civil war tour virginia

The 10 Best Civil War Battlefields in Virginia to Visit

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With hundreds of memorials, museums , and VA battlefields to see, visiting all of the Civil War sites in Virginia would be an impressive feat. 

In fact, there are more Civil War battlefields in VA than in any other state! Almost anywhere you travel, you’re just a stone’s throw away from historic sites dedicated to the memory of the Civil War in Virginia.

In fact, there are five national parks in Virginia that preserve many of the Civil War battlefields in VA.

All of them are linked by Virginia’s  Civil War Trails , which allow visitors to work their way between the Civil War battle sites in Virginia.

In our experience, touring these Civil War battlefields is a great way to gain a deeper understanding of this dark era in American history .

Some sites occasionally offer Civil War reenactments to give visitors a taste of the brutality of war, and a glimpse of the impact it had on local women, children, and enslaved Africans.

Read on for our in-depth guide to the Civil War battlefields in Virginia, including info on tours, history, and things to do at each historic site.

There’s also a handy map, for those who want to hit up several VA battlefields in one trip.

READ MORE: 8 Civil War Battlefields in Georgia to Visit

Civil War Battlefields in VA Map

Civil War Battlefields in Virginia Guide

( Arranged Alphabetically )

• Chancellorsville Battlefield (Spotsylvania Courthouse VA)
• Cool Spring Battlefield (Bluemont VA)
• Cross Keys Battlefield (Port Republic VA)
• Fredericksburg Battlefield (Fredericksburg VA)
• New Market Battlefield State Historical Park (New Market VA)
• Petersburg National Battlefield Park ( Petersburg VA)
• Richmond National Battlefield Park (Richmond VA)
• Spotsylvania Battlefield (Orange VA)
• Staunton River Battlefield State Park ( Randolph VA)
• Wilderness Battlefield (Orange VA)

READ MORE: The 10 Best Things to Do in Staunton VA

1. Chancellorsville Battlefield

9001 Plank Rd, Spotsylvania Courthouse VA • ( 540) 693-3200

Official Website

The Battle of Chancellorsville took place from April 30 to May 6, 1863. This Civil War battle site can easily be visited in conjunction with the battlefields at Fredericksburg, Wilderness, and Spotsylvania.

Download a self-guided driving tour map  and start your tour at the Jackson Wounding Site, then head over to the Bullock House, the first location where US soldiers arrived before the battle. 

The Chancellor House was actually an Inn that became Union headquarters during the battle. McCaw’s Line was the location of a 3-day battle, and the Catharine Furnace Ruins were the site of a Confederate attack on May 2, 1863.

Hazel Grove was the site of one of the war’s most brutal attacks, which saw the Union Army retreating on May 3rd. 

There are also a number of hiking trails here to explore. The Jackson Wounding Trail is a 0.2-mile trail that circles the Visitor Center. The Chancellorsville History Trail is a 4.3-mile loop that leads to the Bullock House Site.

The Hazel Grove-Fairview Trail is a 1.7-mile loop that links two important artillery positions in the May 3rd battle. And the 1.1-mile McLaws Line Trail leads to the site where Confederates kept Union soldiers distracted while Jackson flanked them.

READ MORE:  10 Best Virginia Mountain Towns to Visit

2. Cool Spring Battlefield

1400 Parker Lane, Bluemont VA • (540) 740-4545

The Battle of Cool Springs took place in Clarke County VA on July 18, 1864.

Shenandoah University’s Shenandoah River Campus at Cool Springs Battlefield now protects the 195-acre site of the largest and bloodiest Civil War battle in VA.

There are 9 stops on a walking tour that leads to all the important points of historical interest relating to this brutal battle. Interpretive markers will offer insights on the detailed history of the event. 

This park also offers miles of great  hiking trails that take you through the forest and meadows dotted with colorful Virginia wildflowers .

It’s a great place for a picnic, and gazing out across the Shenandoah Valley to see  West Virginia ’s Allegheny Mountains.

You can also walk or sit beside the Shenandoah River, hear the cacophony of birds and other  wildlife , and enjoy the gorgeous views of this famous Virginia  river . 

READ MORE:  20 Things to Do in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia

3. Cross Keys Battlefield

4232 Bowtie Drive, Port Republic VA • (540)740-4545

Located 22 miles from the town of  Waynesboro VA , the Battle of Cross Keys was one of the last battles of Stonewall Jackson’s 1862 Valley Campaign.

This important victory over the Union Army allowed Jackson to join General Robert E. Lee at the Battle of Richmond. 

On this self-guided  driving tour , you can visit Artillery Ridge, a defensive line that was essential to the Confederate Army’s success in the battle. 

Your next stop could be the Goods Mill Walking Trail, where you’ll find three Civil War Trails interpretive markers, as well as two interpretative Virginia Civil War Trails signs and a memorial plaque.

Be aware that there is a private house  located along the trail, so please stick to the clearly marked path. 

You can also visit the Union Church, which was built on the site of the original church that stood there when the first shots of the Cross Keys Battle were fired. 

READ MORE:  The 10 Best Things to Do in Waynesboro VA (Augusta County)

4. Fredericksburg Battlefield

1013 Lafayette Boulevard, Fredericksburg VA • ( 540) 693-3200

The Battle of Fredericksburg took place around what is now the city of Fredericksburg VA . Go to the visitors center to get a map that plots out an educational driving tour of the area. 

The self-guided tour will take you to a number of sites associated with the Battle of Fredericksburg, including a stop at Chatham Manor . This  house was occupied by the US Army during the battle, and used as their headquarters. 

The first floor of the home offers several exhibits where visitors can learn about the house, as well as the history of slavery and the road to freedom.

Other historical highlights on the driving tour include Lee’s Hill (the General’s HQ during the battle) and Prospect Hill.

Fredericksburg National Cemetary is home to the graves of 15,000 US soldiers, most of whom died in the Civil War Battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness, and Spotsylvania.

You’ll also have the chance to walk along the 0.8-mile loop of the Sunken Road Trail, which leads to a number of important sites as well as being of historical significance itself. 

The Sunken Road was the site of a battle in December 1862, when waves of Union soldiers marched towards Confederate soldiers, who were defending their line from behind a stone wall.

It is said that the Union soldiers never made it closer than 50 yards before being shot.

READ MORE:  The 10 Best Caves and Caverns in Virginia

5. New Market Battlefield State Historical Park

57 George Collins Pkwy, New Market VA • ( 540) 740-3101

Located 15.4 miles to the west of Luray VA, the New Market Battlefield State Historical Park  was the site of one of the last Confederate victories in Shenandoah on May 15, 1864.

The park’s 300 acres encompass the main battlefield areas, including the historic Bushong Farm and the Virginia Museum of the Civil War.

The museum focuses on the many Civil War battles of Virginia, but goes in-depth on the New Market Battle in particular. Here you can see artifacts from the battle and from the Bushong Farm . 

There are hiking trails throughout the park that will have you walking on the site of a major Civil War battle.

But they also allow you to enjoy the vast flora and fauna of the area, including throngs of colorful wildflowers, butterflies, and commonly sighted birds of Virginia .

READ MORE:  The 10 Best Things to Do in Luray VA (Gateway to Shenandoah)

6. Petersburg National Battlefield Park

5001 siege road, petersburg va • (804) 732-3531.

This Petersburg VA Civil War battlefield park is a must-see for anyone who’s interested in  Virginia state history .

The devastating Battle of Petersburg lasted nine and a half months, and caused approximately 70,000 casualties.

During this battle, Union General Ulysses S. Grant strategically cut off supplies to Petersburg, which ultimately led to the fall of Richmond on April 3, 1865. Six days later, General Robert E. Lee surrendered. 

The 2700-acre Petersburg National Battlefield Park  allows visitors to stop at 16 locations on a self-guided driving tour.

Along the way, you’ll see the sites of General Grant’s Headquarters at City Point, the Eastern Front, the Western Front, and the Five Forks Battlefield.

At General Grant’s Headquarters, you’ll visit the home of the Eppes Family , watching a 15-minute film and touring the first floor of this historic house . 

Exhibits there document the Union Army’s taking of City Point, as well as the lives of the enslaved Africans who were forced to live on the property before the war.

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7. Richmond National Battlefield Park

470 Tredegar St, Richmond VA • ( 804) 771-2145

Richmond was at the center of the Civil War in Virginia , as well as being the capital of the Confederacy. This National Park offers a chance to visit 13 important Richmond Civil War sites.

The Visitor Contact Station at Tredegar Iron Works is an award-winning museum that provides a look at “the war between the States” from the perspectives of Unionists, Confederates, and enslaved people. 

You can also gather info on other important stops for your tour of Richmond VA Civil War sites, including  Cold Harbor, Malvern Hill, Fort Harrison, and Chimborazo.

At the Chimborazo Medical Museum, you’ll see exhibits on medical equipment and the many men and women who worked at the hospital during the bloody battles of 1862.

Visit the Cold Harbor Battlefield Visitor Center to see exhibits relating to the 1862 Battle of Gaines’ Mill and the 1864 Battle of Cold Harbor. 

The Fort Harrison Visitor Center sheds light on the detailed events of September 29, 1864, when Union soldiers seized the Confederate Fort Harrison. 

After you leave the Visitor Center, a 20-minute hike allows you to explore the important site for yourself. 

READ MORE:  The 10 Best Campgrounds in Virginia

8. Spotsylvania Battlefield

35347 Constitution Hwy, Orange VA • ( 540) 693-3200

Here you have another tour that takes you to 8 important locations associated with the Spotsylvania Battle, which occurred in May 1864.

Start at the Spotsylvania Battlefield Exhibit Shelter , which was the site of the first clash. Info offered here will give you a better understanding of the events of the battle before you head out on your tour.

Leaving the Exhibit Shelter, you can either drive to the other locations or walk the 5.6-mile loop of the Spotsylvania History Trail, which leads you to a majority of the stops. 

