“Civil War Railroads” is a lecture to be presented by Howard Gregory of Appomattox on June 16, from 2 – 3 p.m. The program addresses the impact and influence that railroads had on the Civil War for both the North and the South. Gregory is a retired Virginia State Police division commander and a past president of the Lynchburg Civil War Round Table. He has authored the history of the 38th Virginia Infantry and the 53rd Virginia Infantry as well as The History of the Wreck of the Old 97. The lecture will be held at the Museum of the Confederacy-Appomattox, located at 159 Horseshoe Rd, Appomattox.

“Civil War Railroads” looks at the ways railroads influenced the course of the war as well as the challenges and conflicts that arose over the use of these railroads. Both the military and the railroaders were affected by these conflicts. Gregory notes that: “The bloody conflict that swept the United States in 1861 has been known by many names, including the War of the Rebellion, the War Between the States, the Late Unpleasantness, and the generally accepted Civil War. Due to the vital part played by the railroads of both the North and the South, it could also be called the Great Railroad War.” The Civil War was the first major military event in which railroads played a vital role. Commanders were often slow to comprehend the potential uses and military power of this comparatively new mode of transportation. Special emphasis will be placed on the role of local railroads during the waning days of the War.

The program is free for Museum members and is included with regular admission for non-members. For more information contact Josie Butler at jbutler@moc.org or (855) 649-1861 ext. 203.