005 James I. Robertson Jr. Literary Prize for Confederate History” and a 2006 research award from the Georgia Secretary of State. His 2010 book, The Confederate Alamo: Bloodbath at Petersburg’ s Fort Gregg on April 2, 1865, received a 2011 IPPY Award for non-fiction. His articles have appeared in numerous Civil War magazines and newspapers. His newest book, Stuart’ s Finest Hour: The Ride Around McClellan, June 1862, was just released in September 2013. When he is not writing, Fox is a major airline pilot and he lives in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
The Petersburg Civil War Roundtable (PCWRT) will meet the first Thursday of each month (except June, July and August) at Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm. Annual membership is $40.00. Individuals who are already members of Pamplin Historical Park can become members of PCWRT for $20.00. Non-members can attend for $5.00 each meeting. Call (804) 861-2408 for more information.

Roundtable: 1862 Peninsula Campaign
2023-05-04 19:00 - 20:00 | Pamplin Historical Park, 6125 Boydton Plank Road, Petersburg, VA, 23803, United States
Join speaker J. Michael Moore as he shares the story of “The Peninsula Campaign.”
J. Michael Moore is employed by the City of Newport News and serves as curator for Lee Hall Mansion and Historic Endview. Moore received a bachelor of arts in history from Christopher Newport University and a master of arts in history
from Old Dominion University. During his tenure with the City, he has curated exhibits at several local historic sites, developed historic signage, and led battlefield tours in Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. Working with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, he has placed Causey’s Mill, Endview Plantation, Lee’s Mill, and Whitaker’s Mill on the National Register of Historic Places. In addition, Michael is a popular lecturer for CNU’s LifeLong Learning Society. Moore has co-authored two books – The
Peninsula Campaign of 1862: A Military Analysis in 2005 and Yorktown’s Civil War Siege: Drums Along the Warwick in 2012. In addition, he has served as the editor and photographic editor for twelve books and written articles for Virginia
Cavalcade, North & South, Military Collector & Historian, and Mulberry Island
Notes. In recognition of his work in public history, the Governor of Kentucky
commissioned Moore a Kentucky Colonel in 2014. He is a Newport News native
and resides in Historic Yorktown.
The Petersburg Civil War Roundtable (PCWRT) will meet the first Thursday of each month (except for June, July and August) at Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm. Annual membership is $40.00. Individuals who are already members of Pamplin Historical Park can become members of PCWRT for $20.00. Non-members can attend for $5.00 each meeting. Call (804) 861-2408 for more information.

