The Battle of Port Republic - June 9, 1862 |
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On June 9, 1862, the day after the Battle of Cross Keys, Stonewall Jackson concentrated his forces east of the South Fork of the Shenandoah River against two isolated brigades under the on-field command of Gen. Erastus Tyler. Confederate assaults across the bottomland were repulsed with heavy casualties - helped by devastating Union artillery fire from the height known as "The Coaling" - but a flanking column led by the "Louisiana Tigers" seized the Coaling and turned the Union left flank. When Union counterattacks failed to reestablish the line, Tyler was forced to retreat. Port Republic was the final, climactic battle of Jackson's famed Valley Campaign. When the Union armies withdrew north, Jackson was free to move his army to reinforce Gen. Robert E. Lee before Richmond. |
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Programs on Saturday, June 26, 2021 |
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On Saturday, June 26, the Liberty Rifles and the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation are presenting a series of programs to commemorate the battle.
The Liberty Rifles will be portraying the 1st Virginia (US) Infantry (later the 1st West Virginia), which was involved in the thick of the combat during the battle. More than 250 living historians will be present for the event - almost as many as were in the regiment on June 9, 1862.
The programs are free, and pre-registration is not required. For more information, email [email protected]
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Port Republic Museum Open from 2pm-6pm |
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Schedule for Saturday, June 26:
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10:00 am – "On This Ground": The Assault on the Coaling – Aaron Siever
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11:30 am – Battalion Drill Demonstration and Camp Tour – The Liberty Rifles
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2:00-6:00 pm - Port Republic Museum Open
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5:00 pm – Civil War Walking Tour of Port Republic – Jay Richardson
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6:30 pm – Battalion Drill Demonstration and Camp Tour – The Liberty Rifles
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8:00 pm – Dress Parade Demonstration and Camp Tour – The Liberty Rifles
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10:00 am Program
"On This Ground: The Assault on The Coaling”
Aaron Siever
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The Coaling
Across from Grace Memorial Church,
7120 Ore Bank Road Port Republic
(Saturday, June 26, 2021, 10:00 am)
SVBF staff member Aaron Siever will present a program covering the fight for the Coaling, the bitterly-fought action that proved to be the pivotal struggle during the battle. This is a sit-down, bring-a-chair program, but you'll also be able to walk up the trail to the top of the height and look out over the rest of the battlefield. Free. Park in church parking lot across from site. No registration required.
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11:30 am Program
Battalion Drill Demonstration and Camp Tour
The Liberty Rifles portraying the 1st Virginia (US) Infantry
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Lynnwood Road (Route 708)
Gravel parking area near railroad crossing, 800 yards north of US 340
(Saturday, June 26, 2021, 11:30 am)
A battalion drill demonstration by the Liberty Rifles - portraying the 1st Virginia (US) Infantry (later the 1st West Virginia) - followed by a guided tour of their camp. Park in gravel area and follow directions to program site. Free. No registration required.
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5:00 pm Program
Civil War Walking Tour of Port Republic
Jay Richardson
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Begins at Bradburn Park, Port Republic
Across from Town Hall, 8597 Water St., Port Republic
(Saturday, June 26, 2021, 5:00 pm)
Walking tour of the historic village of Port Republic that will cover the Civil War history of the community, including Stonewall Jackson's narrow escape on June 8, 1862, the Battle of Port Republic, and more. Led by SVBF Ranger Jay Richardson. Free. No registration required.
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6:30 pm Program
Battalion Drill Demonstration and Camp Tour
The Liberty Rifles portraying the 1st Virginia (US) Infantry
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Lynnwood Road (Route 708)
Gravel parking area near railroad crossing, 800 yards north of US 340
(Saturday, June 26, 2021, 6:30 pm)
A battalion drill demonstration by the Liberty Rifles - portraying the 1st Virginia (US) Infantry (later the 1st West Virginia) - followed by a guided tour of their camp. Park in gravel area and follow directions to program site. Free. No registration required.
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8:00 pm Program
Dress Parade Demonstration and Camp Tour
The Liberty Rifles portraying the 1st Virginia (US) Infantry
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Lynnwood Road (Route 708)
Gravel parking area near railroad crossing, 800 yards north of US 340
(Saturday, June 26, 2021, 8:00 pm)
A dress parade demonstration by the Liberty Rifles - portraying the 1st Virginia (US) Infantry (later the 1st West Virginia) - followed by a guided tour of their camp. Park in gravel area and follow directions to program site. Free. No registration required.
