Central Virginia Battlefields Trust The 2025 Annual Conference
Originally published January-February 2026 · pp. 56–61
Figure 2. Political Caricature. No. 3. The Abolition Catastrophe/Or the November Smash-up. (Library Company of Philadelphia.) 3. 4. 5.
William Murrell, A History of American Graphic Humor, NY, Whitney Museum of Art, 1933, Vol. I, 11. Library of Congress, object description. Many of the descriptions here are taken from the Library of Congress’s catalogue entries for these two prints.
After 43 years in the museum field, Cilella devotes
his time to collecting A merican prints and maps and
writing. He has written extensively on Emory Upton:
Endnotes: 1. 2.
Harry Peters, America on Stone, 112. Amon Carter Museum of Western Art, Exhibition Catalog, The Image of America in Caricature and Cartoon, 1975, 79.
Upton’s Regulars: A History of the 121st New York Volunteers in the Civil War (Kansas, 2009); a twovolume Correspondence of Major General Emory Upton, (Tennessee, 2017), received the 2017–2018 American Civil War Museum’s Founders Award for outstanding editing of primary source materials. He edited Upton’s love letters 1868-70 to his wife–Till Death Do Us Part (Oklahoma, 2020), and The Memoirs of Dewitt Clinton Beckwith of Upton’s Regulars (McFarland, 2023).
McCormick Civil War Institute 2026 Spring Conference
“Quenching the… Embers”: Victory, Defeat, and Challenges After Appomattox to be held on Shenandoah University’s campus in Winchester, VA
Saturday April 18, 2026 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Featuring Presentations by: Jeffrey Boutwell William C. “Jack” Davis Caroline Janney Jonathan A. Noyalas
Registration fee: $30 includes all sessions & lunch Additional Questions: Contact MCWI’s director Jonathan Noyalas, [email protected] or 540-665-4501
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To register: su.edu/MCWI 7th Annual
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Central Virginia Battlefields Trust The 2025 Annual Conference: A Weekend of Remembrance, Reflection, and Preservation Commemorating “The Battle of Spotsylvania Court House” Amidst History, Fellowship, and the Pursuit of Legacy By Thomas Van Winkle
B President-Central Virginia Battlefields Trust
eneath an expanse of clear, generous September skies, the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust (CVBT) convened its Annual Conference over the weekend of September 11th through the 14th. The weather’s golden embrace seemed almost providential, as though the landscape itself recognized the gravity and warmth of the gathering, a company of history lovers, preservationists, and descendants connected by a shared devotion to the hallowed grounds of the Civil War. The conference adopted as its central theme the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, a clash whose memory endures in the American psyche as one of the Civil War’s most relentless and tragic engagements. CVBT has preserved over 200 acres of endangered battlefield land in Spotsylvania to date. Fought from May 8 to May 21, 1864, Spotsylvania was a crucible in which General Ulysses S. Grant’s Union Army of the Potomac and General Robert E.
Lee’s Confederate Army of Northern Virginia clashed in a protracted, brutal campaign. It became known as “A Season of Slaughter,” encapsulating the ferocity, determination, and grinding attrition that characterized the Overland Campaign. The conference’s opening was marked by an exclusive “Generals” day, held on a tranquil, privately owned 21acre property beside the Po River. The present calm belied a past saturated in conflict, for this site had witnessed the tumult of battle. Historians Robert Lee Hodge and Dennis Gallahan, also the property owner, transported attendees to that chaotic era, recounting the maneuvers and fierce engagements that unfolded on this very ground during the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. A highlight of the day was the reading aloud of a soldier’s letter home professing his inevitable death after being wounded and composed amidst the turmoil. The words,
Group photo from the Spotsylvania Court House tour. (Lisa Van Winkle)
raw and immediate, wove together the anonymous pain and longing that defined so many soldiers’ experiences, reminding all present that history is most deeply felt in the stories of individuals. The “Generals” rank within CVBT, is reserved for those who contribute at least $1,000 annually in unrestricted funds in addition to regular dues and land appeals, was well represented. These enthusiastic advocates for battlefield preservation were treated to a program delving into the intricacies of “The Battle of the Po,” as many soldiers referred to it in their diaries. The day’s solemnity and learning found an uplifting counterpoint in a communal BBQ lunch, shared on ground once marked by war yet now consecrated by fellowship. The conference’s official opening on Friday was heralded by a half-day tour led by Dr. Chris Mackowski, a prolific Civil War scholar whose numerous books and articles have illuminated the many facets of Spotsylvania’s battles. Dr. Mackowski’s passion for history and deep knowledge set a tone of eager anticipation and attentive learning. A signature moment arrived at Massaponax Church, a dignified brick building completed in 1859, whose walls had witnessed the war’s shifting tides. Here, on May 21, 1864, General Grant himself paused, a moment preserved forever in Timothy O’Sullivan’s haunting photographs. Attendees explored the church’s interior, marveling at some original pews and layers of Civil War graffiti, painstakingly conserved under plexiglass. These scribblings, more often expansive correspondence between rival soldiers than mere signatures, provided a rare and tangible dialogue across enemy lines.
Dr. Noe was the guest speaker at the dinner. (Lisa Van Winkle)
Second Maryland Drum & Fife. (Lisa Van Winkle)
Chris Mackowski gives a presentation inside Massaponax Church. (Lisa Van Winkle)
Saturday’s main tour began promptly at 9 a.m., as two buses carried eager guests to the heart of the Spotsylvania Court House battlefield. Under the guidance of Dr. Mackowski, the group retraced the steps and strategies of the armies, visiting Todd’s Tavern, Spindle Field, Upton’s Assault, Lee’s Last Line, and the Harris Farm, which was preserved through CVBT’s efforts, among other sites. Each stop became a portal to the past, animated by Chris’s storytelling and the weight of history palpable in the landscape.
