American Civil War Museum

"Forgotten Friday: The April 7, 1865, Actions in Cumberland County, VA" with Patrick Schroeder
2024-04-11 18:30 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | American Civil War Museum – Appomattox, 159 Horseshoe Rd, Appomattox, Virginia, 24522, United States
THIS IS AN IN-PERSON EVENT AT ACWM-Appomattox

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Historians often overlook the multiple engagements that occurred in Cumberland County near Sailor’s Creek (April 6) and at Appomattox (April 9). These battles resulted in the death, wounding, or capture of three generals, the near capture of General Robert E. Lee, and a “Lee to the rear” incident. The battles near Cumberland Church were both fascinating and horrific, resulting in hundreds of casualties. Join Patrick Schroeder, Historian of Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, to discover more about these often-forgotten events.Civil War Author/Historian Patrick A. Schroeder is the full-time Appomattox Court House National Historical Park Historian. He graduated Cum Laude with a B.S. in Historical Park Administration from Shepherd College, Shepherdstown, WV., and has an M.A. in Civil War History from Virginia Tech. His book “Thirty Myths About Lee’s Surrender” is currently in its twelfth printing.

ALL SALES ARE FINAL. TICKETS AND REGISTRATIONS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE UNLESS THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR MUSEUM CANCELS AN EVENT.

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Loose Cannons X
2024-04-06 18:00 - 22:00 | The Foundry – 500 Tredegar St, Richmond, 23219
The Tredegar Society is excited to host the 10th Anniversary of their annual fundraising event, ‘Loose Cannons’! This year the event will take place in the beautiful Foundry event space, located onsite at the American Civil War Museum, and all proceeds will benefit the Museum.

(This event is for ages 21+, Dress Code: Smart Casual)

The Tredegar Society of the American Civil War Museum (ACWM) is a group of young professionals dedicated to supporting the Museum by introducing Civil War history to younger audiences. We invite you to spend an evening with us, learning more about our organization and upcoming events at the ACWM.

Enjoy food trucks such as Cluck and Roll and Bikini Panini, music by Richmond’s premier soul band Soul Providers, and libations provided by J. Emerson, Inc., Center of the Universe Brewing Company, and A. Smith Bowman Distillery ($20 add-on to your ticket). Your support of this event enables the Tredegar Society to grow its membership and continue its valued service to The American Civil War Museum.

Special Guest – Abraham Lincoln

Based on thorough research, Fritz Klein’s portrayal of Lincoln brings this iconic figure to life with humor and humanity.

$20 wristband add-on for access to A. Smith Bowman bourbon bar

Online ticket sales end 4/5/24 at 4:00 PM EST.Tickets will be available for purchase at the door.

All sales are final. Tickets and registrations are non-refundable unless the American Civil War Museum cancels an event.

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Sponsors

American Battlefield TrustMcGuire WoodsPlus CommunicationsCSC LeasingLink Public AffairsThe Monument GroupSIMA Financial GroupShenandoah Valley Battlefield FoundationModern ClubmanThe Vectre CorporationWilliams MullenWoods Rogers Vandeventer BlackBattlefields & Bourbon PodcastA. Smith Bowman DistilleryCenter of the Universe BrewingJ. Emerson, Inc.Shaken Not SpurredCluck N’ RollBikini Panini

Civil War & Emancipation Day
2024-04-06 10:00 - 17:00 | ACWM – Historic Tredegar, 480 Tredegar St., Richmond, Virginia, 23219, United States
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ABOUT THIS SPECIAL EVENT

Civil War & Emancipation Day (or CWED) is a commemorative day marking the history & impact of the Civil War and the end of slavery in Richmond. Join us for a day of family-friendly storytelling, music, crafts, and a visit from Abe Lincoln as we use the arts to explore the Civil War, slavery, and emancipation. All events are included with Museum admission.

Civil War & Emancipation Day consists of programs and activities that explore the Civil War, slavery, and emancipation. This annual, collaborative community-wide effort commemorates the anniversaries of key 1865 events:

THE CONFEDERATE EVACUATION OF RICHMOND (APRIL 2)

THE EMANCIPATION OF ENSLAVED RICHMONDERS & THE ARRIVAL OF US TROOPS (APRIL 3)

ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S TOUR OF THE CITY (APRIL 4)

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Registration Encouraged, Not Required.

All events are included with Museum admission.

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President Lincoln Speaks

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Program with Fritz KleinKlein’s portrayal of Lincoln brings this American icon to life, blending his humor and humanity in thoroughly researched and historically accurate programs.

Come dressed as Lincoln for our Lincoln-Look-A-Like Contest!

My Day with Abe Lincoln

Available to purchase in our store!

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

Children’s program with Dr. Jonathan White. Did you know that Abraham Lincoln struggled with spelling for his entire life? Or that kids teased him on his first day of school because he wore a sunbonnet? Join author and historian Jonathan W. White as he shares stories of Abraham Lincoln from his new book, My Day with Abe Lincoln. The program is geared toward children, but adults will enjoy it!