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OTHER UPCOMING SVBF PROGRAMS |
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New Market Civil War Walking Tour |
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"Wreathed in Battle Smoke": Civil War Walking Tour of New Market
The Strayer House (SVBF Headquarters)
9386 S. Congress St., New Market
(Saturday, June 26, 2021, 11 am)
This downtown walking tour of historic New Market focuses on the Battle of New Market (fought on May 15, 1864) – covering both the battle as it swept through the town, and the individual stories of the soldiers and local civilians who were caught up in events. The tour is led by SVBF Park Ranger Wade Custer. The tour is free. Advance registration is not required. The tour will gather in front of the Strayer House (SVBF Headquarters) at 9386 S. Congress Street in the center of downtown New Market. Please wear comfortable clothes and walking shoes.
Weather Note: Please note that this tour is weather dependent. If the forecast calls for rain, please check our website calendar to make sure the tour is still being held.
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SVBF Civil War Roundtable Meeting |
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Brian Swartz: "Joshua Chamberlain in the Civil War"
Held Online via Zoom
(Thursday, July 8, 2021, 7:30 pm)
The next meeting of the SVBF’s Civil War Roundtable will feature guest speaker Brian Swartz. Brian’s program will be “Passing Through the Fire: Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain in the Civil War. This meeting will be conducted online using the Zoom platform. Zoom log-in information is available on this page of the SVBF website. For more information on Brian and his program, click here.
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Fridays at the Front Tours
Join historian and SVBF CEO Keven Walker for “Fridays at the Front,” special complementary tours of Civil War battlefields and historic sites in the Shenandoah Valley.
These tours cover stories great and small, from the accounts of huge armies moving across the landscape to the individual stories of loyalty, determination, and sacrifice involving soldiers and civilians alike. This year's tours include:
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Harpers Ferry (July 30, 2021) - REGISTRATION FULL
- Hupps Hill/Strasburg (October 15, 2021)
The tours are free, but pre-registration is required. To register, or for more information, click here.
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"Born of Fire": West Virginia and the Civil War
Martinsburg, West Virginia
(Saturday, July 31, 2021, 9am-4:30pm)
West Virginia was created by the Civil War - born of internal and national politics, geography, and the fires of war. The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation's 2021 Valley Conference, "Born of Fire": West Virginia and the Civil War, will look at the Mountaineer state's Civil War story, from the early campaigns with Robert E. Lee and George McClellan, Stonewall Jackson's victory at the state's largest battle, critical actions in the Kanawha Valley, the stories of individual West Virginians at war - on both sides - and the epic tale of the creation of the state.
The conference will be held on Saturday, July 31, 2021, at the Holiday Inn Martinsburg in Martinsburg, West Virginia, and will feature speakers Joe Geiger, Hunter Lesser, Terry Lowry, Scott Patchan, Ethan Rafuse, and Rick Wolfe. Cost: $30; $27 for SVBF members. Pre-registration is required. For more information or to register, click here.
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2021 Traveling Conference |
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"Tar Heels in the Valley": North Carolina Soldiers in the Shenandoah Valley
Raleigh, North Carolina
(Saturday, October 23, 2021, 9am-4pm)
Far from home, North Carolinians played a pivotal role in many of the actions in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley during the Civil War, from Stonewall Jackson's early campaigns to the epic fights of the 1864 Shenandoah Campaign. On Saturday, October 23, 2021, the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation will present a Civil War conference, "Tar Heels in the Valley": North Carolina Soldiers in the Shenandoah Valley, that will look back on the experiences of those North Carolina soldiers.
Held at the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh, North Carolina, the conference will focus on famous personalities such as Gen. Stephen D. Ramseur, the experiences and hardships of everyday foot soldiers, and battles such as Harper's Ferry, Second Winchester, and Cedar Creek. Speakers will include Keith Bohannon, Michael Hardy, Scott Mingus, and Brian Steel Wills. Cost: $30; $27 for SVBF members. Pre-registration is required. For more information or to register, click here.
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