If you’re driving, your next stop will be Upton’s Road, where Col Emory Upton led a fierce battle against the Confederates.

The tour then leads you to Bloody Angle, Harrison House , the McCoull House Site, East Face of Salient, and Heth’s Salient, all of which saw great battles and terrible bloodshed. 

Your driving tour ultimately ends at Fredericksburg Road, where the Union Army maintained control of the area, allowing them to slowly push south after the Spotsylvania Battle was won.

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9. Staunton River Battlefield State Park

1035 Fort Hill Drive, Randolph VA  • (434) 454-4312

Staunton River Battlefield State Park is a 300-acre historic site that commemorates the Battle of Staunton River Bridge.

The battle took place in June of 1864 on a bridge that is now part of the historic bridge trail.

It was here that 700 Confederate soldiers were said to have held off an assault by some 5,000 Union soldiers.

There are two visitor centers on site, each of them offering exhibits on the area’s Civil War heritage as well as Native American archaeological artifacts.

Other exhibits documents the park’s birds ,  animals , and ecological features.

The state park also has a 1.2-mile trail that takes you through the Staunton River Battlefield, as well as a 0.75-mile nature trail that leads to two different observation towers that overlook wetland areas. 

READ MORE:  The 10 Best Historic & Covered Bridges in Virginia

10. Wilderness Battlefield

Visiting Wilderness Battlefield in Orange VA offers a chance to see 8 different points of historical interest on a driving tour , which starts at Ulysses S. Grant’s Headquarters. 

Start your tour at the Wilderness Battlefield Exhibit Shelter to gain a better understanding of the battle’s salient events. You’ll also have the option of hiking the 2.1-mile Gordon Flank Attack Trail loop.

Saunders Field– the site of the opening of the Battle of the Wilderness on May 5, 1864– is the next stop on the tour.

Tapp Field was the site of a dramatic advance in the Civil War battle. It was here, on the morning of May 6, that the Union Army attacked the Confederates, forcing them back with only a line of cannons remaining.

From there you’ll continue on to the site of Longstreet’s Wounding before ending at the Brock Road-Plank Road Intersection ,  which was a strategic location for both armies. – by Emma Gallagher

We encourage anyone who loves the Blue Ridge region to learn about the  Leave No Trace   principles of responsible environmental stewardship. 

Stay on marked trails, take only pictures, pack out your trash, and be considerate of others who share the trails and parks you explore. 

Remember that waterfalls and rocky summits can be dangerous. Never try to climb waterfalls or get close to a ledge to get a selfie.

When you're exploring the wilderness, it's better to be safe than to be a statistic!

Emma Gallagher

Born in Britain, writer/photographer Emma Gallagher lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of NC on a permaculture homestead with her husband, Jonathon. While traveling the world for 13 years, she fell in love with the natural beauty of the Blue Ridge region when she lived at an artist retreat in Burnsville NC before moving to Brevard. Today Emma lives near Stone Mountain State Park and Doughton Park volunteers at the Surry County Fiddlers Convention, and cares for the gardens at the Reeves Downtown School of Music in Elkin. She's also a volunteer for the Elkin Valley Trails Association, which maintains segment 6 of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail.

Civil War Tour: This Hallowed Ground

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The Civil War: This Hallowed Ground Tour features a panorama of the major events that began and ended the Civil War, the defining event in American history. You will start with First Bull Run/Manassas and continue through Gettysburg to the finality of Confederate surrender at Appomattox. Along the way, you will learn why and how they fought, study the military campaigns and rival strategies that made the conflict so deadly, and view the battlefields where 750,000 Americans lost their lives, including volunteers, immigrants, ex-slaves and draftees.

What motivated these men and the families who sent them off to fight? How did Confederate armies in the East win battles so often in the first two years of the war, even with fewer resources? How did the tide turn in favor of Federal forces after Gettysburg? And why did the Confederates finally surrender? As you trace the steps of the two armies, you will find inspiration in the skills, courage, and endurance displayed by the entire generation that lived through the Civil War and enhance your understanding of the bloody conflict that would forever change the direction of American history.

Bull Run/Manassas, Gettysburg to Appomattox

Visit the battlefields that included victories for both sides and led to the Confederate surrender

Harpers Ferry

See where John Brown’s Raid helped trigger the conflict in 1859 at the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers

Sharpsburg/Antietam

Visit the site of the bloodiest day of war in American history, with 23,000 casualties

Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Spotsylvania

Visit the battlefields that led up to Gettysburg, the turning point in the war in the East

Day 1 • Welcome Reception

After your flight to the Washington Dulles International Airport, you will gather at the tour hotel with the rest of your group for a Welcome Reception and dinner, with introductions all around

Day 2 • Bull Run/Manassas

Your morning begins with a visit to the battlefield where Federal leaders believed their greater resources and manpower would prevail, but instead the better-led Confederates won a decisive victory. With the initial innocence and illusion over for both sides, the U.S. Army retreated from Bull Run to Washington without pursuit. After a year of fighting near Richmond, the Army of the Potomac and the Army of northern Virginia returned to the same area to fight the Second Battle of Bull Run/Manassas where the result was an even more significant Confederate victory.

Day 3 • Harpers Ferry, Sharpsburg/Antietam

Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains at the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers, Harpers Ferry is one of the loveliest places in the eastern U.S. This was the scene of John Brown’s raid in October 1859—a desperate act that hastened the outbreak of war. After Brown was hanged for treason there, sentiment hardened in the North where he was seen as a martyr. But at the same time, Brown’s crimes stoked the rage of pro-slavery insurrectionists in the South.

Harpers Ferry was also the site of a battle in September 1862 that featured the largest surrender of United States troops in the war. It was followed shortly by the nearby Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg), the bloodiest single-day battle in American history with 23,100 casualties. Although neither side gained a decisive victory, the withdrawal by Confederate General Lee, and his failure to carry the war effort effectively into the North, enabled President Lincoln to issue the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.

Day 4 • Gettysburg: Days One and Two of the Battle

The Battle of Gettysburg lasted over three days in July 1863 and cost more lives than any single engagement in the war. The northern victory at Gettysburg ended the last major Confederate offensive in the East and, although no one knew it at the time, it also marked the beginning of the end of the rebellion. Four months later, a portion of the battlefield would be dedicated as a national cemetery in a ceremony remembered for President Lincoln’s famous address.

The day in Gettysburg begins with a visit to the Shriver House Museum, a historic home dedicated to the civilian experience during the struggle. Afterward, a Licensed Battlefield Guide will lead us over the vast and pastoral ground where you will see places whose names were made immortal by the events that happened there: the Peach Orchard, the Wheatfield, Little Round Top and others. In the modern Visitor’s Center, you’ll experience the extraordinary Gettysburg Cyclorama.

Day 5 • Gettysburg: Day Three of the Battle

Today you’ll see a portion of the battlefield that few visitors know about, where rebel calvary under Jeb Stuart clashed with Federal horsemen led by George Armstrong Custer. After that, you will follow in the wake of Pickett’s Charge, perhaps the most famous attack in American history. Of the 14,000 Confederates who attacked in that single charge, only about half returned. As noted by historian James McPherson, “Pickett’s Charge represented the Confederate war effort in microcosm: unsurpassed valor, apparent initial success, and ultimate disaster.”

After you view the site of President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, you will have an afternoon to visit the town of Gettysburg on your own.

Dinner will be at the Dobbin House Tavern, the oldest building in Gettysburg, built in 1797 in the early American period in Pennsylvania history. The building later became an important stopping point for escaped slaves on the Underground Railroad, as reflected by the historical exhibit in the restaurant.

Day 6 • Fredericksburg–Chancellorsville–Spotsylvania–Richmond

This morning you will go south to Virginia and visit the region where four major battles took place: Fredericksburg, December 1862; Chancellorsville, May 1863; The Wilderness, May 1864; Spotsylvania Court House, May 1864.

Richmond was the northern army’s main target, the pride of the Confederacy, its Capital, and the very soul of rebellion. The direct route from Washington to Richmond passes through Fredericksburg where the eventual founder of the Red Cross, Clara Barton, began her work treating soldiers from both sides.

Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville were major Confederate victories. The Wilderness and Spotsylvania were tremendous, but tactically inconclusive, battles in General Ulysses S. Grant’s 1864 Overland campaign. After visiting Fredericksburg, you will continue to Chancellorsville, where you will view the strategy on the ground and see where Stonewall Jackson received his mortal wounds. Passing through the Spotsylvania battlefield, you will see the Bloody Angle, scene of some of the fiercest fighting of the war. You will end the day in Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy.

Day 7 • Richmond–Petersburg

By the summer of 1864, the war in Virginia had settled into a brutal siege that would last until the spring of 1865 around Richmond and nearby Petersburg. You will visit the fascinating Petersburg National Battlefield and the scene of the Battle of the Crater. You will also visit the memorable National Museum of the Civil War Soldier at Pamplin Historical Park. The Museum tells the story of the nearly 3,000,000 Americans (Northerners and Southerners of every race, immigrants, and native-born) who fought in the Civil War. While at the Museum, you will explore Tudor Hall Plantation, which features a working kitchen and slave quarters with a multi-media exhibit that depicts slavery and antebellum plantation life.

Day 8 • Appomattox

The final campaign that began at Petersburg was the longest siege in American history, featuring the same form of trench warfare that would characterize WWI, fifty years later. After General Lee’s army kept the Federal forces at bay for several months, on April 2 the Army of the Potomac broke through and cut off the Confederate supply lines from the South. You will follow Lee’s retreat route across Virginia, stopping to visit Sailor’s Creek Battlefield Historic State Park, where Lee’s army was defeated on April 6, 1865. At The American Civil War Museum at Appomattox, you’ll see artifacts such as the dress uniform that Lee wore to his fateful meeting with General Ulysses S. Grant. From the Museum it is only a mile to Appomattox Court House National Historical Park where you can see the McClean House where Lee signed the surrender on April 9, 1865.

