Wilderness & Spotsylvania Anniversaries (U.S. National Park Service)

A canon in a field surrounded by blooming dogwood trees. — The first clash of the Overland Campaign happened at Saunders Field on the Wilderness Battlefield.
Buddy Secor

160th Anniversary of the Overland Campaign

Join us for a variety of talks, walks, and activities to reflect on the events, people, and decisions that shaped this critical moment in American history. Visit the Maps page to learn more about how to get to different locaitons in the park.
*All programs are free and open to the public. Most programs are outdoors and some include walks through the battlefield. Participants should wear comfortable walking shoes and bring water, bug spray, and sunscreen.*

Thursday, May 2, 2024: Virtual Talk in Partnership with Historic Germanna

7 pm, “All Look Forward to This Campaign as the Last of the Series”
Virtual talk, 1 hour.
In partnership with Historic Germanna, this program examines the political and military contexts leading to the Overland Campaign. How would a new general-in-chief, the onset of a presidential election, and a warring nation headed into its third full year of bloody civil war shape the events to come? Tune in to this virtual talk to learn what was at stake. Register for the event online through Historic Germanna. Contact Historic Germanna for questions (info@germanna.org or 540-423-1700).

Friday, May 3, 2024: A Day on the Wilderness and a Virtual Evening Talk with Dr. Drew Gilpin Faust

9 am-5 pm, Ellwood Open House
Drop-in throughout the day to tour Ellwood.
Visit any time from 9 am to 5 pm to learn some of the stories that make up Ellwood's varied past.

10 am-4 pm, Conversation Stations
Ongoing pop-up exhibits and tables staffed throughout the day.
Join us in an informal setting to explore the social contexts and conditions of the army and nation in 1864 and the opening of the Overland Campaign. Visit us at the following locations [details for the stations at each location coming soon]:

Ellwood
Brock Road-Plank Road Intersection
Higgerson Farm

11 am-12:30 pm, “Terrible Nightmare of the Troubled Dream of War”: The Battle’s Opening Shots in Saunders Field
Battlefield walk, about 0.5 mile, meet at Saunders Field (tour stop 3 on the Wilderness Battlefield), 90 minutes.
By 1864, the end of the US Civil War seemed no closer for many Americans than it was in 1861. Despite the Federal victories at Gettysburg, Vicksburg, and Chattanooga, the Confederacy remained defiant. With the onset of spring, the US Army of the Potomac moved south, a march its commanding officers had no intention of ending until the war was decided. Join Park Rangers for a tour of Saunders Field and examine the pivotal question: What is the price of victory?

2 pm-3:30 pm, Tapp Field “The Wilderness has strange memories”: Lee to the Rear and the Tapp Family
Battlefield walk, about 0.5 mile, meet at Tapp Field (park along Hill-Ewell Drive, tour stop 6, on the Wilderness Battlefield), 90 minutes.
On May 6, Confederates stopped General Robert E. Lee from personally leading troops into battle. This incident occurred on a leased farm where the Tapp family eked out a modest existence. As the location grew in fame with the popular memorialization of places associated with Lee and the Lost Cause, the Tapp family remained on the former battlefield. What did the war mean for families like the Tapps? How do we remember the “Lee to the Rear” incident today? Join us as we explore the mythologies and realities of the Confederate experiment on the battlefield and on the home front.

7 pm-7:45 pm, Virtual Talk with Dr. Drew Gilpin Faust, "The Spring of 1864 and the Meaning of Civil War Death"
Virtual talk, join on Teams Live, 45 minutes.
Dr. Faust is a professor, former president of Harvard, and the author of six books including This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War. This talk will draw on Dr. Faust’s vast expertise in Civil War memory and her examination of American cultural change around death in the Civil War, highlighting the scale of casualties suffered in the spring of 1864. To attend: Follow this event link on May 3 at 7 pm.

Saturday, May 4, 2024: Community Day at the Spotsylvania Court House Battlefield

10 am-4 pm, Family Activities
Drop-in activities staffed throughout the day and special scheduled programs for kids and families. All Activities will take place or begin at the Bloody Angle (tour stop 3 on the Spotsylvania Battlefield). Young people and the young at heart are welcome to attend all programs.

Exhibit Trailer & Activity Tent (Recommended for all ages), Interact with park staff and explore activities at the traveling National Park Service Overland Campaign exhibit trailer.
Art Challenge! (Recommended for all ages), Pick your medium of choice—spoken word poetry, collages, paint, sketching, or photography—and use your time on the battlefield to respond to a prompt given by a ranger. Hang your art to share with others on-site.
10 am-10:30 am, Build Earthworks with a Ranger (Recommended for ages 3-8) Learn how to construct a strong earthwork line using kinetic sand and talk about how earthworks helped soldiers to feel safe. What helps you to feel safe? How would you find safety as a soldier?
11 am–11:30 am, Junior Ranger Walk (Recommended ages 6-12), Join a Park Ranger for a guided walk at the Bloody Angle and complete the Junior Ranger booklet together.
3:00 pm, Let’s Talk About It (Recommended ages 12-19), Choose your discussion group and sit down to chat with a Ranger and your fellow visitors about:
- Confederate Monuments in the 2020s
- Emancipation, Race, and the Long Civil War

10 am-4 pm, Conversation Stations
Ongoing pop-up exhibits and tables staffed throughout the day at the Bloody Angle.
Join us in an informal setting to explore the social contexts and conditions of the army and nation in 1864 and the opening of the Overland Campaign. Visit us along the Bloody Angle Trail! [Details for the stations coming soon.]

