The Civil War and Virginia State Parks

Few states were as touched by the Civil War as Virginia, which saw more battles than any other state and paid a steep price for that involvement, both on the field of battle and on the home front. Through living history programs, special events, exhibits and self-guided tours, visitors can learn about the lives lost, landscapes altered and communities forever changed by four pivotal years at these Virginia State Parks: 

• Sky Meadows – Those living at Mount Bleak Farm in 1861 watched more than once as both US Army and Confederate troops passed by their doorstep between skirmishes. Soldiers and deserters were known to stop at the house for food, and by the end of the war, their fields were barren, and livestock lost.  


• Leesylvania – Once known as Freestone Point, the high bluffs of Leesylvania provided a tactical advantage to Confederate artillery attempting a diversion during the Potomac Blockade on Sept. 25, 1861. 
  


• Culpeper Battlefields - In the predawn hours of Jun. 9, 1863, the US Army crossed the Rappahannock River, surprising Confederate troops and leading to the largest cavalry battle in American history and the opening of the Gettysburg Campaign. 


• False Cape State Park - In June 1863, 70 Confederate soldiers and officers were being transported as prisoners on the USS Maple Leaf. The tale of their escape onto the remote and isolated beaches of False Cape is a story that sounds like legend, but the facts are even more interesting.  


• Staunton River Battlefield – On Jun. 25, 1864, a ragtag group of just over 700 Confederate old men and young boys held off an assault by 5,000 US Army cavalry on a bridge of strategic importance. 
  


• High Bridge Trail – In the waning days of the Civil War, Confederate and US Army troops raced for control of the bridge and railways, crossing the Appomattox River on April 6 and 7, 1865.  
  


• Sailor’s Creek Battlefield – During three engagements on Apr. 6, 1865, just 72 hours before Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House, the US Army troops marked an overwhelming victory, capturing wagons, artillery, approximately 7,700 combatants and 8 Confederate generals.  
  

While these sites experienced battles, engagements, and encampments, there is a broader narrative about the lives of Virginia's women, men, and children—both free and enslaved—during the four years of the war. This story reflects themes of survival, freedom, and endurance; the shifting of lives and roles; the overcoming of adversity; the realization of dreams; and the heartbreak of loss. These narratives are etched into the landscape of Virginia and can be found in every community.

These stories, and many more, are being shared in every state park through various programs and encampments throughout the year.

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