World War II in the Pacific Weekend
2023-08-26 09:00 - 2023-08-27 17:00 | Pamplin Historical Park, 6125 Boydton Plank Road, Petersburg, VA, 23803, United States
This living history event brings to life the experiences of fighting in the Pacific Theater and the home front during World War II. Guests will have the opportunity to learn from living historians portraying soldiers who fought in the Pacific Theater and about a number of different aspects of a soldier’s life to include weapons, signals and communications. Impressions will range from U.S. Army and Marines to those of British and Russian allies. Civilian living historians will portray goings on at the home front and USO activities stateside. Demonstrations will include weapons and a 1940’s military uniform and civilian fashion show.
Partner museums to include; the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, MacArthur Memorial, U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum, U.S. Army Ordnance TSF, U.S. Army Women’s Museum and the Virginia War Memorial will have displays and more for visitors to see and experience. Presentations by authors and historians will be made on the following subjects; Battle of Midway by Timothy & Laura Orr which includes a book-signing, Japanese Armor by Eury Cantillo, Pre-war American-Japanese Relations presentation by James Triesler and The Price of Unpreparedness: American POWs in the Pacific by Corey Thorton.
Laura Orr is the Director of Education and Military Outreach at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum in Norfolk, Virginia. Her husband Dr. Timothy Orr is an Associate Professor of History at Old Dominion University. Both co-authored Never Call Me a Hero: A Legendary American Dive-Bomber Pilot Remembers of the Battle of Midway published in 2017 by Harper Collins. The memoir chronicles American dive-bomber pilot Jack “Dusty” Kleiss. Dusty worked on this book for years with naval historians Timothy and Laura Orr, aiming to publish Never Call Me a Hero for Midway’s seventy-fifth anniversary in June 2017. Sadly, as the book neared completion in 2016, Dusty Kleiss passed away at age 100, one of the last surviving dive-bomber pilots to have fought at Midway. And yet the publication of Never Call Me a Hero is a cause for celebration: these pages are Dusty’s remarkable legacy, providing a riveting eyewitness account of the Battle of Midway, and an inspiring testimony to the brave men who fought, died, and shaped history during those four extraordinary days in June, seventy-five years ago.
Eury Cantillo began a museum career shortly after college graduation, first working as a historic interpreter at Plimoth Plantation, later sailing a replica of one of Columbus’ ships through the Panama Canal, and then working as the Outreach Coordinator at the Higgins Armory Museum in Worcester, MA. At the height of the war in Iraq, he decided to enlist in the US Army. Cantillo served as an Artillery Officer in the 3rd Infantry Division, which included a 15 month deployment to the city of Ramadi in Western Iraq. In addition he lead a variety of supply convoys through the desert, and finally ended the deployment as a Battery Fire Direction Officer involved in the field testing of the Excalibur GPS guided artillery round. He then used the GI Bill to earn a Master’s degree in education, and began working for the National Park Service at the Lexington and Concord battlefield, the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings, and the National Mall and Memorial Parks in Washington, DC. He then worked as the Director of Education for the Navy’s Submarine Force museum, moved to CMH as the Curator at the Army’s Aviation museum before becoming the Curator of the Army’s Ordnance Training Support Facility, the first operational TSF in the system.
James Triesler is the Director of Education for the Virginia War Memorial located in Richmond, Virginia. Triesler became a history teacher in 1992, and has a passion for WWII. He and his students have won numerous awards for their work, including a Save Our History Award from the History Channel for creating the website ittookawar.com, a collection of letters and personal accounts from the Second World War. While in the classroom, Triesler accumulated nearly 8,000 original WWII letters for his students to learn from and transcribe. He was named the Virginia Battle of the Bulge person of the year in 2012, and is a former Virginia Region 1 Teacher of the Year. He has presented at several VBOB and BOBA events and loves displaying artifacts for people to enjoy and learn about WWII. Since 2015, Triesler has been the Director of Education at the Virginia War Memorial, where he has continued to honor veterans and educate students of all ages.
James Corey Thornton has served as Curator for the MacArthur Memorial in Norfolk, Virginia since November 2014. A resident of Norfolk, Virginia, Corey has holds both a Bachelor of Arts, and a Master of Arts in History from Old Dominion University (Norfolk, VA). As the Memorial’s Curator he manages the artifact collection and plans and develops the Memorial’s special and permanent exhibits. Corey is also responsible for the collections management of over 17,000 artifacts in the collection, as well as assisting with organizational planning, and supervising frontline staff. Prior to his work at the MacArthur Memorial, Corey served as the Curator of History for the Portsmouth Museums (Portsmouth, VA), from 2007 to 2014. In Portsmouth, Corey curated exhibits highlighting aspects of Portsmouth’s history, managed the artifact collection, and assisted with overseeing the City’s historical markers, monuments, and large external artifacts. Corey spends his personal time with his family, researches various aspects of American history, and plays his drums (especially after a challenging day at work!). Viewings of the Virginia War Memorials’, Virginians at War: Battle of Iwo Jima which combines original footage with first-hand accounts to tell stories from the battle will be shown over the weekend in the park’s Education Center.
Children will enjoy craft activities to include World War II coloring books and making a take home project of the Roosevelt’s Scottie Dog “Fala.”
World War II, which was fought between 1939 and 1945, cost an estimated 85 million casualties both military and civilian worldwide. The United States military casualties amounted to 416,800. While many were thankful for the surrender in Europe on May 8, 1945 the war in the Pacific raged on and was far from over. The battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa during the first half of the year gave a glimpse of the carnage awaiting invasion forces set to strike the Japanese home islands. A planned Allied invasion on the island of Kyushu was set for November 1st. There 500,000 Japanese troops were in position and another 6 million were under arms or able to be called into service. This invasion did not come to pass. The dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki forced Imperial Japan to accept an unconditional surrender. The terms were accepted on August 14, 1945 and a formal document signing ceremony took place aboard the U.S.S. Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2nd.
All event activities and programs are included with regular daily paid admission and separately, beverages and food may be purchased from vendor Bishop’s BBQ on Saturday, August 26th.
This event is held in partnership with Bank of Southside Virginia, Strosnider Chevrolet.
Schedule of Events
Saturday, August 26
Time Activity
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Living history camps and displays open to public
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM USO Children’s Craft Activities: WWII Coloring Book & The Roosevelt’s Scottie Dog “Fala” make & take home item at Freedom Garden (Diana Campbell)
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM US Army Quartermaster, Ordnance TSF, Women’s Museums “Angels of Bataan” and other displays at NMCWS alcove off of rotunda (power required)
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM MacArthur Memorial display at NMCWS alcove off of rotunda (power required)
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Virginia War Memorial display at NMCWS alcove off of rotunda
9:00 Am – 5:00 PM Hampton Roads Naval Museum display at NMCWS alcove off of rotunda
10:00 AM – 10:20 AM Viewing of Virginians at War: Battle of Iwo Jima in Education Center
11:00 AM – 11:45 AM “The Price of Unpreparedness: American POWs in the Pacific” presentation by Corey Thornton (MacArthur Memorial) in Education Center
12:00 PM – 12:45 PM 1940s Fashion Show at Education Center
1:00 PM – 1:45 PM “Never Call Me a Hero: American Dive Bomber Jack “Dusty” Kleiss and the Battle of Midway” presentation by Dr. Timothy Orr (Hampton Roads Naval Museum) in Education Center
2:00 PM – 2:30 PM WWII Weapons demonstration at Fortification Exhibit
3:00 PM – 3:45 PM “Japanese Armor” in World War II presentation by Eury Cantillo (US Army Ordnance TSF) at Education Center
4:00 PM – 4:20 PM Viewing of Virginians at War: China-Burma-India WWII in Education Center
5:00 PM Park Closes to Public

Sunday, August 27
Time Activity
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM Living history camps and displays open to public
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM USO Children’s Craft Activities: WWII Coloring Book & The Roosevelt’s Scottie Dog “Fala” make & take home item at Freedom Garden
10:00 AM – 10:20 AM Viewing of Virginians at War: Battle of Iwo Jima in Education Center
11:00 AM – 11:45 AM “Propaganda Posters” presentation by Colin Romanick (Pamplin Historical Park)
12:00 PM – 12:45 PM 1940s Fashion Show at Education Center
1:00 PM – 1:45 PM “Pre-war American-Japanese Relations” presentation by James Triesler (Virginia War Memorial) in Education Center
2:00 PM – 2:45 PM WWII Weapons demonstration at Fortification Exhibit
3:00 PM – 3:20 PM Viewing of Virginians at War: China-Burma-India WWII in Education Center
5:00 PM Park Closes to Public