Brent Feito performed for the group on Sunday at Stevenson Ridge. (Lisa Van Winkle)
A midday respite at Goshen Baptist Church, complete with a hearty lunch provided by dedicated CVBT volunteers, Katrina and Rich Bavone, and Lisa Van Winkle, offered time for relaxation and camaraderie. Throughout the day, Chris’s blend of gripping narrative and gentle humor lightened the air as the group faced the sobering realities of Spotsylvania’s bloodshed. The conference banquet and meeting unfolded in the resplendent Grand Ballroom of the Jepson Alumni Executive Center in Fredericksburg, atop “Trench Hill.” From 6 p.m., attendees mingled in the glow of social hour, with the spirited music of the Second Maryland Fifes and Drums (in full period attire) providing an evocative soundtrack. Over one hundred guests gathered, reconnecting with friends and forging new bonds. Dinner was served at 6:45, soon followed by the evening’s formal program. Vice
Robert Lee Hodge spoke at the conference.
CVBT President Tom Van Winkle addressed the attendees on Sunday morning at Stevenson Ridge. (Lisa Van Winkle)
President and Education Coordinator Eric Powell opened the evening and described CVBT as “a small organization doing big things,” a sentiment echoed in President Tom Van Winkle’s remarks. Van Winkle acknowledged special guests such as David Duncan, president of the American Battlefield Trust, who praised CVBT’s thirty-year legacy of battlefield preservation. Amid celebration, the evening also held space for sorrow. The community mourned the recent passing of two titans: Eric Wittenberg, CVBT board member author, and historian, and Donald Pfanz, lauded as the “Father of the Modern Preservation Movement.” Both men’s contributions to scholarship, advocacy, and preservation were honored, with Don previously having received CVBT’s Happel Award in Fall of 2021. President Van Winkle recounted CVBT’s 2025 accomplishments, notably the reclamation of the preserved Beckham Tract, site of Jackson’s Flank Attack, where modern intrusions were removed to restore the historical terrain. Tom also updated attendees on active litigation opposing the Wilderness Crossing development in Orange County. Incidentally, there was a court ruling announced the Tuesday after the Conference in favor of the plaintiffs, ABT, CVBT and The Friends of Wilderness Battlefield, allowing our challenge to proceed to court. Also noted CVBT’s recent site work on the Jackson Flank Attack acreage and Nine Mile Run neared completion, both areas soon to be opened for public access. A special point of pride was the May acquisition of the 3rd Massachusetts Light Artillery Position, a 7.2-acre tract with 15 historic artillery lunettes on Brock Road, a witness to some of the fiercest fighting as the armies maneuvered from the Wilderness to Spotsylvania. The night’s marquee announcement was CVBT’s new and very important purchase of a three-acre segment of the Old Alrich Farm, where the 23rd United States Colored Troops (USCT) faced Lee’s veterans, on May 15, 1864, in their first ordered battle north of the James River. CVBT is now fundraising to meet the $100,000 acquisition cost beyond expected grants. The full story can be found on our website at www.cvbt.org. The Dr. Michael P. Stevens Preservation Award was presented posthumously to Eric Wittenberg, honoring a legacy of unwavering dedication to Civil War education and preservation. Susan Wittenberg, Eric’s wife and steadfast companion, sent words of gratitude and encouraged all to keep Eric’s spirit of inquiry and commitment alive. Dr. Ken Noe delivered the evening’s keynote address, weaving together weather, climate, and the Civil War’s human drama citing his book “The Howling Storm: Weather, Climate, and the American Civil War.” Twice a Pulitzer nominee, Dr. Noe challenged the audience to see the conflict not simply as a matter of North versus South, but as a saga profoundly shaped by the elements, a lens too often neglected. Ken covered interesting weather patterns that truly affected the outcome of several battles, including area battles where CVBT has preserved historical sites. Torrential rains and the “Virginia Red Clay” turned to mud, played a huge role in the Battle of Fredericksburg, for example.
Sunday morning’s events at historic Stevenson Ridge, on the Spotsylvania Battlefield, began with a welcoming breakfast buffet and a solo fiddle performance by CVBT Board member Brent Feito, member of the 2nd Maryland Drum and Fifes. Dr. Brian Steel Wills, renowned Civil War scholar and author, offered a keynote presentation on his book “Inglorious Passages: Noncombat Deaths in the American Civil War.” His presentation invited reflection on the overlooked toll of noncombat fatalities, balancing sobering facts with moments of gentle humor.
The conference concluded in an atmosphere of admiration and gratitude. Guests praised the seamless organization, the depth of historical insight, and the warmth of the CVBT community. Many pledged to return for the 2026 Annual Conference, already anticipating the forthcoming theme: “Second Fredericksburg – the Forgotten Front,” scheduled for September 13th and 14th. As another year of preservation, education, and fellowship dawns, the flame kindled during this remarkable weekend continues to burn, illuminating the paths of those dedicated to keeping America’s history alive.
Tom Van Winkle is the President of the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust.
Brian Steele Wills’ presentation on “The Civil War’s Inglorious Passages” Sunday at Stevenson Ridge. (Lisa Van Winkle)
The mission of CVBT is to preserve land associated with the four major campaigns of: Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Mine Run, and the Overland Campaign, including the Wilderness, and Spotsylvania Court House. To learn more about this grassroots preservation non-profit, which has saved nearly 2,000 acres of hallowed ground, please visit: www.cvbt.org.
Photographs from the Original Article
Captions and credits appear in the article text as originally printed.