Saturday, September 18th, 2010

Nine Seats Left as of 7-14

Join us for a rare and unique event with two fascinating historians, Coronel Keith Gibson of the Virginia Military Institute and NPS Historian Frank O'Reilly.

Tour includes Box Lunch, Snacks, Beverages on Bus as well as Dinner and Festivities (including prize give aways) at Amy's Cafe in Historic Port of Falmouth.

Yes you read correctly, full motor coach tour, lunch and dinner with free gifts and more!!
 

Logan Creek Designs will Donate All Profits to the CVBT helping further our commitment towards Battlefield Preservation. Logan Creek’s goal is to raise a donation of $2000 to benefit the outstanding preservation work carried forth by the CVBT. Logan Creek Designs of Abingdon VA. Crafters of high quality and highly accurate Civil War Campaign furniture, as seen in the God's and Generals movie. The "Stonewall" Jackson Field Desk and Robert E. Lee Camp Chest are but two of the extraordinary works.

Colonel Keith Gibson will be presenting, as only he can, a tour of the Fredericksburg battle with stops at some lesser known and visited areas.

Frank O'Reilly will be conducting a rare tour and program at Moss Neck, headquarters of General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson during the Fredericksburg Campaign. We will visit the family cemetery for a very special part of the tour. (photo by AZ)

Our Tour Leaders

Colonel Keith Gibson is Executive Director of VMI Museum Programs and has worked as a consultant on several historical documentary films, made for television films, and feature films including God and Generals (2001/2) , History's Lost and Found (2000), Field of Lost Shoes (2000/1—winner of two PBS Emmys), Wicked Spring (2000), The Civil War Journal (1993-Present), The Johnson Whittaker Story (1993), Sommersby (1992), Gettysburg (1992), The Smithsonian's Civil War (1990-present) and Dress Gray (1985). He appears frequently as a spokesperson for historic preservation on radio and Public Broadcasting television programs.

In addition, he has written numerous book reviews and articles on the Civil War era and VMI. Colonel Gibson is author of The VMI Spirit: A Portrait of VMI and contributing author to Crowd of Honorable Youths (1989), Forces of the British Empire (1992), and The Virginia Biography of History (1991). He wrote a new introduction and biographical sketch for the reprinting of Frances Smith's History of Virginia Military Institute (1989) and the Corps Forward . His latest book, Moses Ezekiel: Civil War Soldier; Renowned Sculptor.

Frank O'Reilly graduated in 1987 with a B.A. in American History from Washington & Lee University. He joined the National Park Service in 1987 as a temporary historian at the Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, and later took a fulltime position at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. He returned to Fredericksburg in 1990 to fill the permanent historian's position at the "Stonewall" Jackson Shrine. He has also served as an historical consultant for the City of Fredericksburg and the Shenandoah Valley Battlefield Planning Commission. 

He has written numerous articles on the war in Virginia, and introductions to several books, including Phil Sheridan's memoirs, the History of the 1st Massachusetts Cavalry, and the 155th Pennsylvania's Under the Maltese Cross. He released a book on the Fredericksburg Campaign titled, Stonewall Jackson at Fredericksburg, in 1993, and contributed several pieces to James M. McPherson's Atlas of the Civil War; Civil War Regiments; Civil War, and America's Civil War publication. He has made appearances in several video documentaries, including Civil War Journal.

His book, The Fredericksburg Campaign: Winter War on the Rappahannock, was released by LSU Press in December, 2002, and has won the Capital District (Albany, NY) 2002 Book Award.

Also Helping Out

 Tom Van Winkle serves as the Director of Communications, and Webmaster for CVBT. Moved from New Jersey to Virginia 1994 and has been involved in Civil War preservation efforts ever since. Founding member, newsletter editor, battlefield preservation director, membership director and eventual five term president of the Friends of Wilderness Battlefield in Spotsylvania, VA. Previous Secretary of the Friends of Fredericksburg Area Battlefields.  Has written historical and preservation articles for The Civil War News, The Free Lance-Star, Culpeper Star Exponent, Wilderness Dispatch, The Skirmish Line, and magazines including Blue & Gray. As a Partner in Heritage Media LLC Tom is the Executive Producer and co-writer of the well received film, Civil War: Fredericksburg Then & Now, released in October of 2009. He is also Executive Producer, co -writer, videographer and one of the on screen segment hosts of the new TV series "History Scene" shown on Comcast, Cox and Verizon Cable.

Tom will be discussing the preservation successes and challenges for the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust, the areas threats to endangered battlefield land and the Trust's limited time to save these historical areas.

 

Event Schedule

Saturday, September 18th

Saturday at 8:30 am, Motor coach leaves from Courtyard Marriott at 620 Caroline Street, Fredericksburg, VA 22401. Colonel Keith E. Gibson will begin our exciting bus tour of Fredericksburg Civil War sites.  We will be joined by noted author Frank O’Reilly of the National Park Service for a private tour of Moss Neck, site of Jackson’s 1862  winter headquarters.  This privately owned estate is seldom seen by the public and our group will have ample time to explore the grounds, including some surprises in the family cemetery. 

         Following a hearty lunch at historic Saint George’s Episcopal Church, which will include a guided historical tour of the grounds, we will journey to “The Slaughter Pen Farm” where Tom Van Winkle of the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust will describe the action on Jackson’s front.  This ground was purchased in part by the CVBT and was critical to the Confederate victory.

         Saturday evening’s entertainment begins at 6:15 pm with a reception at Amy’s Café just across the river in Falmouth to unwind from our busy day.  We will gather for light refreshment and spirits before the banquet to follow at 7:00 pm. The entire facility will be ours for the evening and we will be treated to a sumptuous feast prepared especially for our group.

         8:00 pm enjoy a concert of Civil War period music and sing along.  Fine musicians bring reproduction instruments from the Civil War era to perform providing a fitting conclusion to our day.  As always, we will enjoy the “swell parting gifts” that have been so popular in our previous BBQ fetes. 

 Your contribution for this one-of-a-kind event including Saturday motor coach tour with lunch, and Saturday evening dinner gala is $125.00 per seat with all proceeds after actual expenses donated to the CVBT.  Logan Creek’s goal is to raise a donation of $2000 to benefit the outstanding preservation work carried forth by the CVBT.  Please make your checks payable to: Logan Creek’s Special Events, 10347 Lindell Road, Abingdon, VA  24210.  Address questions or comments to: 1-276-944-3511 or e-mail to: jc2va69@hotmail.com and feel free to call anytime for updates. Seats are limited so reserve today!

         We have reserved a block of rooms at the Courtyard Marriott at 620 Caroline Street, Fredericksburg, VA 22401¼..this Old Towne Hotel is brand new¼..open in Summer 2009¼.very nice and convenient to walk the downtown area.  Room rates are $149 plus tax per night for this prime time event weekend¼..be sure to request the Logan Creek Rate for this discount. Contact the hotel at 1-540-373-8300.

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