Civil War Roadtrip - 2023
In the Summer of 2023, I will embark on an RV roadtrip that will be focused on the American Civil War. I have never taken a huge interest in history up to this point in my life, but with the new perspective that free time has provided, I’m finding myself thinking more and more about the history of our country and what events have contributed to where we are today. My plan is to use the RV as a tool to transport me between many of the important locations involved with the Civil War.
The first fact that amazes me is the number of soldiers killed during the war, estimated at 620,000. Imagine the impact that this loss had on the future of the United States, and the generations of future families that were ended because of the war.
I am also intrigued by the bravery of the soldiers, on both sides, of the Civil War. All soldiers are brave beyond a level that I can even begin to comprehend, but to consider the level of weapons that existed during the Civil War compared to today puts it into an entirely different level.
One in four soldiers who entered the Civil War would never return home.
Stop #1 : Fort Sumter, Charleston, South Carolina
The first stop on my roadtrip will appropriately be at Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina, as this was the location of the very first shots fired of the American Civil War on April 12, 1861.
South Carolina Militia artillery begin firing from the shore onto the fort which was controlled by the Union, cheered by civilians from the shore. The bombardment continued throughout the day, and Major Robert Anderson would surrender
Stop #2 : Richmond, Virginia
No Civil War roadtrip would be complete without a visit to the Confederate Capital, Richmond, Virginia. Not only was it the headquarters for the Confederacy, it played a critical role in the war effort. From manufacturing artillery to providing field hospitals to tend to the thousands of injured, Richmond became the symbol for the Confederacy.
In addition to the American Civil War museum and cemetery, there are many battlefields that are preserved by the American Battlefield Trust that I plan to visit.
Stop #3 : Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
As the location of the major turning point of the Civil War, and more than 50,000 estimated casualties, the three day battle was the bloodiest battle of the entire war, from July 1-3 of 1863. Confederate General Robert E. Lee decides to invade the North and bring the Civil War to a swift end, but the loss in Gettysburg dashed the hopes of the Confederate States of America becoming an independent nation.
Stop #4 : Antietam National Battlefield, Sharpsburg, Maryland
While Gettysburg was the deadliest battle of the Civil War, Antietam holds the record for the deadliest on-day battle, with estimated total casualties of over 22,000 soldiers, on September 17, 1862.
Stop #5 : Andersonville, Georgia
Andersonville would be the location of nearly 13,000 Civil War deaths, not because of a battle, but because of the Andersonville Prisoner of War Camp. The burial ground is the Andersonville National Cemetery, where veterans continue to be buried today. We’ll also visit the National Prisoner of War Museum while in Andersonville.