Roundtable: Shenandoah Summer-The 1864 Valley Campaign
2023-10-05 19:00 - 20:00
Join author Scott Patchan who will present on October 5, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. to the Petersburg Civil War Roundtable. Patchan will share the “‘Shenandoah Summer-The 1864 Valley Campaign.”
Scott C. Patchan is a graduate of James Madison University in the Shenandoah Valley. He is the author of many articles and books, including The Forgotten Fury: The Battle of Piedmont (1996), Shenandoah Summer: The 1864 Valley Campaign (2007), Second Manassas: Longstreet’s Attack and the Struggle for Chinn Ridge (2011), The Battle of Piedmont and Hunter’s Raid on Staunton (2011), and The Last Battle of Winchester: Phil Sheridan, Jubal Early and the 1864 Shenandoah Valley Campaign (2013). He has also written feature essays for Blue and Gray Magazine on Cool Spring, Rutherford’s Farm and Second Kernstown; Third Battle of Winchester, Fisher’s Hill, Cedar Creek and two volumes on Second Bull Run. He has also written extensively for Civil War Magazine, North South, America’s Civil War and other historical publications. Scott has twice served as President of Bull Run Civil War Round Table, a member of the Kernstown Battlefield Association’s board of directors from 2000-2014, and worked extensively on the interpretation of the Third Winchester battlefield for the Shenandoah Valley Battlefield Foundation. He is also a much sought tour guide at both Civil War and Revolutionary War era sites from New York to Georgia.
The Petersburg Civil War Roundtable (PCWRT) will meet the first Thursday of each month (except for the months of June, July and August) at Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm. Annual membership is $40.00. Individuals who are already members of Pamplin Historical Park can become members of PCWRT for $20.00. Non-members can attend for $5.00 each meeting. Call (804) 861-2408 for more information.

Civil War Symposium: Bridges Over Troubled Waters
2023-10-20 18:00 - 2023-10-22 15:00
Battlefield terrain features and obstacles have been studied by numerous historians and are the blessing or curse of many military commanders throughout time. The American Civil War is no different with many examples of rivers, streams and ravines playing a role in defining battles. Some already had bridges in place such as the Burnside Bridge at Antietam and other bridges had to be constructed as in the case of the pontoon bridge across the James River. Many of these bridges played a vital role in the battles surrounding them and others were a silent witness to the carnage and fighting between opposing forces. This year’s Pamplin Historical Park Symposium, with an prominent cast of speakers, examines both literally and figuratively examples of “Bridges Over Troubled Waters.”

The conference will be held on Friday, October 20 through Sunday, October 22, 2023 at Pamplin Historical Park’s Museum of the Civil War Soldier and Education Center in Dinwiddie, Virginia and will feature presentations from seven outstanding historians: Peter Cozzens, Jerry Desmond, Bradley M. Gottfried, A. Wilson Greene, John Hennessy, Scott Mingus, Sr. and Brian Steel Wills.

For more information or to register, call a reservation specialist at 877-726-7546 or click this link to register online today. Pre-registration is required and space is limited.
Download a printable flyer and registration form by clicking here.
The Symposium begins at 6:00 pm with a Welcome Reception for all attendees at Pamplin Historical Park’s National Museum of the Civil War Soldier, located at 6125 Boydton Plank Road, Petersburg, VA.
Park Members pay $339 per person and non-members pay $379. The price includes all lectures, the Friday night reception, two mid-morning coffee breaks, two lunches, and the Saturday night banquet.
*Not a member, but interested in joining? Click here or call Member Services, 877-726-7546 .
Speakers & Topics:
Peter Cozzens
The Battle of Davis Bridge
Jerry Desmond
High Bridge at Farmville
Dr. Bradley M. Gottfried
Bridges at Battle of Antietam
A. Wilson Greene
Brown’s Ferry at Chattanooga
John Hennessy
Stone Bridge at Manassas
Scott Mingus, Sr.
Wrightsville Bridge
Dr. Brian Steel Wills
Battle of Resaca/Oostanaula River

Roundtable: Civil War Railroads
2023-11-02 07:00 - 20:00
Join Bert Dunkerly who will present on November 2, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. to the Petersburg Civil War Roundtable. Dunkerly will share the story of “Civil War Railroads.”
Robert M. Dunkerly (Bert) is a historian, award-winning author, and speaker who is actively involved in historic preservation and research. He holds a degree in History from St. Vincent College and a Masters in Historic Preservation from Middle Tennessee State University. He has worked at nine historic sites, written eleven books and over twenty articles. His research includes archaeology, colonial life, military history, and historic commemoration. Dunkerly is currently a Park Ranger at Richmond National Battlefield Park. He has visited over 400 battlefields and over 700 historic sites worldwide. When not reading or writing, he enjoys hiking, camping, and photography.
The Petersburg Civil War Roundtable (PCWRT) will meet the first Thursday of each month (except for the months of June, July and August) at Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm. Annual membership is $40.00. Individuals who are already members of Pamplin Historical Park can become members of PCWRT for $20.00. Non-members can attend for $5.00 each meeting. Call (804) 861-2408 for more information.

