A weekly series on our Facebook Souvenir Application.

I suppose it is possible that you have missed that we are in the midst of the commemoration of 150 years since the Civil War. In Virginia State Parks we tell the history of the Civil War in a number of our parks. In particular, we have two Civil War battlefiled parks: Sailor's Creek and Staunton River Battlefield state parks. Our newest park, High Bridge Trail State Park includes High Bridge which played an important part in the end of the war. 

Park Manager and Civil War Historian Cris Calkins stands in front of the
Sidney E. King painting of the Battle 

The Commemoration highlights the events of the Civil War in Virginia when those events reach the 150th anniversary. For example, this past weekend Newport News commemorated the Battle of Big Bethel which took place in 1861. The anniversary of our battles occur later in the war.

However, my selection of the cannon souvenir was still timely. This Wednesday is the 146th anniversary of the Battle of Little Sailor's Creek. Known as the Black Thursday of the Confederacy, Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia lost 7,700 men, including eight generals. This defeat was key to Lee's decision to surrender at Appomattox Court House 72 hours later, thus ending the war in Virginia.

Civil War Cannon with Overton-Hillsman House in the distance
Sailor's Creek Historical State Park

The historic Overton-Hillsman House served as a field hospital during the battle. Sailor's Creek Historical State Park offers tours of the facility between June and August or by request. We also have a new Visitor Center we hope to have open in August when we complete the exhibits.

 
The new visitor center at Sailor's Creek
Opening with exhibits this August

Send the cannon souvenir or any of the other ten to a friend on Facebook today. Click here for the application or look for it on our Facebook page listed on the left under the picture.