Ed Bearss’ Essential Civil
War Stop 13: Grant’s Overland Campaign
Monday, June 14th, 2004: 5-6
PM Check In and Welcome, Holiday Inn Select by Len
Riedel
6
PM Icebreaker Dinner at Holiday Inn
Select
7
PM: “Grant Versus Lee, The Inevitable Collision that Had to Be” Speaker
to be announced.
Tuesday, June 15th, 2004: 8 AM:
Depart the hotel. You won’t
believe what we will cover in 4 days—Ed has planned over 40 stops. Today we will cover the Wilderness battles
of May 5 & 6. Starting from
Germanna Ford, we will go on to Saunder’s Field scene of the first fighting and
progress back and forth to capture the drama and uncertainty of the two days of
fighting. Of course the Wilderness is
any thing but that today. Only
glimpses here and there of the terrible second growth timber that made it
nearly impossible to support attacks or even maintain a sense of
discipline. At the end of the day we
will do John Gordon’s attack and you will see what the Wilderness was all
about. Lunch and snacks provided. Hotel by 6 PM.
Wednesday, June 16th, 2004: 8 AM Depart the hotel en route to the critical
crossroads of Spotsylvania Court House--here we will consider what made the
point so important and why Lee concluded this was Grant’s objective. From there we will move along the
Confederate line of advance to the sleepy crossroads of Todd’s Tavern. Here the campaign could have been won,
instead the confusing operations around the site slowed the Federal infantry
advance. We will then move along the
Federal advance to the Alsop House and into Spindle Field in front of Laurel
Hill. After discussing General Sedgwick’s perspective on Confederate
marksmanship, we will cover Emory Upton’s assault of May 10th and
the titanic 20 hour struggle for the Bloody Angle on May 12th. We will also do Burnside’s May 12th
attack, the fighting at Harris farm on the 18th and Ewell’s attack
on the 19th. The day will
finish at the Spotsylvania Confederate Cemetary. Lunch and snacks provided.
Hotel by 6 PM..
Thursday, June 17th, 2004: 8 AM Depart the hotel en route for the North Anna
River. This movement by Grant continued
a trend to “Fight it out on this line even if it took all summer.” We will alternatively follow Federal and
Confederate routes of march stopping at Massapponax Church and then follow
Grant’s use of Hancock’s corps as bait
to try and get the Confederates to fight in the open at either Guiney Station
or Bowling Green. After moving beyond
Mt. Carmel Church, we will fight at Hennigan’s Redoubt and move on to Ox Ford,
Hanover Junction, the Union crossing of the Pamunkey at Nelson’s Bridge. We end with the battle of Haw’s Shop. Lunch and snacks provided. Hotel by 6 PM for our banquet at 7:30
PM. Bring a coat and tie or lady’s
equivalent for a special event.
Friday, June 18th, 2004: Ed thinks the day is a wasting if you aren’t on the
road early. Our 8 AM departure is pretty late for the early rising Bearss.
Today we will allow a half day to finish the fighting at Cold Harbor. We will move with both armies to the field
and look at several sets of earthworks that very few people know about. The fighting was brutal and Ed will describe
it in terms that you will need the ride home to absorb—it was horrific! We will provide snacks but no lunch as you
will be on your way home by 2 PM. This
program is one of the more important in the series and identified
Fredericksburg as the only city in the series to merit two visits. Thanks for coming.
The
Faculty: Ed Bearss: is a retired
Chief Historian Emeritus of the National Park Service. Perhaps the most famous tour leader in the
country, Bearss serves on the National Advisory Board of the BGES.
Gordon
Rhea, a practicing attorney, has
agreed to be the support historian for this program; however, he cannot confirm
dates until he has his court schedule.
In the event he is unable to be here or can only support part of the
program we will add other first rate historians of the campaign. They will be announced as soon as they are
known.
Meeting
Site and Hotel: This
program will be held at the Holiday Inn Select, 2801 Plank Road Fredericksburg,
VA (1-800-Holiday). Ask for the BGES
rate of $89 plus tax. The Holiday Inn
is conveniently located at exit 130 towards Culpeper. It is at Central Park.
Recently it underwent a multi-million dollar reservation to become the
finest hotel in the area. We have
reserved a block of 25 rooms in the Blue
and Gray Education Society’s name.
That rate and block are good until May 29th. You are within walking distance of outstanding dining facilities
and upscale shopping.
Airport
and Transportation Information: Fredericksburg is hard to access if you are
flying to the event. Individuals flying to the area use
Washington Reagan (DCA), Dulles (IAD), Baltimore (BWI) and Richmond (RIC)--none
are particularly easy to get from or to.
Of the lot, only DCA has train service to Fredericksburg. For ease of transport, you might consider
renting a car. Interstate 95 is the
best way to get to Fredericksburg.
Key
Publications and Recommended Readings
Shipping
and handling for the first book is $5 and $3 for each additional volume
____ Gordon Rhea: The
Battle of the Wilderness May 5-6, 1864.
$35
____ Gordon Rhea: The Battles for Spotsylvania Courthouse and
the Road to Yellow Tavern May 7th-12th $35
____ Gordon Rhea.: To
the North Anna River, Grant and Lee May 13-25, 1864 $35
____ Gordon Rhea: Cold
Harbor: Grant and Lee May 26-June 3,
1864 $35
____ Sure I
want to save $29, send me all 4 books for just $125 with shipping included.
Virginia
residents at 4.5% tax ($1.57 per book or $4.95 for the set)
Ed Bearss Essential Civil War Stop 13:
Grant’s Overland Campaign Registration Form:
Name (s): _______________________________ _________________________________
Address/City/State
Zip:______________________________________________________
Phone: ______________________ E-mail: __________________________________
______ Registration $625* _____ BGES Member $575* Please keep in mind this
program is Monday evening until Friday afternoon at ~ 2 PM. We need a bus for 4 days vice the normal 3.
*$75 is
placed in the BGES’ BEARSS Fund and is deductible
_____ Deposit only—per person $100
Net Due on or before June 14th, 2004
_____ BGES Division Level Donor ($600 annually or
higher) $525
_____ Nonmember#: $ 2,200 (save $150)
_____ BGES Member# $1,900 (save
$275)
# Season ticket holders will have priority for an Ed
Bearss Premier Program: The James Taylor Sketch Book, May 10-13,
2004, at the following rates Nonmembers: $525 (save $50) BGES Members: $475
(save $50)
_____ I’ve enclosed $_______ for my books as
checked above.
Total Enclosed: $ _____________ Make checks payable to
BGES and mail to
416 Beck Street, Norfolk, VA 23503
Charge my Mastercard VISA
American Express $ _________
#
_________________________________________ Exp: ___________
Signature: __________________________________________________________