Veterans Day Observance
2023-11-11 09:00 - 17:00 | Pamplin Historical Park, 6125 Boydton Plank Road, Petersburg, VA, 23803, United States
Pamplin Historical Park will offer a living history timeline of America’s military with reenactors and multiple programs throughout the day. Programming includes a lecture on United States Army Immigrants serving in World War I by author and historian Al Barnes, a special ceremony with cannon fire salute and tour of the Breakthrough Battlefield of April 2, 1865..
Living history will take place throughout the day with reenactors portraying American military members from various conflicts. Families will have the opportunity to learn about our nation’s rich military heritage and interact with living historians who will share stories, uniforms, equipment and weaponry of America’s fighting men and women.
A Veterans Day ceremony will start at 11:00 am with a presentation of colors and remarks by Executive Director Colin Romanick, which will be followed by a cannon fire salute. The ceremony will honor and recognize all of America’s veterans from the American Revolution to the present day.
Living history programming will be joined by a Forgotten Soldiers of World War I lecture by author and historian Alexander Barnes. Alexander F. Barnes served in the United States Marine Corps and Army National Guard, retiring as a warrant officer. He is currently the Virginia National Guard Command historian and author of seven books to include the title, Forgotten Soldiers of World War I: America’s Immigrant Doughboys.
A guided walking tour of the Breakthrough Battlefield, which occurred on April 2, 1865 will take place in the afternoon. The tour will offer attendees a chance to hear about the events which unfolded on that fateful morning while viewing some of the most well-preserved earthworks in the country. A notable story to be shared is that of Captain Charles Gould of the U.S. 5th Vermont Infantry Regiment who is credited as being the first man to enter the Confederate held earthworks. Gould would later receive the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle.
All visitors will have the opportunity to explore the 424-acre park to include the Breakthrough Battlefield which on April 2, 1865, resulted in the evacuation of both Petersburg and Richmond. A temporary exhibit titled “292 Days, A City at War” can be toured and is open through December 17, 2023. It presents the civilian side of the war as the City of Petersburg laid under siege for 292 days from June of 1864 to April of 1865. The exhibit is divided into two parts. The first part examines the history of Petersburg and its impressive growth from its founding around 1675 as a trading post known as Peter’s Point to the secession of Virginia from the United States in 1861. Then the war came, the second part of the exhibit covers the war years from the secession vote to the end of the siege.
All event activities and programs are included with regular daily paid admission.
This event is held in partnership with The Bank of Southside Virginia and Strosnider Chevrolet.

Roundtable: Fate at Petersburg" The Story of Col. G. L. Prescott, 32nd Mass."
2023-12-07 19:00 - 20:00
Join Dr. Sean Heuvel who will present on December 7, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. to the Petersburg Civil War Roundtable. Dr. Heuvel will share the “‘Fate at Petersburg: The Story of Colonel George L. Prescott, 32nd Massachusetts.”

Dr. Sean M. Heuvel serves as Director of Graduate Recruitment and Admissions at Christopher Newport University. In that capacity, he oversees the admissions process for all of CNU’s graduate programs. He holds a B.A. in Government, M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration, and Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from The College of William and Mary. He also completed an M.A. in History from the University of Richmond. Prior to this current position, he served as a faculty member at CNU for sixteen years and was an admissions officer in CNU’s Undergraduate Admissions Office before that.

An active scholar in the fields of American military history, higher education, and leadership studies, he has written numerous books as well as articles for refereed journals, encyclopedias, and magazines. His interests include higher education history, the college presidency, the American Revolution, the American Civil War, World War II, and military leadership. Active in foreign study programs at CNU, Heuvel has also lectured at Harris Manchester College, Oxford University, in the United Kingdom. He and his wife and two children live in Williamsburg, Virginia.
The Petersburg Civil War Roundtable (PCWRT) will meet the first Thursday of each month (except for the months of June, July and August) at Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm. Annual membership is $40.00. Individuals who are already members of Pamplin Historical Park can become members of PCWRT for $20.00. Non-members can attend for $5.00 each meeting. Call (804) 861-2408 for more information.

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Roundtable: The Man Who Lost the Civil War Twice
2024-03-07 19:00 - 20:00
Speaker Dr. Matthew C. Hulbert will discuss, “The Man Who Lost the Civil War Twice: The Life and Legend of Major John Newman Edwards.”
John Newman Edwards was a soldier, a father, a husband, and a noted author. He was also a virulent alcoholic, a duelist, a culture warrior, and a man perpetually at war with the modernizing world around him. From the sectional crisis of his boyhood and the battlefields of the western borderlands to the final days of the Second Mexican Empire and then back to a United States profoundly changed by the Civil War, Oracle of Lost Causes chronicles Edwards’s lifelong quest to preserve a mythical version of the Old World—replete with aristocrats, knights, damsels, and slaves—in North America.
This odyssey through nineteenth-century American politics and culture involved the likes of guerrilla chieftains William Clarke Quantrill and “Bloody Bill” Anderson, notorious outlaws Frank and Jesse James, Confederate general Joseph Orville Shelby, and even Emperor Maximilian I and Empress Charlotte of Mexico. It is the story of a man who experienced Confederate defeat not once but twice, and how he sought to shape and weaponize the memory of those grievous losses. Historian Matthew Christopher Hulbert ultimately reveals how the Civil War determined not only the future of the vast West but also the extent to which the conflict was part of a broader, international sequence of sociopolitical uprisings.
Dr. Matthew C. Hulbert is an assistant professor of history at Hampden-Sydney College. Winner of the Wiley-Silver Prize for The Ghosts of Guerrilla Memory: How Civil War Bushwhackers became Gunslingers in the American West (Georgia), Hulbert is also coeditor of Writing History With Lightning: Cinematic Representations of Nineteenth-Century America and The Civil War Guerrilla: Unfolding the Black Flag in History, Memory, and Myth.
The Petersburg Civil War Roundtable (PCWRT) will meet the first Thursday of each month at Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm. Annual membership is $40.00. Individuals who are already members of Pamplin Historical Park can become members of PCWRT for $20.00. Non-members can attend for $5.00 each meeting. Call (804) 861-2408 for more information or visit .https://petersburgcwrt.com.

