National Park Service to commemorate 160th anniversary of Petersburg’s Battle of the Crater

PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) — The National Park Service (NPS) will be commemorating the 160th anniversary of the Battle of the Crater at the Petersburg National Battlefield in late July.

The Battle of the Crater, fought on July 30, 1864, was a 10-hour engagement of the Petersburg campaign of the Civil War. According to NPS, this battle is “one of the most famous events off the siege, yet is often misunderstood.”

On July 27 and 28, the Petersburg National Battlefield will hold a variety of events to mark the battle’s 160th anniversary.

These anniversary events include “living history programs” designed to share the battle’s stories and ranger-led tours at the battle site, which is located at Petersburg National Battlefield’s Tour Stop 8 along Eastern Front Tour Road.

The event schedule proved by NPS includes the following activities:

Saturday, July 27

Eastern Front Visitor Center: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Living history displays on the civilian experience of the siege
• Interactive map program about the battle

Eastern Front Tour Road Stop 8: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• United States Colored Troops at Petersburg
• Civil War sketch artist Alfred Waud
• Artillery and infantry demonstrations
• Ranger-led programs
• Education trailer with fun activities for kids

Sunday, July 28

Eastern Front Tour Road Stop 8: 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• United States Colored Troops at Petersburg
• Civil War sketch artist Alfred Waud
• Infantry demonstrations
• Ranger-led programs
• Education trailer with fun activities for kids

The list of programs could change, weather permitting.

NPS recommends bringing water and sunscreen with you to the park and dressing for summer weather. You can access the Eastern Front unit of the park at the Eastern Front Visitor Center, which is located at 5001 Siege Road in Petersburg.

For more information about the Battle of the Crater, visit NPS’ website .

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