11 am-12:30 pm, “The mission of the war is not ended”: Fighting for Freedom during the Overland Campaign
Stationary talk, meet at the Spotsylvania Battlefield Exhibit Shelter (tour stop 1 on the Spotsylvania Battlefield), 90 minutes.
Join Park Rangers for a talk that will highlight the actions of the United States Colored Troops during the Battles of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court House. How did Robert E. Lee’s army respond to the arrival of Black soldiers on the battlefield? What stood in the way of freedom and equal rights for Black Americans in 1864? Bring a chair for this stationary program.

2 pm-3 pm, A Blank Check Cashed: the Cost of War on Those Who Fought, and Those They Left Behind
Battlefield walk, about 0.5 mile, meet at the Bloody Angle parking area (tour stop 3 on the Spotsylvania Battlefield), 1 hour.
Join Park Rangers for a half-mile guided walk exploring implications of the notably fierce fighting that raged around the Bloody Angle. Stop at key points and consider how the experience physically and psychologically impacted the combatants and their families.

3 pm-4:30 pm, Trail Cleanup Service Project
Community volunteer service project.
Honor those who fought here through battlefield preservation. Join park staff for a trail cleanup service project. The service project will begin immediately following the 2 pm battlefield walk. Wear sturdy shoes and long pants, and bring water, snacks, sunscreen and insect repellant. The park will provide gloves, trash bags, and other equipment. Registration as a National Park Service volunteer is required. [Registration link coming soon!]

7 pm-8 pm, Brompton Evening Program
Stationary talk on the grounds of Brompton. Park at Fredericksburg Battlefield Visitor Center or street parking, and walk down the Sunken Road to the Brompton driveway.
Further details to be announced.

Sunday, May 5, 2024: Reflections on the Overland Campaign

9 am-11 am, What is the Price of Freedom?
Battlefield hike, 2 miles, meet at the Bloody Angle parking area (tour stop 3 on the Spotsylvania Battlefield), 2 hours. Hike will cover dirt trails, uneven surfaces, gravel paths, and paved road surfaces with moderate elevation changes.
Join Park Rangers for a 2-mile guided hike into the heart of the fierce fighting that raged around the battlefield. Stop at key points on the battlefield and dig deeper into the ways this battle continues to resonate with us today.

2 pm-3:30 pm “We are using every hand and heart”: Relief Workers in Fredericksburg
Guided walk, 1 mile, meet at Hurkamp Park (500 William Street, Fredericksburg, VA, 22401), street parking is available.
Join Park Rangers for a guided walking tour of downtown Fredericksburg. This tour will explore the contributions of civilian and military aides who cared for the wounded in the aftermath of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court House. Learn about the logistics required to evacuate and treat thousands of wounded soldiers amidst an ongoing, fast-paced campaign. How do we understand the devastation wrought by these battles? How do we move forward?

Saturday, May 11, 2024: Looking Back at the Bloody Angle, 160 Years Ago

10 am & 2 pm, Bloody Angle Walking Tour
Battlefield walk, about 0.5 mile, meet at the Bloody Angle (tour stop 3 on the Spotsylvania Battlefield), 45 minutes.
The Civil War reached a new level of intensity when Federal attackers overran Confederate trenches on May 12, 1864. The initial assault sparked 22 hours of close combat. What was gained from this combat? What was the cost?

Saturday, May 18, 2024: First History at Sunset of the Season

6:30 pm-8 pm, One Final Try: Grant's Last Attack at Spotsylvania
Battlefield hike, 2 miles, meet at the Bloody Angle (tour stop 3 on the Spotsylvania Battlefield), 90 minutes.
Join park rangers on a guided walk to examine the often-overlooked fighting on May 18, when US General Ulysses S. Grant tried one last attempt to break through the Confederate defenses. Two weeks of heavy combat led to this moment. Would it all be for nothing? How far would you go for victory?

About the Overland Campaign

In the spring of 1864, the American Civil War entered its third year with no end in sight. The United States had fully embraced a policy of emancipation, but it was unclear what, exactly, freedom meant. An upcoming US election pressured Lincoln to demonstrate progress in the war and gave Confederates hope that a different US president might accept the Confederacy. The US Army had a new commander, General Ulysses S. Grant.

Beginning with the Battle of the Wilderness, the US and Confederate armies clashed again and again throughout May and June 1864. The constant fighting resulted in the US Army advancing slowly against Confederate forces, but came with a steep cost in casualties.The Overland Campaign tested the both the endurance of soldiers to continue fighting and the will of the public to continue supporting the war. The future of American democracy was at stake, but the outcome of the war was undetermined. What kind of nation would emerge from this violence?

The events that played out in Virginia in 1864 had a lasting impact beyond the Civil War and the Fredericksburg area. Learn more about events around the 160th of the Overland Campaign and follow our partners at Richmond National Battlefield Park and Petersburg National Battlefield for more 160^th programs and events.

Check the program schedule to learn more about specific activities.

Pets are allowed on park grounds, but not in buildings or the Fredericksburg National Cemetery.

All programs are free and open to the public. Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park is a fee free park.

Typically, in person anniversary programming will fall on the weekend nearest to the dates of the battles.

Park grounds are open sunrise to sunset. Check the schedule for specific program times.

Physical accessibility of park programs varies depending on the program.
Assisted listening devices are available upon request. (If interested in a program that begins somewhere other than a visitor center, let us know ahead of time if you would like to use one of these devices.)

We strive to make our programs as accessible as possible. If you have any questions or need an accommodation for yourself or a member of your party, please contact us and we will do our best to make your visit as meaningful as possible.

Last updated: April 6, 2024

Contact Us