After visiting Appomattox, you will return to your hotel for your farewell dinner.

Day 9 • Transfers to Airports

There will be morning transfers to Dulles and/or Richmond airports for guests to catch their flights home. departures.

Historians on this tour

Dates & Prices

• 2024 Dates & Prices
• 2025 Dates & Prices

Tour Includes

• Professional historian traveling with you throughout the tour, lecturing and answering questions
• Tour manager to handle guest needs and on-the-ground logistics
• Educational road book of maps and historical information
• 3 and 4-star hotel accommodations
• Hotel taxes and service charges
• Touring by private first class, air-conditioned motor coach
• Breakfast daily; all dinners except 1 night on your own
• Entrance fees to Harpers Ferry, Shriver House, Chatham Plantation, Pamplin Historical Park, Tudor Hall, National Museum of the Civil War Soldier, McLean home
• End-of-tour airport transfers to Richmond and Dulles Airports

Flights are not included in the cost of the tour.

Activity Level

As with all of our tours, we prefer to spend our time on the battlefields. There will be some museum stops, but please be prepared to walk on sandy beaches and cobblestone streets. There is a fair amount of walking.

If you use a wheelchair, please read our Wheelchair Policy .

Recommended Reading

• The Civil War: A Concise History by Louis P. Masur
• Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era by James M. McPherson
• The Civil War in the East: Struggle, Stalemate, and Victory by Brooks D. Simpson

Customize this Tour

If you would like to customize this itinerary for your alumni travel association, educational organization, high school, family or other private group, please see our custom tour page .

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Guest Reviews

6 reviews for ' Civil War Tour: This Hallowed Ground '

My original interest in this kind of tour comes from my nephews passion of the Civil War and we wanted to travel together at least once. Was interested in doing the Band of Brothers tour, which is how I knew that SAHT had these Civil War Tours. Because of the whole covid situation still lingering we decided to do The Hallowed Ground tour. We were not disappointed!!! Touring all the different sites, of where not only the battles happened but how the citizens on both sides of the conflict were entrenched in some of these battles was a point of view that I had not stop to long to wonder about. Gerry Prokopowicz’s knowledge, understanding & perspective of this time in our history was captivating, interesting as well as respectful toward the subject matter!!! Love how he was able to incorporate the human aspect of this important part of our history!!! His passion on the subject pours through, not only in his explanation of things but in his continued interest in still being in awe of new discoveries!!! Openness to questions & different points of views with a respectful way of explaining them was humbling!!! Connie Kennedy, our guardian angel, was equally as passionate in making sure that every person got to enjoy the tour to the degree in which we wanted to experience it!!! Her love of history & the joy it brings us comes through in her loving, caring & respectful way of making sure we are having the ultimate experience!!! Smiling every day & being of good humour was greatly appreciated!!! Hal our trusted good humoured transportation specialist didn’t only get us to places on time safely, he also was part of the tours ability to make us feel welcomed as well as taken care of in every aspect possible!!! These three individuals, along with the support staff of Jenni, Carmen, Terri & Cheryl, made it impossible not to have an eyeopening, educational & amazing tour!!!

As for the tour itself and the content of the tour, it was as exceptional as the wonderful people that guided us as well as those who were individually informative and passionate about the separate subject matters they taught us about!!! There is a tremendous amount of content packed into the tour but with a relaxed feeling of taking it all in!!! So much information as well as sights to see and so little time to see it all but it was done exceptionally well!!! Got to see and learn a lot with the time we had!!! Well laid out to take in the most of what there is to experience!!!

From my experience on this one tour with SAHT, I know that I will definitely tour with them again!!! If we are as well guided, taught and taken care of as I felt on this tour, it is a no brainer, I will take other tours with them in the future!!! The entire staff I had the privilege & honour to experience on this tour made it possible to enjoy it to the fullest with no misfortunes!!! Food & lodging were part of the experience that your staff made sure we were happy and always well taken care of!!!

My heartfelt gratitude & appreciation for Gerry, Connie, Hal, Jenni, Carmen, Terri & Cheryl for making this an experience of a lifetime!!!

With James Arnold as our historian, he brought life to the battles fought. The tour manager, Nick, and our driver Hal, were exceptional. All three gentlemen worked together to provide a wonderful experience. The accommodations were excellent and meals provided were great. It is an experience well worth the cost and certainly would do it again! (Bring comfortable walking shoes!)

This Hallowed Ground

If ever I could call a tour “perfect,” this would be it. Jack Mountcastle is not only a walking encyclopedia, but he’s funny and entertaining. The tour was especially meaningful to me since I was able to walk where my Civil War relative walked, and share from his journal. Savannah, our “fixer” and Hal, the driver, were wonderful. An added attraction was the happy group of like-minded tour participants. We all learned so much and left with our heads filled with facts, and our hearts filled with new friendships.

This Hallowed Ground Tour

I took the Hallowed Ground Tour in May 2018 and have time to reflect on this marvelous experience. I read and watched quite a bit before the tour, but there is no substitute for visiting the sites where history was made. My highlights were standing on Little Round Top, walking Pickett’s charge, and seeing the Union river crossing site at Fredericksburg. My personal favorite was the Minnesota memorial at Gettysburg where the 1st Volunteer regiment held the Union line with an 82% casualty count on the 2nd day. Gerry P our historian was excellent in addition to his hidden musical talents. Matt B our guide was excellent as well. If you want to understand how our nation became one from many, this tour is for you.

It was fantastic!

Where do I begin? I just got back from This Hallowed Ground Civil War Tour. It was not just great, it was fantastic! I learned so much from an expert authority on the Civil War, Jack Mountcastle. His wealth of knowledge and understanding of what happened was far beyond my expectation. I am still thinking of all that we saw and heard as I go about my day. Special moments will live in my memory forever. Thank you for providing this type of experience to me. It was well organized with all of our needs taken care of.

Happy traveling…….

I'll remember this trip for years

I could not let a day go by without following up on our tour.

The planning of the tour was over the top. The battlefields that were chosen and why they were an important part of the war, the places we stayed were wonderful and who could complain about the food! Not only was it good but in several of the establishments, there was more history. It was obvious that a lot of thought and planning went into this adventure.

All of the above though would be a mute point if not for your staff. General Mountcastle was excellent. On our trip it was obvious that many had done their homework as they asked very pointed questions. Jack not only had the answers but could follow up with more information. He was able to put us right there with the feel and thought of the day. Keith Buchanan was right there as well. No one had to worry about wandering off or being left behind. You knew he was there for you and in control of our environment. He made sure everything flowed as expected. Hal was also an integral part of the adventure. The bus was clean, cool and on time. I also thought how appropriate that even though he had been on this trip before, you would see him many times out walking the field, listening to Jack and wandering the museums. It is obvious that more information can be gleaned all the time.

I will be remembering this trip for years to come and sharing my experience about your tour and team. We have several friends on the East Coast and I have made copies of my material and will be sending it as an inspiration to take the trip! Please share with your staff, including Terri and the others that I may have spoken with over the phone how much they are appreciated.

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Gerald J. Prokopowicz, Ph.D.

Gerald J. Prokopowicz is a professor at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, who specializes in Public History and the Civil War era. Dr. Prokopowicz is the host of Civil War Talk Radio , a weekly, internet-based talk radio show that features interviews with leading historians, authors, and enthusiasts on the Civil War. He is the author of Did Lincoln Own Slaves? Frequently Asked Questions and Answers about Abraham Lincoln and All for the Regiment: The Army of the Ohio, 1861-1862 . He served nine years as the resident Lincoln Scholar at the Lincoln Museum in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he helped create the award-winning exhibit, “Abraham Lincoln and the American Experiment,” and edited Lincoln Lore.

Dr. Prokopowicz is a member of the Advisory Boards of the Lincoln Studies Center and the Lincoln Forum. He received a B.A. in History and a law degree from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. in History from Harvard University.

Kyle S. Sinisi, Ph.D.

Kyle S. Sinisi graduated from the Virginia Military Institute in 1984 with a B.A. in History. Following four years of active-duty service in the United States Army, he attended Kansas State University, where he earned both the M.A. and Ph.D. Kyle has served as a professor at The Citadel (The Military College of South Carolina) since 1994.

At The Citadel, Kyle concentrates his course offerings on the Civil War, World War II, U.S. military history, and the history of weaponry. He is a two-time recipient of the James A. Grimsley Award, The Citadel’s annual award fosr excellence in undergraduate teaching. He currently serves on the Advisory Council for the National Civil War Museum and the Board of Directors for the Friends of Charleston National Parks.

Kyle is co-editor (with Professor Michael B. Barrett) of the “War and Society” line of books for the Rowman and Littlefield Publishing Group. He is the author of The Last Hurrah: Sterling Price’s Missouri Expedition of 1864 (A.M. Pate Award for best book of 2015 on the Trans-Mississippi Civil War) and Sacred Debts: State Civil War Claims and American Federalism . He is also a co-editor of Warm Ashes: Issues in Southern History at the Dawn of the Twenty-First Century . Kyle can be seen in programs on the Discovery Channel, the Smithsonian Channel, and South Carolina Educational Television.

James R. Arnold

James R. Arnold is the author of over 30 military history books, 10 of which are Civil War studies.  His work devoted to the Civil War ranges from Jeff Davis’s Own: Cavalry, Comanches, and the Battle for the Texas Frontier , a study of how pre-war experience shaped the future conduct of prominent Civil War generals, to a six-volume library reference set for young adults. His Americans at War: Eyewitness Accounts won the 2018 Army Historical Foundation’s distinguished writing award. He has also written two historical novels about the war, The Cost of Freedom and Freedom’s Children . For the past 25 years, Arnold and his wife have lived on a working farm near Lexington, Virginia.