159th Breakthrough Battle Anniversary
2024-03-23 09:00 - 17:00
Join us as we remember the 159th Anniversary of the Breakthrough Battle which ended the Petersburg Campaign and forced the Confederate withdrawal from Richmond.
At 4:40 a.m. April 2, 1865, some 14,000 Union soldiers moved forward in the chilly gloom toward the Confederate fortifications six miles southwest of Petersburg. Less than an hour later, the American flag flew over the Confederate line following one of the most important battles of the entire Civil War. This engagement led directly to the evacuation of both Petersburg and Richmond. One week later, Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House and our nation began the long process of reconciliation.
The Park is hosting a full schedule of activities and programs open to walk-in visitors. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear author presentations, living history portraying soldiers and civilians, and artillery demonstrations. Visitors can experience encounters all day with civilians at Tudor Hall and sharpshooters and skirmishers on the Breakthrough Battlefield with reenactors. Additional programming includes a guided walking tour “between the lines” of the Breakthrough Battlefield to discover the role of soldiers in the picket lines and interact with reenactors along the way. An additional battlefield tour titled “The Norfolk Light Artillery Blues” will guide visitors to the actual redan manned by the Norfolk Light Artillery during the April 2, 1865 Breakthrough Battle. There, visitors will hear about the role of artillery, the different types of ammunition used, and will see a live firing of the two-gun section.
Authors Hampton Newsome will present “Gettysburg’s Southern Front” and Michael C. Hardy will present “General Lee’s Immortals, the Branch-Lane Brigade,” which is included with regular admission.
Hampton Newsome is author of several books on the Civil War including Richmond Must Fall: The Richmond-Petersburg Campaign, October 1864, published by Kent State University Press in 2012 and recognized as a best book of the year by the Civil War Monitor magazine; and The Fight for the Old North State: The Civil War in North Carolina, January-May 1864, which was published in 2019 by the University Press of Kansas and received the Emerging Civil War Book Award and the Richard Barksdale Harwell Award from the Atlanta Civil War Roundtable. His most recent title is Gettysburg’s Southern Front: Opportunity and Failure at Richmond. Also published by University of Kansas Press, this new book has received the Edwin C. Bearss Book Award for Outstanding Scholarship from the Chicago Civil War Roundtable as well as the Emerging Civil War 2023 Book of the Year.
Michael C. Hardy is an award-winning and widely published author. A graduate of the University of Alabama, he has written on a large array of subjects — Confederate regimentals, Southern places, and personalities — in books, articles, and blog posts. In 2010, Hardy was named North Carolina Historian of the Year by the North Carolina Society of Historians. He was also awarded the James I. Robertson Literary Prize by the Robert E. Lee Civil War Library and Research Center in 2018 for his history of the Branch-Lane Brigade, General Lee’s Immortals (Savas Beatie, 2018). When not researching, writing, and traveling, he volunteers at historic sites, sharing his love for history.
These programs are included with Park general admission. Daily admission for adults is $15, seniors (65+) and Military w/ID $12.00, children (6-12) $8, and children under 6 free.
SCHEDULE
Saturday, March 23, 2024
9:00am – 5:00pm Encounter Programs all day “Civilians at Tudor Hall” at Tudor Hall
9:00am – 5:00pm Encounter Programs all day “Sharpshooters and Skirmishers” at Breakthrough Battlefield Trail
10:00-10:45 “Gettysburg’s Southern Front,” Lecture by Hampton Newsome at Banquet Room
11:30-12:15 “General Lee’s Immortals,” Lecture on Lane’s Brigade by Michael C. Hardy at Banquet Room
1:00-1:45 Guided walk “between the lines” to discover the Breakthrough Battlefield and learn about the role of sharpshooters and skirmishers and converse with Johnny Reb and Billy Yank.
2:30-3:15 Guided walk to the “Norfolk Light Artillery Blues,” to hear from Gunner Atkinson on the role of artillery during the Civil War and the April 2, 1865 Breakthrough
3:30-4:20 War So Terrible, standard viewing at the Battlefield Center

