Civil War Battles, Ceremonies, Talks To Note Surrender 140th Anniversary
By Deborah Fitts
April 2005

APPOMATTOX, Va. - The last days of the Civil War will be commemorated in a series of 140th anniversary events at different venues over 10 days in and around Appomattox, the little town where the two great armies finally called it quits.

Two major reenactments are planned for the same weekend, April 8-10, one at the Appomattox Industrial Park north of town and the other on actual battleground, Sailor's Creek Battlefield State Park. Meanwhile, Appomattox Court House National Historical Park will host small-scale reenactments of the surrender and stacking of arms on the actual ground where it happened, for the first time since the 125th anniversary in 1990.

But a hard-core, campaign-style event planned to cover 8 miles on April 15-17, dubbed "Lee's Final Retreat," was cancelled when the organizing committee split over plans. The organizer said registrations and sutler fees would be refunded. Instead, reenactors will provide living history programs at Sailor's Creek Battlefield State Park.

"Pursuit to Appomattox" The reenactment at the industrial park, "Pursuit to Appomattox," could draw 3,000 to 5,000 reenactors and from 10,000 to as many as 20,000 spectators, according to co-chair Penny Taylor. The event, sponsored by the newly formed nonprofit Historical Appomattox Foundation, is expected to occupy 300 to 400 acres of the 585-acre site, which is a mile north of town.

On Friday, April 8, local schoolchildren will be welcome to view demonstrations throughout the day. The gates will open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. all three days. There will be battle reenactments all three days, with Dave Valuska commanding Union forces and Jim Maupin the Confederate side.

On Saturday things will get into full swing. Besides battle scenarios, there will be numerous portrayers of famous generals, a Confederate hospital and surgical demonstration, a blacksmith, undertaker, leather tanner, the U.S. Christian Commission, Confed-erate chaplains, and demonstrations of bobbin-lace making and riding sidesaddle.

Several authors will be on hand all three days, including William Marvel, Edward Longacre, Rod Gragg, Patrick Schroeder and Russell Hicks. The 2nd South Carolina String Band will perform. A ball for reenactors and those in period costume is planned for Saturday evening.

An associated event involving Civil War artist Don Troiani is planned at DeMoss Hall at Liberty University in Lynchburg, 18 miles from Appomattox, at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 3. Troiani will discuss his painting "A Soldier's Tribute," depicting the return to camp of Robert E. Lee following the surrender at Appomattox. The one-and-a-half-hour-long event will be open to the public free of charge. A variety of Troiani prints will be available.

Co-chair Taylor said any proceeds from the reenactment would be distributed by the six-member board of the nonprofit to "a pretty broad range" of targets, including battlefield preservation, local museums, future foundation events, a history scholarship, and possibly the purchase of land at Appomattox.

Information for "Pursuit to Appomattox" is available by calling the Appomattox Visitor Center at (434) 352-2621.

"Black Thursday of the Confederacy"

An hour's drive east of Appomattox, at Sailor's Creek Battlefield State Park near Farmville, the nonprofit Sayler's Creek Reenactment & Preservation Committee is holding a three-day event April 8-10 on the actual battlefield.

Committee Chair Wendy Lee Oliver estimated from 1,500 to 4,000 reenactors will turn out for the event at the 321-acre park. "Reenactors can fight and camp on the same hallowed ground that many of our forefathers fought and died on," she said. All proceeds will benefit the state park.

School children will be hosted Friday, April 8. Saturday's and Sunday's activities include battle scenarios, living history, educational programs, impressionists, sutlers and several authors. Ed Kelley will command the federal side and Greg Bair the Confederate.

On Saturday the committee will put on its well-known "death march," with reenactors marching four to six miles around the battlefield with intermittent skirmishing. The historic Hillsman House, a battle landmark at Sailor's Creek, will be open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. all three days.

On Saturday and Sunday, a total of 100 reenactors each day will travel from Sailor's Creek to Appomattox Court House National Military Park, where they will perform the surrender ceremony and stacking of arms. Reenactors are asked to state in their registration packet if they would like to participate, and names will be picked from a hat.

Oliver noted that the committee, incorporated as a nonprofit in 1989, has been holding reenactments at Sailor's Creek for years. The group has donated $62,000 to the state park. More information is available at www.saylerscreek.org.

National Historical Park Six days replete with lectures revolving around the last days of the war will be held Thursday, April 7, through Tuesday, April 12, at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park.

The surrender and stacking of arms will be portrayed by a small group of reenactors on Saturday and Sunday, April 9 and 10, at 2 p.m.

Among the speakers will be park historian Patrick Schroeder, whose talks will include "The Power of Appomattox," "George Peers: A Visit to Old Appomattox," "The Battle of Appomattox," "A Stacking of Arms Primer," "The Power of Appomattox," "The Confederate Cemetery," and "Joshua Chamberlain and the Stacking of Arms: A Cause for Controversy?"

Other speakers include park curator Joe Williams, who will discuss "The Retreat to Appomattox" and "The Truce Flags." Supervisory Park Ranger Celeste Dixon will talk on "The Military Genius of U.S. Grant," Dr. David Coles of Longwood University in Farmville will address "Ely Parker: Grant's Native-American Penman," former park historian Ron Wilson will talk on "The Surrender Meeting," and Ranger Cynda Carpenter will speak on Robert E. Lee at Appomattox.

Rangers Candace Hart and Mike Brennan will discuss "The Stacking of Arms," and Chief of Interpretation Doyle Sapp will speak on Gen. John Gordon and the Appomattox Campaign.

Schroeder said some talks will be held in the park auditorium and some on the grounds. There is no requirement to register for the talks; visitors may "just show up," he said, paying a parking admission of $3 per person or $5 per carload.

Schroeder said the number of talks has been expanded this year. "It's an honor to do tribute to the soldiers who were here," he said. More information, and the dates and times of the talks, are available by calling the park at (434) 352-8987.

Sailor's Creek Park On Saturday and Sunday, April 16-17, Park Manager Anne Reeder of Sailor's Creek Battlefield State Park said the historic Hillsman House will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for tours. (The house is usually open only during the summer months.)

Reenactors associated with the cancelled "Lee's Last Retreat" event will provide living-history interpretation at the park starting on Friday, April 15, when Donna Nangle, a "Last Retreat" organizer, said 350 local schoolchildren are invited to attend. On Saturday and Sunday Union and Confederate camps will be open, and civilians in period dress will offer living history at the Hillsman House.

Sponsors continue their preservation effort to bury power lines that cross the battlefield. More information is available from the park at (434) 392-3435 or from Nangle at DCN2028@Juno.com and www.mainecav.org/lfr.

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