Leonard J. Fullenkamp

Colonel, U.S. Army (retired) Len Fullenkamp is professor of military history and strategy at the Army War College. He also taught history at West Point. Len served two combat tours in Vietnam. He has taken numerous army officers on study trips to European battlefields, including the Normandy landings, the Battle of the Bulge and Hurtgen Forest. He has also led groups to Waterloo, the Somme, Verdun, and other Napoleonic and World War I battles.

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The American Civil War: Eastern Theater Tour

The classic civil war tour.

General History Tours Military History and Battlefield Tours

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Your Holiday Essentials

Tour introduction.

Our 14-day tour is set amidst picturesque American countryside: the scenic Shenandoah Valley, the mighty James River and a wealth of National Parks. We explore historic American towns and cities such as Fredericksburg, Richmond, Lexington, Harper’s Ferry and of course, Gettysburg and visit the major eastern civil war engagements en-route. We walk over superbly preserved battlefields, often situated within their own national parkland, enjoy inspiring presentations not only from your expert historian, Fred Hawthorne, but from selected park rangers and visit a wealth of museums, historic buildings and interpretation centres.

This is a Civil War tour like no other: we are based out of full-service hotels (including hot breakfast) where we can enjoy drinks in the bar. Every evening we experience a wealth of restaurants, including several historic taverns, in which we enjoy a wide and varied cuisine.

During the American Civil War more Americans lost their lives than during the whole of WW1 and WW2 combined. An estimated 750,000 – some 2% of the population – died of battle wounds or disease. For four years, battles raged across the continent, but rarely was the fighting fiercer than in the Eastern Theater where six of the ten bloodiest battles of the war were fought. Encouraged by early victories, the Confederate forces held off subsequent Federal advances around Richmond until they felt confident enough to take the war into the North, where their advances were checked at Antietam in 1862 and Gettysburg in 1863. After achieving their ‘high water mark’, Southern forces were engaged in a fight against the inevitable which was to finally end at a small courthouse in Appomattox in April 1865.

• With Civil War expert historian  Fred Hawthorne  
• A full day exploring Gettysburg
• An opportunity to walk the route of the climactic attack: Pickett’s Charge
• Explore the two Battles of Manassas
• The battle of Fredericksburg
• Visit the Chancellorsville museum and interpretative centre & battlefield
• See where ‘Stonewall’ Jackson spent his last hours and see his HQ
• Explore Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War soldier
• Appomattox museum and battlefield park
• Visit Monocacy battlefield

What's Included

• Return flights from London (optional)
• 3 & 4 Star Hotels
• Buffet breakfast each morning
• Dinner parties hosted by your expert historian and tour manager
• Two drinks i,e wine or beer at each dinner and a welcome drink on first evening
• Dedicated Tour Manager
• Entrance fees for sites included in itinerary
• Modern, comfortable, air-conditioned coach
• Tour information booklet
• Access to the Cultural Experience app
• Helpful and friendly travel advice
• The company of like-minded travelers

"Fred Hawthorne was superb and went the extra mile all of the time - best tour guide we've ever had. We saw and experienced so much thanks to him."

Day 1 - Arrival

Fly London to Washington-Dulles. Check in to our Fairfax hotel for one night. Drinks reception and tour briefing.

Day 2 - The two Battles of Manassas

View the excellent 1st Manassas orientation film and the illuminated battlefield map prior to exploring the battlefield, its monuments and historic buildings such as Stone and Hill House. After lunch we visit 2nd Manassas battlefield including the interpretive centre at Brawner Farm, ‘Deep Cut’ and the ‘Dogan House’. Thence to Fredericksburg where we check in to our hotel for the next two nights.

Day 3 - Fredericksburg & Chancellorsville

Gain an overview of the battle of Fredericksburg from the lovely Chatham Plantation and enjoy its great views over the town before descending to the battlefield at Prospect Hill, walk along the ‘sunken road’ and view the original section of the ‘stone wall’ against which waves of Federal troops were thrown. This afternoon we visit the Chancellorsville Museum and interpretative centre and walk the battlefield to include Hazel Grove, the Lee-Jackson last bivouac and the Chancellor Clearing.

Day 4 - The Overland Campaign

Receive a brief on the Battle of the Wilderness from the ‘Shelter’ and Saunder’s Field with interpretive stops at Widow Tapp Farm and the Brock Road intersection, the Higgerson and Chewning clearings and the spot where Longstreet was wounded. Following in the footsteps of the Union army to Spotsylvania we visit Todd’s Tavern, Laurel Hill, the Mule Shoe Salient, the ‘Bloody Angle’ and the courthouse and jail. On our southward journey we see where ‘Stonewall’ Jackson spent his last hours and visit the J.E.B Stuart memorial. We end the day at Cold Harbor with its extensive earthworks including the Confederate entrenchments and the Connecticut heavy artillery line. Check in to our Richmond-area hotel for one night.

Day 5 - The Peninsula Campaign

We visit locations associated with the first Battle of the Ironclad Warships USS Monitor and CSS Virginia (Merrimac) and the superbly preserved Fort Monroe National Monument from where McClellan launched his campaign and where Confederate President Jefferson Davis was later imprisoned. At the Mariner’s Museum at Newport News is the USS Monitor Centre where we see how the historic ironclad is being preserved. We will also stop at Yorktown, the Warwick Line, Dam #1, and Williamsburg where we check-in for one night.

Day 6 - Richmond and its Battles

From the Chickahominy swamps we commence our exploration of the Seven Days Battles for Richmond stopping at Beaver Dam Creek, Mechanicsburg, Gaines Mill, the Grapevine Bridge, McClellan’s Trent House headquarters, Savages Station, White Oak Swamp, Glendale and finally the climactic slaughter at Malvern Hill as we follow Lee’s crushing blows to destroy McClellan’s army. In the afternoon we drive into Richmond, capital of the Confederacy against which the 1862 campaign focused. We will visit the Confederate “White House” where docents will describe President Jefferson Davis and his large family’s stay in the city. We will drive down past the Virginia State Capitol which served as the Confederate Congress’s home for the duration of the war. We end the day at the magnificent and sparkling new American Civil War Museum (formerly the Museum of the Confederacy) and the National Park Visitor Centre at Historic Tredegar Iron Foundry. Continue to Chester, VA for two nights.

Day 7 - Siege of Petersburg

At City Point we walk out to Grant’s headquarters and the ‘Dictator’ siege mortar, see the eastern front restored fortifications, and visit Fort Stedman, the famous Crater and, time permitting, the Blandford Church with its memorial stained glass windows. Our day ends at Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War soldier, one of the finest museums of its kind.

Day 8 - Retreat to Appomattox

At the remote Five Forks Museum we handle some of the wonderful collection of reproduction weaponry and munitions and explore the battlefield. Like Lee, we then travel west to Sailor’s Creek State Park to explore the battlefield, museum and the Hillsman House. This afternoon is spent at Appomattox Museum and battlefield park where we view the surrender movie, explore the village, visit the McLean House and the ‘Surrender Triangle’ where the laying down of arms took place. Continue to Lynchburg, Virginia for an overnight stay.

Day 9 - Lexington and the Shenandoah Valley

Drive to Lexington via the Blue Ridge Mountains and the James Valley (both in early autumn colours), where we visit the Lee Chapel and family tomb and visit the grounds of the Virginia Military Institute to view the old barracks, the commandants house and cadet chapel and museum. We continue along the magnificent Shenandoah Valley to New Market with its VMI ‘Hall of Valor’ and ‘Field of lost shoes’. Thence to Winchester for one night.

Day 10 - Winchester and Harpers Ferry

We start at Middletown with an introduction to the battle of Cedar Creek and then return to Winchester to visit Stonewall Jackson’s headquarters which contains many of his personal possessions. This afternoon we visit Harpers Ferry, situated at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers and explore this historic town, perhaps climbing up to Jefferson Rock. Continue to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and check-in for three nights.

Day 11 - The Maryland Campaign of 1862 and Antietam

At Monocacy we visit the battlefield museum and discuss the lost Special Orders 191 and then drive through the South Mountain passes stopping at Crampton’s Gap and ‘War Correspondent’s Arch’ to Sharpsburg, Maryland. At the Pry House Farm, we gain an appreciation of the Battle of Antietam from the Union perspective and at the Visitors’ Centre we watch the orientation film. We follow the Union approach to the Sunken Lane: amongst our many stops here will be Dunker Church, Miller’s and Otto’s Cornfield, the Sunken Lane and Burnside’s Bridge.

Day 12 - Gettysburg

The greatest battle of the American Civil War and for many, the single most important event of that war. We devote our last full day exploring this site. We will tour many of the great sites associated with the battle: Oak Hill, Cemetery Hill, Little Round Top, and the famous Bloody Angle. A highlight of all our classic Eastern Civil War tours is the opportunity to walk the route of the climactic attack: Pickett’s Charge. In the afternoon we will visit the brilliantly restored Cyclorama of Gettysburg set within one of the finest military museums in the world. Our farewell dinner will be at a historic Gettysburg Tavern.

Day 13 - Final Thoughts

We visit Shriver House, a museum in the 19th-Century home of a Civil War soldier's family, exploring the civilian experience of the war. Thence to the Gettysburg National Cemetery, where we pay our respects on this final stop of our tour. We then depart for Washington and our evening flights.

Day 14 - Arrive London

Recommended Reading List

• Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era (Penguin history)
• Chancellorsville: The Souls of the Brave
• Emerging Civil War Series
• Landscape Turned Red: The Battle of Antietam
• The Civil War Battlefield Guide
• The Complete Civil War Road Trip Guide: More Than 500 Sites from Gettysburg to Vicksburg
• The Last Citadel: Petersburg, Virginia June 1864-April 1865

Photo Gallery

• Little Round Top
• Our 2019 Tour Group
• Guinea Station Stonewall Jackson’s Deathplace
• The Potomac River looking towards the Shenandoah
• Looking at the Appomattox River
• The Sunken Lane Antietam
• Matthews Hill Manassas
• Jefferson Rock Harper’s Ferry
• Friend to Friend Memorial Gettysburg

Tour Reviews

View our latest Eastern Theater tour images here

Take a look at some of the images taken on our most recent tour

Take a look at some independent reviews of this tour by previous participants here

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Va Museum of the Civil War

• George R. Collins - Civil War Preservation Pioneer
• Hours and Admission
• Shop The General's Store
• May Commemoration
• Tourist Center
• Museums and Grounds
• For Teachers
• Summer Camps
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In addition to year-round self-guided tours, the park offers education-specific programs throughout the year. School group programs are designed around the Virginia Standards of Learning. Adult programs range from explorations of the Bushong Family and their times to the motivations of soldiers North and South.