Roundtable: Myths About Lee's Surrender
2024-04-04 19:00 - 20:00
Join speaker Patrick Schroeder as he explores “Myths about Lee’s Surrender.”
Many are familiar with the April 9, 1865 surrender at Appomattox Court House by Confederate general Robert E. Lee to Union general Ulysses S. Grant, which led to the capitulation of other Confederate forces and ultimately the end of America’s bloodiest conflict. However, there’s still much debate about the events during the days leading up to and even after the surrender. Schroeder will explore the myths around the last days of the Civil War and decipher fact from fiction.
Civil War author and historian Patrick A. Schroeder was born in 1968, at Fort Belvoir, VA. Patrick attended Stuarts Draft High School in Augusta County, VA. In the spring of 1990, he graduated Cum Laude with a B.S. in Historical Park Administration from Shepherd College, Shepherdstown, WV. He has an M.A. in Civil War History from Virginia Tech. From the summer of 1986-1993, Patrick worked as a seasonal living history interpreter at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park. In 1993, he wrote Thirty Myths About Lee’s Surrender, which is currently in its twelfth printing. From 1994 – 1999, the author worked at Red Hill, the Patrick Henry National Memorial. From 1999 – 2002, Patrick was an independent researcher. Patrick is now the full-time Historian of Appomattox Court House National Historical Park.
The Petersburg Civil War Roundtable (PCWRT) will meet the first Thursday of each month at Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm. Annual membership is $40.00. Individuals who are already members of Pamplin Historical Park can become members of PCWRT for $20.00. Non-members can attend for $5.00 each meeting. Call (804) 861-2408 for more information.

Roundtable: The Forgotten Battle of Wapping Heights
2024-05-02 19:00 - 20:00
Join speaker Dr. Timothy Orr as he shares the story of “The Forgotten Battle of Wapping Heights.”
The three-day Battle of Gettysburg resulted in over 50,000 casualties and ultimately forced the retreat of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia led by General Robert E. Lee from Pennsylvania into Virginia. Union Major General George G. Meade initially failed to pursue his retreating foe, which caused President Abraham Lincoln to remark “We had only to stretch forth our hands & they were ours.” Meade then decided to try and flank the retreating Confederates and cut them off at Manassas Gap in the Shenandoah Valley. The little-known resulting Battle of Wapping Heights took place in the final days of the Gettysburg Campaign. It’s inconclusive outcome led to two more years of bloody Civil War and was a missed opportunity to bring the war to an early end.
Timothy Orr is associate professor of military history at Old Dominion University. He earned his PhD at the Richards Civil War Era Center at Pennsylvania State University. He is author and editor of Last to Leave the Field (2011) and co-author of Never Call Me a Hero (2017), as well as several essays about the Army of the Potomac. He is the book review editor for the Gettysburg Magazine and author of the blog Tales From the Army of the Potomac. For eight years, he worked as a seasonal ranger at Gettysburg National Military Park.
The Petersburg Civil War Roundtable (PCWRT) will meet the first Thursday of each month at Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm. Annual membership is $40.00. Individuals who are already members of Pamplin Historical Park can become members of PCWRT for $20.00. Non-members can attend for $5.00 each meeting. Call (804) 861-2408 for more information.

World War II in the Pacific Weekend
2024-08-24 09:00 - 2024-08-26 17:00
This living history event brings to life the experiences of fighting in the Pacific Theater and the home front during World War II. Guests will have the chance to learn from living historians portraying soldiers who fought in the Pacific Theater and about different aspects of a soldier’s life including weapons, signals and communications, and tactical demonstrations. Impressions will range from U.S. Army and Marines to those of British and Russian allies. Civilian living historians will portray goings on at the home front and USO activities stateside. Demonstrations will include medical, cooking, weapons and a military uniform and civilian fashion show. A special tactical demonstration will be performed on Saturday afternoon to illustrate the art of fire and maneuver. All event activities and programs are included with regular daily paid admission.
Partner museums to include; the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, MacArthur Memorial, U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum, U.S. Army Ordnance TSF, U.S. Army Women’s Museum and the Virginia War Memorial will have displays and more for visitors to see and experience. Presentations by authors and historians will be throughout the weekend. Col. Richard D. Camp U.S.M.C. Ret. will present “Lieutenant General Edward A. Craig: Warrior Six: Combat Leader in World War II and Korea,” Dr. Timothy Orr will present “No Routine Flights: The Life of Dive Bomber Pilot Donald Kirkpatrick, Jr.,” Mr. Carter Bertone will present “The Battle of Wake Island,” and Mr. Jim Triesler will present “The Coming of War in the Pacific: 1931-1941.” Artist Henry Kidd will additionally speak on his military art and share his collection of Hollywood movie props from The Pacific series, Saving Private Ryan and Sands of Iwo Jima to name a few.
Colonel Richard D. Camp, U.S.M.C. Ret. will speak on his new book titled: Lieutenant General Edward A. Craig: Warrior Six: Combat Leader in World War II and Korea (2023). Colonel Richard D. Camp, a Purple Heart recipient, served 26 years in the U.S. Marine Corps before retiring in 1988. Upon retirement he served as the Deputy Director, U.S. Marine Corps History Division and as the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, Vice President for Museum Operations at the National Museum of the Marine Corps, Quantico, Virginia. Currently residing in Fredericksburg, Virginia, he is the author of ten books and over 100 magazine articles on various military related subjects. Copies of his books will be available for purchase and signing.
Dr. Timothy Orr is associate professor of military history at Old Dominion University. He earned his PhD at the Richards Civil War Era Center at Pennsylvania State University. He is author and editor of Last to Leave the Field (2011) and co-author of Never Call Me a Hero (2017), as well as several essays about the Army of the Potomac. He is the book review editor for the Gettysburg Magazine and author of the blog Tales From the Army of the Potomac. For eight years, he worked as a seasonal ranger at Gettysburg National Military Park. Dr. Orr co-authored Never Call Me a Hero: A Legendary American Dive-Bomber Pilot Remembers of the Battle of Midway (2017) with his wife Laura which chronicles American dive-bomber pilot Jack “Dusty” Kleiss.
James Triesler is the Director of Education for the Virginia War Memorial located in Richmond, Virginia. Triesler became a history teacher in 1992, and has a passion for WWII. He and his students have won numerous awards for their work, including a Save Our History Award from the History Channel for creating the website ittookawar.com, a collection of letters and personal accounts from the Second World War. While in the classroom, Triesler accumulated nearly 8,000 original WWII letters for his students to learn from and transcribe. He was named the Virginia Battle of the Bulge person of the year in 2012, and is a former Virginia Region 1 Teacher of the Year. He has presented at several VBOB and BOBA events and loves displaying artifacts for people to enjoy and learn about WWII. Since 2015, Triesler has been the Director of Education at the Virginia War Memorial, where he has continued to honor veterans and educate students of all ages.
Mr. Carter Bertone, a retired US Army Special Forces and current DoD Civilian will give a presentation on the Battle of Wake Island (Dec 41) in which the heroic actions of a USMC Defense Battalion, a squadron of USMC fighter planes, a USN administrative unit US Army signalmen and a civilian contractor company slowed the advance of Japanese forces across the Pacific during the darkest days of WWII after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Children will enjoy craft activities to include World War II coloring books and making a take home project of the Roosevelt’s Scottie Dog “Fala.”
World War II, which was fought between 1939 and 1945, cost an estimated 85 million casualties both military and civilian worldwide. The United States military casualties amounted to 416,800. While many were thankful for the surrender in Europe on May 8, 1945 the war in the Pacific raged on and was far from over. The battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa during the first half of the year gave a glimpse of the carnage awaiting invasion forces set to strike the Japanese home islands. A planned Allied invasion on the island of Kyushu was set for November 1st. There 500,000 Japanese troops were in position and another 6 million were under arms or able to be called into service. This invasion did not come to pass. The dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki forced Imperial Japan to accept an unconditional surrender. The terms were accepted on August 14, 1945 and a formal document signing ceremony took place aboard the U.S.S. Missouri in Tokyo Bay on September 2nd.
This event is held in partnership with Bank of Southside Virginia.

