Shared by Zachary Pittard, as Guest Blogger.

On October 7 and 8, 2017 High Bridge Trail and Sailor’s Creek Battlefield State Parks will be holding a living history event at High Bridge State Park's Camp Paradise.

This special event will be showcasing interpretation of the Virginia Reserves at High Bridge Trail State Park.

View with your own eyes what the days looked like for the Virginia Reserves at High Bridge Trail State Park

1864, the third full year of the American Civil War, dawned showing the two warring sides that an end was long from sight. 1863 drew to a close with Confederate and Federal setbacks such as Lee’s defeat at Gettysburg, the fall of Vicksburg, and the Federal defeat at Chickamauga. With the start of the 1864 spring campaigns the war still hung in the balance for both North and South. 

Man power as always presented a problem for Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia as well as other Confederate forces operating in the field throughout the vast expanse of the Confederacy. In Virginia, a solution was formed and made official by actions of Confederate Secretary of War John Seddon and other leading officials and officers. 

In May, 1864 infantry companies across the Commonwealth were raised to act as reserve forces solely for the defense and other duties of the interior of Virginia. These forces would take in boys too young and men too old to serve in the regular army.

 Along with defense, the Virginia Reserves guarded prisoners and escorted them to prison camps, maintained infrastructure, and other rear echelon duties. This in turn helped relieve able bodied men of proper age and bearing to return to the front lines where they were needed. 

Living historians will be there to make you truly feel like you have stepped back into history 

One of the sites crucial to Confederate defense was the High Bridge, some five miles outside of Farmville, VA. High Bridge, an engineering marvel completed in 1854, crossed the Appomattox River valley as part of the South Side Rail Road. 

This rail line led to the city of Petersburg, a major supply hub and the scene of the nine and a half month siege laid there supplying the Army of Northern Virginia. 

This bridge, like Staunton River Bridge (the site of a battle fought June, 1864), was susceptible to raids and Federal cavalry attacks that could effectively sever a major source of supply.  Because of this, four earthen forts were constructed and garrisoned by ten companies of Reserves that became known as the 3rd Virginia Reserves. 

Don't miss it!

Directions

1466 Camp Paradise Rd.; Rice, Virginia (Prince Edward County):

• Use 1681 Aspen Hill Rd., Rice, Virginia, to get to the entrance of Camp Paradise Rd. then travel 1.5 miles to the parking area.
• High Bridge is .3 miles from the Camp Paradise parking lot. Trailers are allowed in this lot, and equestrians may access the trail from it.

Questions

Contact phone for High Bridge Trail: 434-315-0457, or email the park here.

Contact phone for Sailor's Creek Battlefield: 804-561-7510 or email the park here.