Adult Tours

This tour provides an overview of the Battle of New Market and the Civil War.

• Self-guided tour of the Virginia Museum of the Civil War
• Exceptional shopping opportunities at the General's Store
• Field of Lost Shoes, our Emmy award-winning film on the Battle of New Market
• Guided tour of the battlefield and Bushong Farm

Be sure to visit the store before you leave the park! The time commitment does not include lunch or restroom breaks. Picnic tables are located on the Park grounds.  

GUIDED ADULT TOURS

• Guided Adult (13+) - $9.00

*A minimum of three full weeks advanced notice is required for all group bookings.

**Rates are for groups of 15 or more paying individuals, and reservations must be made in advance to receive discounted group rate. Call for pricing for groups of fewer than 15.

Student Tours

We currently offer a two-three hour program which fulfills Virginia Standards of Learning requirements.  Our program includes a self-guided museum visit, and a guided tour of the battlefield and historic Bushong Farm.  Groups have the options to view our 45 minute docu-drama Field of Lost Shoes and experience a live black powder demonstration. The experience provides opportunities to learn about the social and military struggle of the Civil War in Virginia. 

Visit the Teachers Page for more information about Student Group Tours .

VMI: Forging 21st Century Leaders

Rick Britton Navigator Tours

Navigator Tours

Based in Charlottesville, Virginia, Navigator and Civil War Battlefield Tours conducts history tours all across Virginia (and beyond). Your guide is Rick Britton, an award-winning historian with over 25 years of experience guiding tours.

Civil war battlefield tours, fredericksburg battlefield tour.

Visit one of the Civil War’s bloodiest battlefields! Fought on December 11 and 13, 1862, the Battle of Fredericksburg featured two unique aspects—an amphibious assault and a brutal street fight. The Battle of Fredericksburg Tour includes 3 stops: Chatham Manor, a ridgetop antebellum estate boasting a fantastic view of Fredericksburg and the Rappahannock River; Prospect Heights on the Confederate right flank, a site that witnessed vicious fighting, including a Union breakthrough; and the famous Stonewall and Sunken Road at the base of Mayre’s Heights, the Confederate position that proved impregnable. The battlefield’s Visitor Center, and its great Bookstore, are located adjacent to the Sunken Road.

Chancellorsville Battlefield Tour

Fought on May 1-4, 1863, Chancellorsville was Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s greatest victory. Union Gen. Joseph Hooker’s battle plan was excellent, but Lee’s aggressive response—despite being outnumbered two to one—was extraordinary. The Battle of Chancellorsville Tour features the following stops: the Lee-Jackson bivouac site, where Lee and Gen. T. J. “Stonewall” Jackson met to plan Jackson’s audacious flanking march; the flank attack jumping-off point, where Jackson’s attack on the Union 11th Corps began; the Jackson wounding site (along with a visit to the adjacent Visitor Center); and the Chancellor-house clearing. (The Chancellorsville Battlefield features other stops that can be added in, time permitting, including: Confederate Gen. Lafayette McClaws’s battleline; and Hazel Grove, which features a fabulous artillery display.)

Combined Fredericksburg & Chancellorsville Battlefield Tour

Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville can be toured in one day. Naturally, for this fast-paced, whirlwind tour, the battlefield stops are limited in number.

First Manassas Battlefield Tour / First Bull Run Battlefield Tour

The Civil War’s first major battle, First Manassas (also called First Bull Run) was fought on July 21st, 1861, only 25 miles from Washington, D.C. For this Battle of Manassas Tour, the stops include: the Stone Bridge, where Confederate Col. Nathan “Shanks” Evans, posted on his army’s extreme left, discovered the Union flanking movement; Matthews Hill, where Evans moved his small brigade to confront the Union turning column; and site of the battle’s bloodiest fighting, Henry Hill, where Confederate Gen. T. J. Jackson became “Stonewall.” On Henry Hill we’ll also tour the wonderful Visitor Center.

Gaines’s Mill Battlefield Tour

Fought on June 27th, 1862, Gaines’s Mill was the third of the famous Seven Days’ Battles, the week-long campaign during which Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee fought and maneuvered Union Gen. George B. McClellan’s massive army away from the capital of the Confederacy. Just outside of Richmond, Virginia, the battlefield is wonderfully preserved. The Battle of Gaines’s Mill Tour features an initial stop at the Watt House—where we’ll discuss the Peninsula Campaign and the Seven Days—and a fantastic loop trail that will take us along the powerful Union defenses above Boatswain Creek. In a number of places, the earthworks and rifle pits are still visible.

Sailor’s Creek Battlefield Tour / Appomattox Court House Tour

Learn about the Civil War’s final days in Virginia! At Sailor’s Creek, Virginia, on April 6th, 1865, the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia—on the retreat from Richmond and Petersburg—suffered a terrible defeat, losing one-fifth of its number killed, wounded, or captured, including eight generals. Nowadays it’s a beautifully preserved state park with a fabulous museum. Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House 30 miles to the west just three days later. An absolute must-see for Civil War enthusiasts, this gorgeous hilltop village will take you back in time! (Naturally, these two historic sites can be toured on different days.)

Brandy Station Battlefield Tour

Fought on June 9, 1863, Brandy Station was the Civil War’s largest cavalry battle. Just outside of Culpeper, Virginia, the battlefield was saved from development by the diligent efforts of preservationists. Today there are a number of battlefield stops, including Fleetwood Hill, where the Union horsemen first proved themselves the equal of their Confederate counterparts. (The Battle of Brandy Station Tour is often paired with a visit to the nearby Graffiti House Museum, a period structure where soldiers drew pictures, and scrawled their names, on the walls upstairs.)

Trevilian Station Battlefield Tour

Featuring more cavalry combatants than Brandy Station, Trevilians was fought 25 miles east of Charlottesville, Virginia, on June 11th and 12th, 1864. The battle pitted two of the war’s most aggressive cavalry commanders against one another—Union Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan, and Confederate Maj. Gen. Wade Hampton—and wooded terrain that was unsuited to mounted combat. The Battle of Trevilian Station Tour boasts numerous interesting stops, and a fascinating story!

Other Battlefield Tours

Over the years, Rick Britton has guided numerous other Civil War- and Revolutionary War-related tours. With enough advance notice, tours can be provided for these other notable battlefields:  Cross Keys and Port Republic , fought on June 8th and 9th, 1862, the final victories of Confederate Gen. T. J. “Stonewall” Jackson’s brilliant Shenandoah Valley Campaign;  New Market , fought on May 15th, 1864, famous for the charge of the V.M.I. Cadets; the  Wilderness  and  Spotsylvania Court House , the first two battles of Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s 1864 Overland Campaign;  Petersburg , the siege conducted by Union. Gen. U. S. Grant between June 1864 and April 1865; and  Yorktown , the brilliant siege conducted by Gen. George Washington that essentially ended the American Revolution. If you’re interested in touring a battlefield that you don’t see on my list, ask about it.

Charlottesville History Tours

The civil war in charlottesville tour.

The most requested Charlottesville tour! Learn how Central Virginia supported the Confederate war effort, visit an extant slave block, and stand on the site of the area’s only Civil War combat. The stops include: Charlottesville’s Court Square; Maplewood Cemetery, final resting place of a number of Civil War notables; and Rio Hill, the area’s only Civil War combat—where Brig. Gen. George Armstrong Custer came a calling on February 29, 1864.

The Thomas Jefferson in Central Virginia Tour

Learn about our nation’s third president with three stops in Charlottesville and Albemarle County: Court Square, where Jefferson worshipped and planned the University of Virginia; the gorgeous original Grounds of the University of Virginia; and the site of Monasukapanough, the Monacan Indian village where Jefferson in 1781 excavated a large burial mound (an organized dig that made him one of the fathers of modern archaeology).

The University of Virginia Tour

Take an in-depth look at the educational institution Thomas Jefferson called “the hobby” of his old age! Visitors will learn about the University’s creation, tour each floor of the world-famous Rotunda, and walk the original gardens and grounds. Along the way we’ll discuss the fascinating people who comprise U.Va.’s amazing historical legacy, including Jefferson, the Marquis de Lafayette, Edgar Allan Poe, and William Holmes McGuffey, just to name a few!

The Revolutionary War Tour

Learn how Albemarle County—despite being a backwater region of Virginia—played a significant role in the American Revolution. The stops on this tour include: the site of the Barracks, where the Convention Army—the 5,000-man enemy force that surrendered at Saratoga—was quartered for several years; Charlottesville’s Court Square, where you’ll hear of how the entire Virginia Legislature, and Governor Thomas Jefferson, were almost captured by enemy cavalrymen in 1781; and the Farm, the nearby plantation that British commander Lieut. Col. Banastre Tarleton used as his headquarters.

The Presidential Estate Tour

Thanks to Rick Britton’s extensive knowledge of the life and times of Thomas Jefferson, he’s frequently called upon to escort groups visiting Monticello, Jefferson’s stunning neoclassical home near Charlottesville. Once outside of Monticello, Rick will conduct a tour of the grounds and nearby Mulberry Row, where the mountaintop’s enslaved community lived and worked. The Monticello tour is often paired with a visit to Highland—the home of fifth President James Monroe, only three miles away—and lunch at wonderful Michie Tavern, famous for its amazing fried chicken. (For devoted presidential history buffs, it is also possible to add in a tour of Montpelier, the gorgeous home of James Madison, the nation’s fourth president.)