Roundtable: Civil War in Cinema
2024-09-05 19:00 - 20:00
Join speaker Dr. Brian Steel Wills as he shares the story of “Civil War in Cinema.”
Ken Burns once said that the impression made on the American psyche by the Civil War is demonstrated by the many movies that have been made about this war. Several of these movies come to mind from Gone with the Wind to Gettysburg, Glory and The Horse Soldiers among many others. This special event will explore the early and controversial The Birth of a Nation of 1915, through decades of Civil War related films, ending with modern releases like Gods and Generals and Cold Mountain. Major Dundee which stars Charlton Heston, stands out as one movie to be discussed as Dr. Wills most recent book is titled, Running the Race: The ‘Public Face’ of Charlton Heston.
Dr. Brian Steel Wills is the Director of the Center for the Study of the Civil War Era and Professor of History at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Ga. In addition to leading tours, offering lectures, and conducting programs, Dr. Wills is the award-winning author of numerous works relating to the American Civil War, including biographies of Confederate generals Nathan Bedford Forrest and William Dorsey Pender and Union general George Henry Thomas. He has also written about the Civil War in Virginia and in the movies, as well as a volume that focuses on noncombat deaths in the Civil War. His latest work is Running the Race: The ‘Public Face’ of Charlton Heston.
The Petersburg Civil War Roundtable (PCWRT) will meet the first Thursday of each month at Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm. Annual membership is $40.00. Individuals who are already members of Pamplin Historical Park can become members of PCWRT for $20.00. Non-members can attend for $5.00 each meeting. Call (804) 861-2408 for more information.

Roundtable: Relics Reunited and the Story of LTC Richard S. Thompson
2024-10-03 19:00 - 20:00
Join speaker Kenny Bage as he shares “Relics Reunited: The Story of LTC Richard S. Thompson.” The Petersburg Civil War Roundtable (PCWRT) will meet the first Thursday of each month at Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm. Annual membership is $40.00. Individuals who are already members of Pamplin Historical Park can become members of PCWRT for $20.00. Non-members can attend for $5.00 each meeting. Call (804) 861-2408 for more information.

27th Annual Civil War Symposium
2024-10-18 09:00 - 2024-10-20 17:00
A number of irregular operations took place during the American Civil War incorporating acts of sabotage, ambushes or raids and any number of special reconnaissance missions. These activities were not new then and now fall under the responsibilities of today’s Special Forces in many modern military armies. Then as today, it takes unique skills, training and bold personalities to conduct these forms of unconventional warfare and we’ll explore the people, missions and results of their actions. This year’s Pamplin Historical Park Symposium, with a prominent cast of speakers, examines both special operations and examples of “Guerrilla, Raider, Soldier, Spy: Irregular Warfare in the Civil War.”
The conference will be held on Friday, October 18 through Sunday, October 20, 2024 at Pamplin Historical Park’s Museum of the Civil War Soldier and Education Center in Dinwiddie, Virginia and will feature presentations from seven outstanding historians: Joseph M. Beilein, Jr., Christopher Grasso, Michael C. Hardy, Brian McKnight, Barton Myers, Timothy Smith and Brian Steel Wills.

