Daily Itinerary

Day 1:  Saturday, October 21
Participants fly/arrive at Dulles Airport.  MHT gets them to hotel in Dulles area. MHT hosted Icebreaker and presentation on Manassas, Antietam, and Gettysburg. Hotel: Best Western Dulles (Dinner (D))

Day 2:  Sunday, October 22
After breakfast at the hotel, we depart by Bus to Fredericksburg to view the site of the first opposed river crossing in U.S. military history. We move North to Manassas National Battlefield Park to tour the first major battle of the Civil War as Generals P.G.T. Beauregard and Joe Johnston faced off against the Army of the Potomac under General McDowell.  Stand where Jackson earned the iconic nickname of “Stonewall.”  We transition into the Second Battle, where Stonewall Jackson surprised General Pope.  The timely arrival of Longstreet’s Corps made the battle a rout. We head by bus to Harper’s Ferry where Col R.E. Lee, USA was sent by President Lincoln to restore order during the John Brown raid. We finish the day in Shepherdstown, MD. Hotel: Clarion Hotel Harpers Ferry (Breakfast (B)) 

Day 3: Monday, October 23
After breakfast at the hotel,  we proceed to Antietam National Battlefield Park.  Lee was confident that invading Maryland would cause that State to join the rebellion but it didn’t happen.  Although greatly outnumbered, and despite McClellan having a copy of Lee’s battle plans, Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia fought toe to toe against McClellan’s Army of the Potomac.  Stand at Dunker Church where the Iron Brigade battled the Stonewall Brigade.  Walk through the cornfield.  At the beginning of the battle the corn was eight feet high – at the end it was stubble.  Walk down Bloody Lane, where so many Confederate dead lay, it was said you could walk the entire length without touching the ground.  It was here that Colonel John B. Gordon received five wounds.  Stand on Burnside’s Bridge and visit the ridge where a small group of Confederate Georgian sharpshooters held up an entire Corps for most of the day.  See where the timely arrival of A.P. Hill’s light division saved Lee’s army from total disintegration. We next head to Gettysburg.  In the late afternoon, we will go to Buford’s position.  See the ground as he did and why he chose to fight there until the rest of the Union Army could arrive. We end the day with a tour McPherson’s Ridge before having some free time to shop. Hotel: 1863 Inn (B)

Day 4:  Tuesday, October 24
After breakfast at the hotel, we return to McPherson’s Ridge where the first assault on 1 July 1863 began.  See the copula that Buford, and later Lee, used as an observation post.  See where General Reynolds was killed shortly after arriving with I Corps.  Walk to the edge of the railroad cut.  See why its shelter became a trap.  Visit Oak Ridge, where Confederate artillery forced the I and XI Corps to retreat through Gettysburg to Cemetery Hill.  We stop at the impressive visitor’s center to see the short film on Gettysburg, visit the restored cyclorama and tour the impressive Gettysburg museum.  After lunch we will visit Cemetery Hill and Culp’s Hill to see how important the terrain was to Federal success.  Visit Spangler’s Spring, the only water source on the right flank of the Federal position.  Finally we will visit the cemetery where Meade met with his generals on his arrival at midnight.  It was here that Meade decided to fight it out at Gettysburg. Hotel: 1863 Inn (B)

Day 5:  Wednesday, October 25
In the morning after breakfast, we will look at the actions of 2 July.  We will tour the Confederate positions on Seminary Ridge.  Visit the famous Devil’s Den, Slaughter Pen, Wheatfield, Peach Orchard, and Little Round Top.  All were significant and almost cost Meade the battle, when Sickles moved his III Corps out of line and deployed them between the Devil’s Den and the Peach Orchard.  Stand where the Hood’s Texans, of Longstreet’s Corps, lead by BGen Law after Hood was WIA, charged into the flank of the III Corps and drove it back.  See where the valiant charge of the 262 soldiers of the 1st Minnesota occurred.  Only 47 came back.  The 82 percent casualty rate was the highest of any regiment in the Civil War. Stand on top of Little Round Top and see how it influenced the battle.  Stand where the 20th Maine defended the left flank of Meade’s army and made its famous bayonet charge down the hill.  After lunch we will visit the areas that saw action on 3 July.  We will visit Longstreet’s statue and discuss his actions during the battle (why is his the only statue at Gettysburg, not on a pedestal?)  See the Virginia Memorial, on the site where Lee kicked off Pickett’s Charge.  Stand at the Copse of Trees, the rally point for Pickett’s division.  Visit Meade’s HQ.  Meade was forced to abandon it during the Confederate bombardment on 3 July.  We will also look at the major battle that occurred on Culp’s Hill on the morning of 3 July.  This action is often overlooked by Pickett’s Charge. Hotel: 1863 Inn (B)

Day 6:  Thursday, October 26
Today after breakfast, we will visit the Eisenhower Farm. Not Civil War related, but it was the home of President Eisenhower after his term in office.  Ike’s wife, Mame bought the farm. Ike was worried it would bankrupt them. Next we head to Frederick, MD to visit the National Museum of Civil War Medicine.  Then it’s back to Northern Virginia and an end to our Civil War Tour. Hotel: Best Western Dulles (Dinner (D))

Day 7:  Monday, October 27
Breakfast at the hotel. Everyone returns home. (B)