Other Charlottesville Tours

The Charlottesville-area tours feature three stops each (except for the tour of the University of Virginia). Depending on the time you want to spend, consider these stops as items on a historical menu—you can group them together however you’d like. A frequent request, for example, is a combination of the first two tours, with stops at Court Square, the University of Virginia, and Rio Hill.

• London at War 2024
• World War One: The Western Front
• The Holocaust in Poland
• The Battle of the Bulge (+ Hürtgen Forest)
• Private & Customized Tours
• Other Services

Civil War Tours

Choose a civil war tour below to view more information.

We offer a number of on-request private tours for individuals and small and large groups. Please contact us for scheduling and prices .

Follow the retreat of Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia, and the pursuit by Meade’s Army of the Potomac, from the Gettysburg battlefield to the banks of the Potomac River.

We make numerous stops, including Monterey Pass, Boonsboro, and Falling Waters, exploring cavalry clashes, camps, and wagon trains .

On July 21, 1861, two untrained and inexperienced armies collided near Manassas, Virginia, bringing on the first major clash of the Civil War. The battle that followed was chaotic, confused, and remarkably hard-fought. First Bull Run also had an amazing cast of participants, many of whom would gain great fame in the coming years. 

Our tour follows the battle from start to finish, including Sudley Church, Stone Bridge, Matthews and Henry hills, with an optional visit to Blackburn’s Ford.

Spend the day learning about this desperate battle, visiting such sites as Brawner Farm, the Unfinished Railroad with its ‘Deep Cut’, Chinn Ridge, and Henry House Hill.

Our tour takes place on one of the best-preserved battlefields in the country, ground made famous by the heroism of the men led by McClellan and Lee. Included are visits to landmarks such as Miller’s Cornfield, West Woods, Bloody Lane, and Burnside Bridge, among others.

Join us for this comprehensive battlefield tour, including stops at the Worthington and Thomas farms – scenes of intense fighting – as well as the Federal last stand on Georgetown Pike, and learn how Wallace, a Hoosier politician and future author of Ben Hur , fared against Early’s veterans in one of the most important small battles of the Civil War.

Our tour explores the battlefield in depth, including visits to many lesser-known or ignored battlefield areas outside the current park boundaries. New Market is an ideal subject for evaluating command decisions and leadership styles.

Questions? Ready to book a tour? Contact us

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• January 3, 2019

Civil War Tour In Williamsburg Virginia

Article By: Trish Thomas

Co-owner of Williamsburg Walking Tours since 2011, she offers guided tours of Williamsburg’s history, the African American experience in Williamsburg, and the Civil War in Williamsburg.

Williamsburg Walking Tours Is Offering A New Civil War Tour. The Name of the tour is Richmond Is A Hard Road To Travel .

The Civil War Comes To Williamsburg

It is based upon a song written during the war The song is…”Richmond is a Hard Road to Travel.” There are many versions each slightly different but one famous rendition is the from the 97th Regimental Strings. The 97Th Regimental String Band sings songs of the Civil War Era, which can often show a different perspective of what the actual solider really felt about the events occurring around them.

You can see the song and hear the lyrics at this Youtube clip

Tour The Civil War In Williamsburg

Come explore The Battle Of Williamsburg Tour. Come explore new insights in a tour where you see events that lead to a greater escalation of the war.

The Background

Around midnight on August 7,1861 General Magruder and 500 Confederate soldiers entered the city of Hampton and set fire to the buildings. It was estimated that Hampton had around 500 buildings, by sunrise on August 8 only seven or eight remained standing. The reason for this was so the Union troops would have no place to live.

The Civil War Peninsula Campaign: New Tactics In A Long War

In March 1862, seeking to avoid an overland route to Richmond,( the Battle of Manasses did not work out well) the Union Army transported 130,000 troops,15,000 horses, 1,100 wagons and 44 artillery batteries down the Chesapeake Bay to Fort Monroe.

The goal of the Union army was to take Richmond by going up the Peninsula. After Hampton was burned the only city close to Richmond (from the south) was Williamsburg. Refugees from Hampton fled to Williamsburg.

After the Battle of Williamsburg, May 5,1862, Williamsburg became a Union occupied town until the end of the war.

Tour Williamsburg’s Civil War History From A Human Perspective

The Civil war was known as brother versus brother. But it was also schoolmate versus schoolmate, friend versus friend, and solider versus officer. The soldiers, including enlisted and officer alike had served in ONE United States Army. They had fought together in Mexico and served all over the United States as colleagues and friends. Now they were pitted against one another in a civil war death struggle. As time passed generations forget how human this war really was. And among those many stories you may not know..George Armstrong Custer.

Learn About Lieutenant Armstrong Custer And The Battle Of Williamsburg

In researching the history one story can change the way you see those men and women, who in old photographs appear as statuesque soldiers stoically posed for the camera. Among them Lt. Armstrong Custer (Union) found a confederate friend on the battlefield and made sure he was taken to a private house to recover. This friend ended up marrying the daughter of the house and Lt. Custer was invited and attended the wedding.

And It All Culminates At The Battle Of Williamsburg

The Battle Of Williamsburg is often overlooked due to the tidal size carnage that followed in battles like Antietam and Gettysburg. These battles certainly lived up to their reputation but the Williamsburg tour has significance as well. Some of the things to consider are:

Turning Point For Civil War Strategy?

The battle marks some key changes in the civil war. The Union changes it’s strategy from  a Northern assault to Richmond after the disasters at Bull Run. The Union Army shows their resolve by using their strengths in logistics and maneuvere by traversing the wet,muddy marshy flatlands of the Virginia Eastern Peninsula. The Confederate strategy changes as well. The South realizes that unchecked, the Union army will eventually power there way to Richmond. A strategy of all out assaults on the North would follow in years to come at places like Antietam and Gettysburg. And the groundwork for this can be traced back to events transpiring out of the Battle Of Willamsburg.

The Confederates Are Forced To Respond

Only hours from Richmond, Williamsburg Virginia is a strategic vantage point to assault Richmond. A Union intrusion to this flank position forces the Confederates to bolster their Eastern Defense. It also draws the Confederates to battle…forcing them to use energy to conform to Union plans. But what happens next?

Learn What Happens.. Experiencing It For Yourself

Join us for a Civil War Tour In Williamsburg and experience parts of America’s Second Revolution in the same place as it’s first!

• battle of williamsburg tour , civil war tour , Richmond Is A Hard Road To Travel , williamsburg va civil war tour
• battle of williamsburg , civil war era tour

Copyright ©2010-2022 Williamsburg Walking Tours, All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be copied without permission from Williamsburg Walking Tours. All queries should be directed to  [email protected] .

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Advance tickets required, trish thomas tours:.

Civil War Driving Tour of Southwest Virginia

Southwest Virginia is all too often overlooked in histories of the Civil War era. Our region is far away from the best-known battlefields such as Gettysburg and Bull Run. Yet it contains many sites of Civil War significance.

The Virginia Center for Civil War Studies, housed in Virginia Tech’s history department, proudly presents The Civil War Driving Tour of Southwest Virginia . The tour begins life as a printed brochure and website. Eventually, we plan to make the tour accessible through other media, such as a smartphone app and audio files. To request a free copy of the printed brochure, send your mailing address to [email protected] with the subject line “Driving tour brochure request.”

We interpret Civil War history broadly and include sites of significance for the history of all aspects of the Civil War era, roughly 1848-1877. Thus, in addition to battlefields such as Cloyd’s Mountain, we include places such as antebellum slave plantations, wartime hospitals, and sites relevant to the political and social struggles of the Reconstruction years.

There are two ways to navigate through the site: you can click on the map below, or use the alphabetized text links below the map. 

Battle of Cloyd’s Mountain

Battle of Jonesville (Lee County)

Battle of New River Bridge (Radford)

Broce House

Cambria Depot

Christiansburg Institute

Christiansburg Presbyterian Church

Civil War Leaders

Confederate Monuments

Cumberland Gap

Glencoe Mansion

Hanging Rock

Historic Smithfield

Jubal Early Birthplace

Kentland Plantation

Laurel Hill

Montague House

Montgomery County Confederate Monument

Montgomery White Sulphur Springs

Mountain View

Old Blacksburg Presbyterian Church

Olin & Preston Institute

Pound Gap (Wise County)

Price House

Stoneman’s Raid

Westview Cemetery

Whitethorne

Staff: The project was spearheaded by VT alumnus Tom Seabrook, with support from Lucas Kelley, under the supervision of VCCWS director Paul Quigley. Other VT MA students, past and present, also made valuable contributions: Kevin Caprice and Kevin Dawson.

Acknowledgements: For their invaluable help we thank Daniel B. Thorp (Virginia Tech History Department), April Danner (Historic Smithfield Plantation), and Jean Elliott (former Communications Director, Virginia Tech College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences

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MilitaryByOwner Blog

Take a tour of 6 civil war sites in virginia.

Mary Ann Eckberg

August 19, 2024

If you’re a history buff living in Virginia , you’re in luck!

Whether it's a quick jaunt to a battlefield in Manassas or a series of weekend road trips tracking Civil War campaigns across Virginia, take a look at these don't-miss destinations.

1) Manassas

Battlefield names:.

• First Battle of Bull Run at Manassas
• Second Battle of Bull Run at Manassas

Location: Manassas National Battlefield Park Virginia

Importance of this site.

The First Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas) took place on July 21, 1861 , near Manassas, Virginia, early in the American Civil War. It was the first major land battle of the war and was a victory for the Confederates. The Union forces, under Brigadier General Irvin McDowell, were initially victorious but were eventually driven back by Confederates led by General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson.

The Second Battle of Bull Run (Second Manassas) occurred August 28 to August 30, 1862 . Confederate General Robert E. Lee defeated Union Major General John Pope's Army of Virginia. Lee's victory forced Pope to retreat to Washington, DC, setting the stage for Lee's first invasion of the North during the Maryland Campaign.

