Past is Prologue
Clint Schemmer writes about history, heritage preservation and the American Civil War. On Facebook: Past is Prologue On Twitter: @prologuepast Contact: Email Clint or call 540/374-5424.
From atop Marye’s Heights, Civil War ‘artillery weekend’ will echo at national park
Hear the guns roar!
The public is invited to attend an “artillery weekend” today and tomorrow on the Fredericksburg battlefield.
Rangers’ special programs at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park will focus on the role that cannons played during the Battle of Fredericksburg on Dec. 13, 1862.
Artillery programs with cannon firing demonstrations are being offered—for free—at Marye’s Heights overlooking the Sunken Road.
Today, programs are scheduled for 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m.. Tomorrow, they will held at 12 p.m., and 2 p.m. The park’s 12-pounder Napoleon cannon, nicknamed Matilda, will be fired during the demonstrations.
Confederate artillerymen played a key role during the battle; the park’s programs will highlight their specific roles.
Marye’s Heights served as one of the strongest defensive positions the Confederate army ever held during the Civil War.
For details, call the park’s Fredericksburg Battlefield Visitor Center at 540/373-6122 or the Chancellorsville Battlefield Visitor Center at 540/ 786-2880.
To reach the Fredericksburg battlefield from Interstate 95, take Exit 130A and follow the directional signs to the Battlefield Visitor Center.