Performance by 8th Green Machine Regimental Band

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Musical performance by 8th Green Machine Regimental Band Using authentic 19th-century instruments and mouthpieces, the band plays popular patriotic airs, operatic selections, and dance tunes from the period. In between selections, learn about bands of the period, the music, and the instruments in this engaging and informative hour-long program.

President Lincoln Speaks

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Program with Fritz KleinKlein’s portrayal of Lincoln brings this American icon to life, blending his humor and humanity in thoroughly researched and historically accurate programs.

Come dressed as Lincoln for our Lincoln-Look-A-Like Contest!

Participating Organizations

Mike Gorman, Historian & Park Ranger, Richmond National Battlefield Park

April 6, 2024, 1PM, 1700 Dock Street

To understand what happened when Abraham Lincoln visited Richmond on April 4-5, 1865, the best way is to retrace his footsteps. Richmond historian and Park Ranger Mike Gorman will highlight the incredible events of this “strange presidential entry” featuring newly uncovered research that helps explain what happened, as well as the memory and legacy of the event. Join us as we literally walk in the footsteps of Lincoln through Richmond.

Tour begins at 1 PM at the floodwall at 17th and Dock Streets (GPS address: 1700 Dock Street). There are multiple parking lots and street parking available nearby. Expect to walk approximately 2 miles, half of which is uphill. The tour will last approximately 2 hours.

The Valentine

“Sculpting History” Tour & Conversation

Date & time: April 7 | 2-3pm

Location: the Valentine Museum – 1015 East Clay Street

For Civil War & Emancipation Day, join Curator of General Collections, Christina Vida, for an intimate conversation in the Valentine’s newest exhibition Sculpting History at the Valentine Studio: Art, Power and the “Lost Cause” American Myth. Through artworks sculpted by Edward Valentine as well as documents, images, quotes and big questions, we will explore how the Lost Cause myth reframed the reality of the Civil War and impacted communities from the 19th century to today. Discuss stories behind the “Lost Cause”, consider its legacy, and uncover examples of brave individuals who resisted the myth.

This program is free and registration is required.

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Photos from Civil War & Emancipation Day 2023

"Benjamin Franklin Butler: A Noisy, Fearless Life" with Dr. Elizabeth Leonard
2024-03-21 18:30 - 19:30 | ACWM – Historic Tredegar, 480 Tredegar St., Richmond, Virginia, 23219, United States
This is an IN-PERSON event at ACWM-Tredegar

In a captivating lecture by Dr. Elizabeth Leonard, discover the life and legacy of Benjamin Franklin Butler, a pivotal figure in the Civil War and Reconstruction periods. Explore Butler’s remarkable career trajectory, worker rights advocacy, and pivotal role as one of Abraham Lincoln’s foremost civilian generals. Delve into his contributions to wartime policy and emancipation efforts and his changing perceptions of race and slavery. Join us as we unravel the complexities of Butler’s life and discuss his enduring impact on American history.

Elizabeth D. Leonard is Colby College’s Gibson Professor of History, Emerita. She earned her Ph.D. in U.S. history from the University of California, Riverside, in 1992 and is the author of several articles and seven books on the Civil War-era including: Yankee Women: Gender Battles in the Civil War; All the Daring of the Soldier: Women of the Civil War Armies; and Lincoln’s Forgotten Ally: Judge Advocate General Joseph Holt of Kentucky, which was named co-winner of the Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize in 2012. Her most recent book, Benjamin Franklin Butler: A Noisy, Fearless Life, which was also named a finalist for the 2023 Lincoln Prize, won the John L. Nau III Center for Civil War Studies 2023 book prize.

Benjamin Franklin Butler was one of the most important and controversial military and political leaders of the Civil War and Reconstruction eras. Remembered most often for his uncompromising administration of the Federal occupation of New Orleans during the war, Butler reemerges in this lively narrative as a man whose journey took him from childhood destitution to wealth and profound influence in state and national halls of power. Prize-winning biographer Elizabeth D. Leonard chronicles Butler’s successful career in the law defending the rights of the Lowell Mill girls and other workers, his achievements as one of Abraham Lincoln’s premier civilian generals, and his role in developing wartime policy in support of slavery’s fugitives as the nation advanced toward emancipation. Leonard also highlights Butler’s personal and political evolution, revealing how his limited understanding of racism and the horrors of slavery transformed over time, leading him into a postwar role as one of the nation’s foremost advocates for Black freedom and civil rights, and one of its notable opponents of white supremacy and neo-Confederate resurgence. Leonard’s nuanced portrait will help readers assess such claims, peeling away generations of previous assumptions and characterizations to provide a definitive life of a consequential man.

