Good news from the Friends of Stafford Civil War Sites on the Stafford Civil War Park:
Map of the new Stafford Civil War Park
“The Grand Opening of the Stafford Civil War Park will be on the 27th of April, 2013 — 150 years to the day that 11th Corps soldiers marched out of the park area towards Chancellorsville. Both FSCWS volunteers and Stafford Parks and Recreation personnel work in the park several days a week now to prepare for the opening. Visitors will be able to tour the park. Over 100 re-enactors including horse drawn artillery and a field hospital group are expected. Dr. Christian B. Keller, of the U.S. Army War College and the author of Chancellorsville and the Germans will speak on the role German immigrant soldiers played in the war, large numbers of which encamped in our park and built the fortifications and roads now preserved there. Mr. Al Connor, a local historian, will speak on the critical role of the 1863 Stafford Union encampments the subject of his soon to be published book Union Army’s Valley Forge, 93 Days that Saved America. There will also be a children’s program. Perhaps best of all, we expect many members of the VA Army and Air Guard who worked so hard on this park to return with their families.”
As mentioned, April 27, 2013 marks the 150th anniversary of the start of the Chancellorsville campaign for the 17th CVI. The regiment camped in the Brooks Station area through the late winter and spring of 1863 and from what it looks like thus far it is very possible that the park contains the site of the 17th’s camp there.
If you haven’t visited the web site yet I’d recommend it – a lot of work has been done to bring this park to fruition. I was in that area 5 years ago tracking down 17th CVI related sites and it is great to see the some of this area being made accessible to the public. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to get down there (but I’m going to try very hard), but I will be sure to visit there one way or another.