We look forward to welcoming you to Blacksburg March 28-30, 2025 for Virginia Tech’s annual Civil War Weekend. You’ll hear from a stellar group of speakers and enjoy fellowship with other history enthusiasts—all in the comfortable surroundings of the Inn at Virginia Tech.
Here is the link to the Civil War Weekend room block at the Inn, if you would like to make your hotel reservation early.
This year’s theme is “Civil War Duos.” The Civil War era fundamentally transformed human connections—from friendships and marriages to political alliances—bringing some Americans together into productive new relationships while driving existing partnerships apart. This year our speakers will explore an array of different partnerships that took new forms amid the challenges of slavery, sectional conflict, and war.
Photograph from the main eastern theater of the war, Battle of Antietam, September-October 1862 courtesy of Library of Congress.
Our distinguished speakers will also investigate the critical relationships between leaders on both sides: Lincoln and McClellan, Lee and Jackson. We’ll learn about how war transformed romantic pairings in the North and the South. One lecture will explore a more institutional duo, examining how the United States Army and Navy slowly worked their way toward a more harmonious collaboration as the war went on.
You can also join us for an optional two-night field trip. From our base in Frederick, Maryland, we’ll take a custom guided tour of the storied battleground of Gettysburg, focusing on the critical military decisions that made July 1863 go down in history. We’ll also explore the National Museum of Civil War Medicine and the Monocacy Battlefield, where Jubal Early’s Confederates threatened to break through to Washington, DC, in July 1864.
Whether this is your first Virginia Tech Civil War Weekend, or you’ve been attending the annual event ever since its first meeting in 1991, we look forward to welcoming you to the group and sharing new perspectives on this endlessly fascinating period of American history. See you in March!
— Paul Quigley
James I. Robertson, Jr. Associate Professor of Civil War Studies
Director, Virginia Center for Civil War Studies
THE 2025 SPRING CAMPAIGN: GETTYSBURG
From our base in Frederick, Maryland, we’ll take a custom guided tour of the storied battleground of Gettysburg, focusing on the critical military decisions that made July 1863 go down in history. We’ll also explore the National Museum of Civil War Medicine and the Monocacy Battlefield, where Jubal Early’s Confederates threatened to break through to Washington, DC, in July 1864.
Photos from Civil War Weekend 2024:
