Today historian Rick Britton talks with Les Sinclair about: Today in Virginia history – On May 20th, 1864, the bloody Civil War battle of Spottsylvania Court House came to an end. As part of Union Gen. U.S. Grant’s “Overland Campaign,” and following on the heels of the May 5th & 6th Battle of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court House was fought between May 7th & 20th. Featuring opposing forces numbering close to 200,000 men, and deeply dug & improved Confederate fieldworks, this battle became one of the war’s 10 bloodiest. Spottsylvania’s most famous fighting took place on May 12th, when an entire Union Army corps–about 20,000 men–were thrown in a dawn attack against an inverted U-shaped Confederate position known as the “Mule Shoe.” An entire Confederate infantry division (perhaps 3,000 men) were captured in the massive assault, and for several hours afterwards this position–thanks to attacks & counterattacks–saw some of the Civil War’s most vicious fighting.

ALSO: On Wednesday, May 25th Rick Britton is taking a bus group to Barboursville Vineyards & the James Madison Museum – First we’ll tour Orange’s James Madison Museum, then after dining nearby we’ll enjoy a visit to the ruins of Barboursville (designed by Jefferson himself), a special tour of the Barboursville Vineyards, and a not-to-be-forgotten wine-tasting! Tour departs at 9:00 am. To sign up call the Senior Center Travel Office at (434) 975-6538.