1) See the Stars Up Close at the Grant’s Headquarters Unit of Petersburg National Battlefield
2) “Hard Liquor and Women” – How Off-Duty Soldiers Amused Themselves During the Siege of Petersburg


1) See the Stars Up Close at the Grant’s Headquarters Unit of Petersburg National Battlefield

At 8:00 p.m. on July 16 members of the Richmond Astronomy Society will position their telescopes toward the night skies over Hopewell, Virginia and discuss their observations. This fascinating program is open to the public and will help participants learn more about constellations, how to find stars and planets, and how “light pollution” affects us all.

The program is free of charge and will occur weather permitting. Please remember to bring a flashlight and a set of binoculars if you wish. The entrance to the Grant’s Headquarters Unit of Petersburg National Battlefield is located at 1001 Pecan Avenue, where Pecan Avenue meets Cedar Lane, in Hopewell. For more information, call park ranger Grant Gates at (804) 732-3531 ext. 202.

2) “Hard Liquor and Women” – How Off-Duty Soldiers Amused Themselves During the Siege of Petersburg

At 11:00 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 19, 2008 a living history event will commence from the Petersburg City Visitor Center on Cockade Alley. “Hard Liquor and Women” will follow an 1864 newspaper reporter as he walks the streets of Old Towne Petersburg making observations and conducting interviews to see how Confederate soldiers pass their scarce leisure time away from the boredom, noise and danger of the City’s defense lines.

Accompany the reporter as he encounters a preacher railing against “sins of the flesh”, a tavern keeper plying his trade, and citizens complaining about lawlessness in the city. A provost guard will have his hands full as he apprehends a drunken soldier, and possibly a “lady of the night”. Learn about a side of the Siege of Petersburg rarely written about.

This walking tour is free and requires no registration. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended and participants are encouraged to bring a bottle of water.

Petersburg National Battlefield was created in order to commemorate the campaign and siege and defense of Petersburg, Virginia, in 1864 and 1865. The park staff is committed to preserving and protecting the historical, cultural, and natural resources within the park in a manner that will provide interpretation, education, and enjoyment for the visitors.