Rappahannock Valley Civil War Round Table
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Internships are sponsored throughout the year at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park
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News
June Meeting
June 12, 2023 7:30pm
Brad Gottfried
Brad Gottfried was born and raised in Philadelphia and after receiving his Ph.D. in Zoology, he embarked on a 40-year career in higher education. He retired in 2017 as the President of the College of Southern Maryland. He has written 18 books and numerous magazine articles pertaining to the Civil War. Although perhaps best known for his campaign “map books,” he has also written on Gettysburg, the Point Lookout Prisoner of War Camp, and the Hope Antietam paintings. Brad is an Antietam Certified Battlefield Guide and a Gettysburg Licensed Town Guide. He is married to his wife, Linda, and they have four children and four grandchildren.
Robert E. Lee embarked on two major invasions of the north in 1862 and 1863 that culminated in the battles of Antietam and Gettysburg. While each has been extensively studied, there have been few (to none) comprehensive comparisons of the two. In this presentation, Brad Gottfried will compare and contrast the two campaigns that began with such promise for the Army of Northern Virginia. The presentation will cover the political climate, war effort, the armies, leadership, military intelligence, routes to the battlefield, preliminary encounters, battlefield terrain, the battles, and post-campaign events.
Our speaker lineup for 2023 is NOW available HERE
Second Manassas Bus Tour
What: Colonel Marc Thompson (USAF, Ret) will lead a 6-hour bus tour “Lee vs. Pope: The
Second Battle of Manassas” and provide a professional military analysis of the battle and its
leaders at nine battlefield sites.
When: Saturday, June 3, 2023
Where: Bus departs the commuter lot at 627 Warrenton Road (US-17) at 8:00AM and will make
a second pick-up at the Manassas Museum, 9101 Prince William St, Manassas
Cost: $90 (Fee includes transportation, water, box lunch, and a 20-page spiral bound color
handout). Proceeds will benefit the Round Table’s battlefield preservation efforts.
Payment: Click “Payment Information” tab at bottom of this page. Pay using Paypal, credit card
or by mailing a check to RVCWRT, PO Box 7632, Fredericksburg VA 22404. Payment must be
received NLT Monday May 29, 2023.
Eligibility: RVCWRT membership not required. Maximum tour size: 40 people.
Central Virginia Battlefields Trust (CVBT)
Central Virginia Battlefields Trust (CVBT) is a nonprofit organization preserving land associated with the Civil War campaigns of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Mine Run, The Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court House. They have preserved nearly 1,700 acres of hallowed local battlegrounds since incorporating in 1996. RVCWRT has raised and donated over $40,000 to support CVBT projects. Our round table is proud to be the 2017 recipient of the CVBT Dr. Michael P. Stevens Preservation Award, whose purpose is "to shine a light on those who have made notable contributions to the preservation of Civil War resources in Virginia." Learn more about this active and important preservation organization at www.cvbt.org.
Brock's Riverside Grill
Brock’s Riverside Grill, 503 Sophia Street, on the Rappahannock River in historic Old Town Fredericksburg, has been our favorite meeting venue for many years. Brock’s is open for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch year round. Menu is American “steak and seafood” with a southwestern flair. More information is available at Brocksgrill.com. Call 540-370-1820 for reservations.
LOOKING FOR A BATTLEFIELD TOUR?
Hallowed Ground Tours is run by RVCWRT member Scott Walker, a trained historian who has lived in Fredericksburg for over 50 years. He offers tours not only of area battlefields but also of architecture and history of various designated historic districts within the city. His tours, which also emphasize the changes to and preservation of the local landscape, are tailored to your interests and needs.
Website: HallowedGroundTours.com
E-mail: Tourmaster@HallowedGroundTours.com
Telephone: 540-809-3918
Battlefield Tours of Virginia, operated by RVCWRT member John Kanaster, came about because of the need to get visitors mobile with a battlefield guide and to achieve a comprehensive private battlefield tour experience. The company has addressed this need by creating a team of knowledgeable and experienced battlefield guides, primarily based out of the Central Virginia area. Many of these battlefield guides are published historians with their own book and are available to speak. Battlefield Tours of Virginia offers tours in and around Fredericksburg, Culpeper, Richmond and the Shenandoah Valley.
Website: battlefieldtoursofvirginia.com
Email: info@battlefieldtoursofvirginia.com
Telephone : 540-310-8162
Geoff White Music
Geoff White is from Blowing Rock North Carolina. He has played the fiddle all his life, and has performed in pubs, bars, restaurants, concert halls, and battlefields all across the east coast. Geoff was a member of the bluegrass group Sugar Run for several years. He currently lives in Roanoke. He earned a degree in History from Radford University in 2002.