• The Stonewall Jackson monument. At this site, Confederate Brig. Gen. Bee exclaimed: “There stands Jackson like a stone wall!” which gave Confederate Lt. Gen. Jackson the moniker “Stonewall Jackson.”
• The infamous spot where the Confederate troops, low on ammunition, resorted to throwing rocks at the Union battle line.

2) Fredericksburg

Battlefield name: battle of fredericksburg, location: fredericksburg & spotsylvania national military park  .

The Battle of Fredericksburg, fought on December 11-15, 1862 , was a significant Confederate victory. 

Union Major General Ambrose Burnside launched attacks against Confederate General Robert E. Lee's well-entrenched Army of Northern Virginia. Despite heavy casualties, particularly during the infamous raid on Marye's Heights, the Union forces were unable to break through the Confederate defenses. 

The battle ended with Burnside withdrawing his battered army across the Rappahannock River, a costly and demoralizing defeat for the Union.

A hilltop parcel called Marye's Heights. From this high point in the city, the Confederates had a clear advantage. The sloping terrain and imposing stone wall of the bastion made it extremely difficult for the Union troops to invade.

3) Chancellorsville

Battlefield name: the battle at chancellorsville.

The Battle of Chancellorsville, fought from April 30 to May 6, 1863 , was a Confederate victory. It marked General Robert E. Lee's bold decision to divide his outnumbered forces and execute a risky flanking maneuver against Union General Joseph Hooker's Army of the Potomac. 

Despite the Confederate victory, they lost General Stonewall Jackson, a trusted and skilled commander, which significantly impacted the future dynamics of Lee's army.

The monument denoting the spot where Confederate Lt. Gen. “Stonewall” Jackson took a fatal shot by friendly fire.

4) Battle of the Wilderness

Battlefield name: battle of the wilderness.

The Battle of the Wilderness, fought May 5-7, 1864 , was a pivotal engagement during the Civil War. It marked the beginning of Union General Ulysses S. Grant's Overland Campaign against Confederate General Robert E. Lee in Virginia. 

The battle is known for its dense forest terrain that negated the Union's numerical advantage and favored the entrenched Confederate defenders. Despite many casualties (on both sides), Grant demonstrated his tenacity and set the stage for a relentless series of battles that ultimately led to the Confederacy's defeat.

A museum display with the riveting quote, “Lee to the rear!” Sensing the onslaught, Rebel troops from Texas convinced Confederate leader General Robert E. Lee to pursue the enemy from the rear rather than from the front lines.

5) Siege of Petersburg

Battlefield name: siege of petersburg, location: petersburg national military park.

The Siege of Petersburg, from June 1864 to April 1865 , was a crucial campaign during the war. Union forces under General Ulysses S. Grant attempted to cut off Petersburg, Virginia, which was a vital supply line to the Confederate capital of Richmond. 

The siege dragged on for nearly ten months, resulting in trench warfare similar to what would occur in World War I. It eventually forced the Confederates to evacuate both Petersburg and Richmond, leading to the collapse of the Confederate government and the end of the war.

The Crater. In the opening scene of the Jude Law movie Cold Mountain , there’s an earthshaking moment when Union troops tunnel under a Confederate line and set off explosives. Restoration efforts here include an outline of the crater from the blast and the tunnel access point.

6) Appomattox Courthouse

Battlefield name: appomattox courthouse, location: appomattox courthouse national military park.

Appomattox Court House is the site where Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant on April 9, 1865, effectively ending the American Civil War. The surrender marked a symbolic moment of reconciliation and the beginning of national reunification after years of conflict.

The site of Lee’s surrender, the McLean house.

Some tips as you visit Civil War sites around Virginia:

• With proper ID, ask for free admission or a military discount.
• The title “courthouse” doesn’t have to be a building for city government. As Civil War history displays explains, it can be a specific crossroads or a meeting point. 
• Remember, private displays and state parks can interpret history from a pointed perspective. The National Park Service attempts to detail Civil War history objectively.

A road trip to a battlefield may not be everyone’s first choice for a family weekend getaway , but learning the names and reading the stories makes it a worthwhile excursion. And for those stationed in Virginia, the path is easy.

For more day trips and travel ideas, download our free Military Family Travel guide below! 

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9 Historic + Beautiful Virginia Civil War Sites {Must See for History Buffs!}

By: Author Katie

Posted on March 1, 2022

As a history buff, visiting Civil War Sites is a must. And Virginia has the BEST Civil War battlefields in the country (with the exception of Gettysburg, PA).

But there’s more to the Civil War than just battlefields: there are historic homes and other landmarks that are just as amazing. From Manassas to Fredericksburg and beyond, these historic sites are rich with history and offer a unique perspective.

They are beautiful, rarely crowded, and absolutely worth your time.

The best Civil War battlefields and other sites in Virginia

Our favorites? Stratford Hall to see the personal history of the Lee family, and Manassas battlefield park for stunning scenery.

1. Manassas Battllefield

Manassas National Battlefield Park is a historical site located in Manassas, Virginia. The park is best known for being the location of the First and Second Battle of Bull Run, also known as the Battle of Manassas. These battles were some of the first major engagements of the American Civil War.

During the first battle of Manassas, Confederate General Thomas Jonathan Jackson earned his nickname Stonewall after he successfully defended the flank of his army. The Union forces were eventually forced to retreat, and this victory helped to boost Southern morale.

Before or after seeing the battlefield, stop by the Henry Hill Visitor Center to learn more about that first conflict. The facility includes exhibits and a 45-minute movie that is very interesting and well made.

You may be familiar with the story of spectators setting up picnics to watch the battle. Of course, it turned out to be deadly and terrible, showing both sides that this war wouldn’t be quick or easy.

Manassas National Battlefield Park is one of the best things to do in Manassas and is a great way to learn about one of the most famous events in Civil War history.

2. Battle of Fredericksburg

A short road trip south on I-95 from Manassas is the Fredericksburg area, which is rich with American history.

The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought in the town itself. The major battle site in the park is the Sunken Road, where Confederate forces achieved a resounding victory over Union forces attacking across the Rappahannock River on December 13, 1862. (You can download a free audio walking tour of Sunken Road from the National Park Service here. )

Tip: Be sure to stop by Chatham Manor across the Rappahannock. You can see where Union troops build a floating bridge to gain access to the city of Fredericksburg. You can access the grounds of the manor for free. It’s also one of the best kid-friendly activities in Fredericksburg .)

3. Chancellorsville Battlefield

( Note: there are a few major battles all in the immediate vicinity. Spotsylvania National Military Park encompasses Chancellorsville, Wilderness, and a separate Battle of Spotsylvania. They are all within easy driving distance of each other (under 20 minutes), but it can be a little confusing since they are all so close! This was a strange period of the war. Confederate troops and Union soldiers met many times in this area within a short period of time.)

The Chancellorsville Battlefield is a historical site located in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, which is just a few minutes west of Fredericksburg. The site preserves the location of the Battle of Chancellorsville, fought from April 30 to May 6, 1863.

This battle was significant because it was the first time Confederate General Robert E. Lee successfully invaded the North, and it was also the only battle in which Stonewall Jackson led troops in combat.

4. Battle of the Wilderness

The Battle of the Wilderness was fought on May 5-7, 1864, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. The battle was the first major clash between General Robert E. Lee’s Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and General Ulysses S. Grant’s Union Army of the Potomac and resulted in more than 100,000 casualties.

The battlefield is preserved by the National Park Service and there are visitor centers at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville battlefields that contain brochures with a narrative summary of the battles, directions to the battlefields, a suggested tour route of the battlefield and a map of the Battlefield.

5. Richmond: Capital of the Confederacy

History lovers will find many stops in bustling Richmond City, located approximately a couple of hours south of Manassas. It was a major target in the Confederate war. Richmond National Battlefield Park is a site where a union battle nearly captured the Confederate Capital. The northern part of the world ended the Cold Harbor Battle, which shattered General Ulysses S. Grants’ hopes of getting back to the city.

6. Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park

Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park combines historic significance with modern-day preservation. Explore this vast park and visit the Bell Grove Manor house and many other important landmarks and attractions. The Cedar Creek and Belle Grove Historical Park covers 3700 acres. Civil War fans can visit actual battlefields in Cedar Creek for free. Take a look at the Hupp Hill Civil War Park.

7. Stratford Hall, the Lee family home

Visit the home of Robert E. Lee, the General who lead the Confederate Army. Tour the grounds and learn about his life and how it was shaped by the Civil War. Stratford Hall (built before the American revolution) is a National Historic Landmark that has been preserved to show what life was like in the 1800s.

Stratford Hall has gorgeous grounds and a beautiful interior. Located an hour east of the four battlefields of Spotsylvania, it’s a hidden gem for history buffs.

8. Appomattox Court House

April 9, 1865 is a day that will forever be remembered in the United States. It was on this day that General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House and effectively ended the Civil War.

The Appomattox Court House National Historical Park preserves the site of this surrender and offers visitors a glimpse into what life was like during this important moment in history.

9. Petersburg National Battlefield

The Petersburg National Battlefield was situated in Petersburg, Virginia just outside Hopewell. Petersburg battlefield lies in Central Virginia not far away from Richmond and has excellent accessibility in several directions. The site offers numerous opportunities to see the historical battles and learn from its people. Park located in Battlefield provides junior ranger training to engage kids to experience Petersburg’s history and culture.

What famous battlefields are in Virginia?

It depends on what you mean by famous. Certainly, the Battle of Bull Run is famous, but the others may not be as well known to the general public.

Can you visit all the battlefields?

Most of the battlefields are preserved by the National Park Service and can be visited. Others are not open to the public, if they are are now partially on private property, but there is usually a visitor center nearby with information about the battle.

Enjoy your visit

Don’t forget that Virginia often has re-enactments and other events, but they do not run year-round and you have to check dates.