For more information or to register, call a reservation specialist at 877-726-7546. Pre-registration is required and space is limited. Register today online by clicking here. Be sure to register separately for our optional tour this year following the Wilson-Kautz Raid.
Download a printable flyer and registration form by clicking here.
The Symposium begins at 6:00 pm with a Welcome Reception for all attendees at Pamplin Historical Park’s National Museum of the Civil War Soldier, located at 6125 Boydton Plank Road, Petersburg, VA.
Park Members pay $339 per person and non-members pay $379. The price includes all lectures, the Friday night reception, two mid-morning coffee breaks, two lunches, and the Saturday night banquet.
*Not a member, but interested in joining? Click here or call Member Services, 877-726-7546 .
Speakers & Topics:
Dr. Joseph Michael Beilein, Jr.
Bushwhackers: Guerrilla Warfare, Manhood and the Household in Civil War Missouri
Dr. Christopher Grasso
Teacher, Preacher, Soldier, Spy: the Civil Wars of John R. Kelso
Michael C. Hardy
George W. Kirk and Guerrilla War in Western North Carolina and Tennessee
Dr. Brian McKnight
A Brutal Theater of War: Appalachia and the Guerrilla Menace
Dr. Barton Myers
The Guerilla Hunters: Irregular Conflicts during the Civil War
Dr. Timothy Smith
The Real Horse Soldiers: Benjamin Grierson’s Epic 1863 Civil War Raid through Mississippi
Dr. Brian Steel Wills
A “Civilized” Warrior: Bedford Forrest and Guerrilla Warfare

Roundtable: Exploring the Life and Letters of Col. Prescott, 32nd Mass. Regiment
2024-11-07 19:00 - 20:00
Join Dr. Sean Heuvel who will present on November 7, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. to the Petersburg Civil War Roundtable. Dr. Heuvel will share the “Prescott Revisited: Exploring the Life and Civil War Letters of Col. George L. Prescott, 32nd Massachusetts Regiment.”

Dr. Sean M. Heuvel serves as Director of Graduate Recruitment and Admissions at Christopher Newport University. In that capacity, he oversees the admissions process for all of CNU’s graduate programs. He holds a B.A. in Government, M.Ed. in Higher Education Administration, and Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from The College of William and Mary. He also completed an M.A. in History from the University of Richmond. Prior to this current position, he served as a faculty member at CNU for sixteen years and was an admissions officer in CNU’s Undergraduate Admissions Office before that.

An active scholar in the fields of American military history, higher education, and leadership studies, he has written numerous books as well as articles for refereed journals, encyclopedias, and magazines. His interests include higher education history, the college presidency, the American Revolution, the American Civil War, World War II, and military leadership. Active in foreign study programs at CNU, Heuvel has also lectured at Harris Manchester College, Oxford University, in the United Kingdom. He and his wife and two children live in Williamsburg, Virginia.
The Petersburg Civil War Roundtable (PCWRT) will meet the first Thursday of each month (except for the months of June, July and August) at Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm. Annual membership is $40.00. Individuals who are already members of Pamplin Historical Park can become members of PCWRT for $20.00. Non-members can attend for $5.00 each meeting. Call (804) 861-2408 for more information.

Roundtable: Battle of Dranesville
2024-12-05 19:00 - 20:00
Join Mr. Ryan Quint who will present on December 5, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. to the Petersburg Civil War Roundtable. Mr. Quint will share the “The Battle of Dranesville.”
After the guns of Manassas fell silent, the opposing Civil War armies grappled for position wondering what would come next. Popular history has us believe that daily briefings reported something along the lines of “All quiet along the Potomac.” Reality was altogether different. In fact, the fall and early winter of 1861 was a hotbed of activity that culminated in the December combat at Dranesville. A Union victory was sorely needed after the string of defeats at Bull Run, Wilson’s Creek, and Ball’s Bluff. This battle was small when measured against what was to come; it also helped shape the bloody years to follow.

Ryan Quint, a native of Maine, earned his degree in history from the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA. He has worked in the field of public history, including at the George Washington Foundation, Colonial Williamsburg, and the National Park Service. Ryan has been involved with Emerging Civil War since 2013, and his first book, Determined to Stand and Fight: The Battle of Monocacy, was published by Savas Beatie in 2017 as part of the Emerging Civil War Series.

The Petersburg Civil War Roundtable (PCWRT) will meet the first Thursday of each month (except for the months of June, July and August) at Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm. Annual membership is $40.00. Individuals who are already members of Pamplin Historical Park can become members of PCWRT for $20.00. Non-members can attend for $5.00 each meeting. Call (804) 861-2408 for more information.

Roundtable: A Wonderful Career in Crime: Charles Cowlam’s Masquerades in the Civil War Era & Gilded Age
2025-02-06 19:00 - 20:00
Join Dr. Frank Garmon Jr. who will present on February 6, 2025 at 7:00 p.m. to the Petersburg Civil War Roundtable. Dr. Garmon will share the “A Wonderful Career in Crime: Charles Cowlam’s Masquerades in the Civil War Era & Gilded Age.”
Frank Garmon Jr. is an Assistant Professor of American Studies at Christopher Newport University where he specializes in American political economy. He has published articles in the Economic History Review, the Journal of the Early Republic, and Historical Methods. Garmon studied history and economics at Christopher Newport University, before completing his M.A. and Ph.D. in history at the University of Virginia. His biography of Charles Cowlam is published by Louisiana State University Press.
The Petersburg Civil War Roundtable (PCWRT) will meet the first Thursday of each month (except for the months of June, July and August) at Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier from 7:00 pm-8:00 pm. Annual membership is $40.00. Individuals who are already members of Pamplin Historical Park can become members of PCWRT for $20.00. Non-members can attend for $5.00 each meeting. Call (804) 861-2408 for more information.