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Thank you for supporting our mission by purchasing through our online store. Your contribution enables us to continue providing engaging events and experiences.

All sales are final. Tickets and registrations are non-refundable unless the American Civil War Museum cancels an event.

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Join us for our Spring Lecture Series as we delve into the causes, course, and consequences of the Civil War, from abolition through Reconstruction, as part of our extensive initiative “The Civil War & Remaking America” and prepare to open our newest exhibition, The Impending Crisis in Spring 2024!

Book Talk with Alexander Rossino - "Calamity at Frederick: Robert E. Lee, Special Orders No. 191, and Confederate Misfortune on the Road to Antietam"
2024-03-14 18:30 - 19:30 | American Civil War Museum – Appomattox, 159 Horseshoe Rd, Appomattox, Virginia, 24522, United States
This is an IN-PERSON event at ACWM-Appomattox

The loss of Robert E. Lee’s Special Orders No. 191 is one of the Civil War’s enduring mysteries. In this meticulous study, Alexander Rossino presents a bold new interpretation of the evidence surrounding the orders’ creation, distribution, and loss outside Frederick, Maryland, in September 1862. Rossino makes extensive use of primary sources to explore these subjects and other important questions related to the orders, including why General Lee thought his army could operate north of the Potomac until winter; why Lee found it necessary to seize the Federal garrison at Harpers Ferry; what Lee hoped to accomplish after capturing Harpers Ferry; where Corporal Barton Mitchell of the 27th Indiana found the Lost Orders; and if D. H. Hill or someone else was to blame for losing the orders. The result is a well-documented reassessment that sheds new light while challenging long-held assumptions.

Calamity at Frederick is the Confederate companion to “The Tale Untwisted” by Gene M. Thorp and Alexander Rossino, which tells the story from the Union perspective.

Alexander B. Rossino is an award-winning historian and the author of Hitler Strikes Poland: Blitzkrieg, Ideology, and Atrocity. He worked for a decade at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum while penning a number of scholarly articles and book reviews. His lifelong fascination with the Civil War was rekindled in 2013 when he moved to western Maryland, where he currently resides at the foot of South Mountain. Alex is also the author of the deeply researched and beautifully written Six Days in September, a novel about Lee’s Army in Maryland during the 1862 campaign. He is currently researching and writing a companion book from the Union perspective.

The loss of Robert E. Lee’s Special Orders No. 191 is one of the Civil War’s enduring mysteries. In this meticulous study, Alexander Rossino presents a bold new interpretation of the evidence surrounding the orders’ creation, distribution, and loss outside Frederick, Maryland, in September 1862. Rossino makes extensive use of primary sources to explore these subjects and other important questions related to the orders, including why General Lee thought his army could operate north of the Potomac until winter; why Lee found it necessary to seize the Federal garrison at Harpers Ferry; what Lee hoped to accomplish after capturing Harpers Ferry; where Corporal Barton Mitchell of the 27th Indiana found the Lost Orders; and if D. H. Hill or someone else was to blame for losing the orders. The result is a well-documented reassessment that sheds new light while challenging long-held assumptions.

Purchase Book

Thank you for supporting our mission by purchasing through our online store. Your contribution enables us to continue providing engaging events and experiences.

All sales are final. Tickets and registrations are non-refundable unless the American Civil War Museum cancels an event.

Register on Eventbrite

Book Talk with Victor Vignola - "Contrasts in Command: The Battle of Fair Oaks, May 31-June 1, 1862"
2024-03-07 18:30 - 19:30 | Virtual
Virtual Book Talk

The two-day battle was fought near the Confederate capital, with more than 11,000 casualties and the loss of the primary Southern field army commander. This was the first major combat in the Eastern Theater after almost a year since Bull Run/Manassas. The possession of Richmond was at stake during the battle. However, Seven Pines/Fair Oaks has been largely overlooked by historians. Join us virtually on March 7th, 2024 as author Victor Vignola discusses the battle’s far-reaching ramifications.

Victor Vignola is a lifelong student of the Civil War and has written articles for publication in North and South Magazine and in other forums. He delivers historical programs, conducts tours, and regularly visits various Civil War sites. Vic’s career included executive-level labor and inter-agency relations for the Office of Mental Health in New York State. He lives with his family in Orange County, New York, home of the 124th New York “Orange Blossoms” Regiment.

The bloody two-day battle was fought on the doorstep of the Confederate capital. It was the first major combat in the Eastern Theater since Bull Run/Manassas almost a year earlier, left more than 11,000 casualties in its wake, and cost the primary Southern field army its commander. The possession of Richmond hung in its balance. Yet, almost nothing has been written about Seven Pines/Fair Oaks. Victor Vignola’s Contrasts in Command: The Battle of Fair Oaks, May 31–June 1, 1862, which focuses primarily on the Fair Oaks portion of the battle, is a major contribution to the historiography of the war.

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