How to Tour Civil War Battlefields
Within a 6-state area in the U.S. mid-Atlantic region lie the battlefields where the Civil War was fought. Many have been preserved as historic sites. Plan a tour of Civil War battlefields that covers major battles, minor skirmishes and the events that led up to the war.
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Instructions
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Decide on a length of time for your Civil War battlefields tour. It can be a day, several days or longer, depending on how many you want to see.
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Look at battlefield sites in the states of Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina and South Carolina. Most of the Civil War battles were fought in these states.
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Tour a specific area that covers several events first. For instance, in northern Virginia the first Confederate officer was killed at the Fairfax Court House in June of 1861. Also, the first Battle of Manassas was the following month. Tour these areas together to follow a timeline.
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Book a private tour or take a regularly schedule one. Some of the Civil War battlefields offer group tours that include a longer look at the history and the way the battle actually unfolded.
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Visit coastal areas such as Charleston in South Carolina. The area played a large role in the Civil War. The Fort Sumter battlefield site is well laid-out with information about the location and the war itself, and the city of Charleston was a major headquarters for the South.
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Schedule time in the Fredericksburg area of Virginia. There was intense action here, and many of the battle sites are preserved. It's also close to other major areas such as Chancellorsville and Spotsylvania.
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Tips & Warnings
Map your own tour route of Civil War battlefields based on a specific part of the war or battles that interest you. It's easy to do this by looking at the various battle sites and reading a bit of their history.
Use Civil War timelines to keep track of where the battle fits in historical perspective.
Visit other Civil War sites such as Harpers Ferry in West Virginia, Atlanta and parts of Georgia where General Sherman was a major figure, the Ford Theatre, where Lincoln was assassinated, and the Appomattox Court House, where General Lee surrendered.