Civil War Sites in Virginia are a must-see for history buffs. The sites provide visitors with a unique and powerful perspective on the Civil War, one that is often forgotten about or misconstrued by modern-day society. This article has provided the best Civil Wars Sites to visit in the beautiful Commonwealth of Virginia.

Donna W. Brady

Thursday 21st of July 2022

This website has been very helpful. My husband and I are planning a trip to Virginia in the fall. Battlefields are at the top of my husband's list of things to visit.

Civil War Heritage Tours

Battle of fredericksburg tour, battle of chancellorsville tour, battle of spotsylvania court house tour, battle of the wilderness tour.

Between 1862-1864 the Fredericksburg, Virginia area experienced more upheaval than any comparably-sized section of America. Four major battles and countless smaller encounters between two of the largest armies the world had ever seen forever changed the area’s physical and psychological landscape.

Civil War Heritage Tours of Central Virginia offers visitors an in-depth look at sites whose very names became household words during the American Civil War: Fredericksburg , Chancellorsville , the Wilderness , Spotsylvania Courthouse . In addition to the above sites, tours can be created to include additional nearby points of interest such as Mine Run, Manassas, North Anna River, Brandy Station, Cedar Mountain and Richmond.

Civil War Heritage Tours works collaboratively with visitors to create tours which are unique to their interests and time considerations. Beginning with a minimum length of 2 hours, tours can be developed to encompass up to a full day or multiple days.

Schedule a Tour

or for more information

(540) 498-8340

Tour Fredericksburg-Area Battlefields in One Day

If you have one day for this trip, spend it exploring the recently restored Sunken Road sector of the Fredericksburg Battlefield, site of one of the most lopsided victories of the Civil War; and also stop by the Chancellorsville Battlefield visitor center, site of the wounding of Confederate General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson. 

Before you go:

• Print or download the  Tour Map .
• Watch the  Fredericksburg Animated Map .
• Watch the Chancellorsville Animated Map . 
• Download the  Fredericksburg Battle App , for more detail and touring assistance.
• Download the Chancellorsville Battle App , for more detail and touring assistance. 

Stop #1 Fredericksburg Battlefield 

Time: 2-4 hours  Details:  www.nps.gov/frsp/index

The Battle of Fredericksburg was one of the most lopsided victory for Confederate General Robert E. Lee. From December 11-15, 1862, the Federal Army of the Potomac attempted to dislodge Lee's army from the fortified heights on the west and south sides of the city of Fredericksburg. Although the Federals did manage to breakthrough Lee's right flank, the success was short lived, and the Confederate position held strong for the remainder of the battle. 

What to do: 

Start at the National Park Service Visitor Center .

• Watch the 22-minute orientation film. 
• Find out what Ranger Programs are scheduled.
• See the exhibits and walk the historic Sunken Road.
• Stop by the Fredericksburg City Visitor Center to find out about all the great local attractions.

Tour the battlefield. You have several options: 

• Follow the NPS Auto Tour Route and get out and explore each stop.
• Purchase a touring CD from the bookstore. 
• Use the Civil War Trust's free  Fredericksburg Battle App  on your smart phone.

Don't miss:

• The Sunken Road – The focal point of seven Federal assaults throughout December 13, Confederate soldiers from Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia integrated an existing stonewall and well-worn road into their defensive line, threw back every wave. By the end of the day some 30,000 Union soldiers attacked the Confederate line here, nearly 1 in 3 of those soldiers became a casualty. 
• Chatham  – This Georgian style plantation served as a Federal artillery platform, hospital, and headquarters. Famous visitors to the home include George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Clara Barton, and Dr. Mary Walker. 
• The Slaughter Pen Farm  – The site of one of the greatest preservation victories by the Civil War Trust, this 208-acre site witnessed vicious fighting on the afternoon of December 13. No less than five Federal soldiers were presented with the Medal of Honor for their actions in and around this field. 
• Fredericksburg National Cemetery  – The final resting place of 15,243 Union soldiers from the camps and four battlefields of the Fredericksburg area. 

If you have time:

• Visit Prospect Hill, which was General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's position throughout the battle. 
• Take a battlefield hike on one of Fredericksburg's trails . See your NPS touring map for locations. 
• Visit downtown Fredericksburg and learn about the often overlooked street fighting that took place on December 11, 1862.
• Do what strikes your fancy. Fredericksburg is a battlefield on which you could spend countless hours and never do the same thing twice. Explore what interests you! 

Insider tip: For local bar-b-q, try Allman's Bar-B-Q ; for famous local custard, try  Carl's .

Stop #2 Chancellorsville Battlefield 

The Battle of Chancellorsville is regarded by many as Robert E. Lee's greatest victory. From April 29-May 6, 1863, Lee's army battled General Joseph Hooker's Federal Army of the Potomac around the wilderness crossroads of Chancellorsville. Although outnumbered more than 2-to-1, Lee split his undersized no less than three times in the face of a superior foe. Through daring and boldness Lee's men out fought and outmaneuvered Hooker's army. In the end Lee was victorious, but it came at a high cost. Nearly 22% of Lee's army lined the casualty list. The Confederates lost 64 of 130 regimental commanders. And Stonewall Jackson was wounded on the dark battlefield by his own men, and died of pneumonia on May 10, 1863. Chancellorsville was Lee's last offensive battlefield victory. 

• See the exhibits and walk the "Wounding of Stonewall Jackson," trail.
• Use the Civil War Trust's free  Chancellorsville Battle App  on your smart phone.
• First Day Battlefield — The Battle of Chancellorsville kicked into high gear on the late morning of May 1, 1863. Confederate forces under the commander of Stonewall Jackson, struck one of the three Federal columns marching toward the Confederate rear at Fredericksburg. In these open and rolling fields some two miles east of Chancellorsville, the two sides clashed. After a see-saw battle, the Federals turned back to Chancellorsville, giving Robert E. Lee and his army the initiative.
• The Chancellor House Site  – The focal point of Lee's May 3rd offensive, the Chancellor home served as a Federal hospital and headquarters throughout the battle. The home was destroyed by fire during the battle. Rebuilt after the war, the home again was consumed by fire in 1927.
• Catharine Furnace Ruins  – In the antebellum days this region of Virginia was dotted with iron and gold furnaces, the stack of the Catharine Furnace is all that remains of a once prosperous furnace complex. During the Battle of Chancellorsville Stonewall Jackson's 29,000 man flanking column marched past the complex on the afternoon of May 2nd. In 1864 the complex was burned by Federal cavalry under the command of General George A. Custer. 
• Jackson's Flank Attack Site  – On the afternoon of May 2, 1863, the right flank of the Union Army was located in this vicinity. Near 5:15 P.M. the first wave of Stonewall Jackson's flanking column struck the unsuspecting Federals. Within hours the Union flank was no more and Stonewall Jackson lay wounded by his own men. 
• Visit Ellwood , the historic home on the adjacent Wilderness Battlefield served as a Union headquarters and hospital during the Battle of the Wilderness, and the amputated left arm of Stonewall Jackson is buried in the family cemetery. 
• Visit the Lee-Jackson Bivouac , where the two famous generals met for the last time. 
• Take a battlefield hike on one of Chancellorsville's trails . See your NPS touring map for locations. 
• Visit one of the many river-crossing along the Rapidan and Rappahannock Rivers. 
• Do what strikes your fancy. Chancellorsville is a battlefield on which you could spend countless hours and never do the same thing twice. Explore what interests you! 

Insider tip: Stop by the often overlooked Salem Church – site of the last Federal offensive action of the battle; make the 27-mile trek to the Stonewall Jackson Shrine , where the famous general died on May 10, 1863.

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Battlefield Tours of Virginia’s Story

With a Battlefield Tours of Virginia escorted Civil War tour , you’ll experience history as never before.

In the company of local experts, many of them published historians, you’ll enjoy a private tour of some of Virginia’s most important historical sites.

Offering a more extensive selection of battlefield tours than any other Virginian tour provider, we’re proud to tell the story of the Civil War in unparalleled detail, even offering a complete Overland Campaign tour through our Battlefield Combo Tours .

When you book with us, our Civil War experts will join you in your vehicle and accompany you for the day as you explore your chosen battle sites.

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Battlefields Tours of Virginia came about through our desire to provide comprehensive private battlefield experiences. We have since accompanied countless guests around Virginia’s most compelling Civil War sites.

Formerly, many history enthusiasts would visit Gettysburg before coming to Virginia for similar offerings, only to have a difficult time finding a suitable battlefield tour.

We addressed this need and created a team of knowledgeable battlefield guides, primarily based out of the Central Virginia area.

Founded in 2018 and known initially as “Fredericksburg Tours”, we began with tours solely in the Fredericksburg area.

Since then, we’ve multiplied the number of battlefield tours we offer in Virginia to include battlefields in the Culpeper, Shenandoah Valley, and Richmond areas due to the countless requests we were receiving from guests

Tailor-Made American Civil War Battlefield Tours

In addition to our selections for Battlefield Tours and Combo Battlefield Tours , we also provide Customized Battlefield Experiences .

Let us know exactly what you want to see and your travel schedule, and we’ll craft a tour itinerary that’s just right for you. With a tailor-made tour, you are in control.

• Have your special tour requests met
• Spend extra time on the battlefield, getting a more in-depth tour
• Build a tour around your other travel plans
• Have the tours focus on special study topics (campaign, general, regiment, etc.)
• Group tours for more than 6-people can be accommodated in large passenger vehicles
• We offer private van and bus tours and special military staff rides
• Corporate or leadership tours can be organized, as can home-school tours
• Participate more directly in the tour experience
• Choose to spend less time on a particular battlefield for a sample/partial tour (2 hours minimum per battlefield, not including travel time between battlefields)

Custom tours are available from just $50 per hour for your tour guide (not charged per guest) – build your dream Civil War tour in Virginia today.

If you have any questions about our tours or services, please get in touch .

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