View Savannah-area upcoming events related to the 150th Anniversary of the American Civil War, particularly the 150th anniversary this December of General Sherman’s 1864 March to the Sea & the Union occupation of Savannah.
*“Savannah in the Civil War,” A Film by Michael Jordan
6 p.m. December 11 @ Jepson Center, 207 W. York St., on Telfair Square Savannah
Local filmmaker/historian Michael Jordan’s 90-minute film highlights events and people who played a role in Savannah’s Civil War story. More than a dozen historians discuss forces that shaped Savannah’s war years, and thirty local actors portray important Savannahians of the time. Characters include Suzie King Taylor, the only African-American woman to keep a journal during the war, and Francis Bartow, who suggested gray as the Confederate military uniform color. Learn about the massive prisoner-of-war camp in that housed thousands of Union prisoners in Forsyth Park, the dramatic battle between ironcal warships in Ossabaw Sound and other key events.
After the screening, Jordan will participate in Q&A discussion. The movie is 90 minutes long and free for Telfair members or $12 for non-members. Watch a short clip from the film online at www.civilwar-savannah.com.
Details here.
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*Georgia Historical Society Commemorates Sherman’s March to the Sea with new historical marker
1-2 PM Dec. 11
Join the Georgia Historical Society and the Georgia Battlefields Association as they dedicate a new historical marker commemorating the 150th anniversary of General William T. Sherman’s March to the Sea. The dedication will consist of a brief program to unveil the new historical marker and discuss Sherman’s historic march in the context of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War in Georgia.
Madison Square, Savannah 31401
912-651-2125
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*150th Winter Muster – Civil War Enactment
Fort McAllister State Park, Richmond Hill: This is the site where Sherman ended his “March to the Sea” in December of 1864. Planned commemorations will mark the Capture of Fort McAllister Dec. 13 2014.
Saturday, Dec 13, 2014 9 AM-4 PM with the battle at 5 PM
Come on the actual date — 150 years since General Sherman ordered his troops to take Ft. McAllister. Watch as historians reenact this significant moment in our country’s history. Help make this 150th Winter Muster the greatest one yet. The museum and staging area will be closed to the public at 4pm, and will reopen for the battle at 5pm. 912-727-2339. Details here.
This 150th Anniversary of Sherman’s ‘March to the Sea’ will bring 300 Re-enactors to Fort McAllister exactly 150 years after Gen. William T. Sherman ended his “March to the Sea” by overtaking the fort.
Additional public events planned for December 11 and 12 as well.
The three-day commemoration begins Thursday, December 11 as Union soldiers set up camp at the Richmond Hill Museum and answer visitors’ questions about the upcoming battle.
On Friday, soldiers will march from the intersection of Highway 144 and Fort McAllister Road to the park, setting up camp when they arrive.
By 9 a.m. on Saturday, the fort will be filled with Confederate soldiers as they prepare for the battle they know is coming. Throughout the day, visitors can watch skirmishes between Union and Confederate troop as they fire muskets and cannons. Guests can also walk among the earthworks and tour a Civil War museum.
Then at 5 p.m., the same time that the actual battle occurred 150 years ago, visitors can watch Union forces breach the fort and take Confederates as prisoners.
When Union troops took control of Fort McAllister in 1864, they marked the end of Gen. Sherman’s “March to the Sea” and enabled him to present Savannah as a Christmas gift to President Lincoln.
“Fort McAllister is a very significant part of Georgia’s history, and we’re especially pleased that our annual Winter Muster falls on the exact date of the original battle” said Park Manager Jason Carter. “This event is expected bring in a large number of visitors to the Richmond Hill and Savannah areas, so it’s good for tourism. They will be dining and shopping at local businesses and making a positive impact on our community.”
Fort McAllister State Park is located on the Ogeechee River. Admission to Winter Muster is $6. To learn more, visit www.GaStateParks.org/fortmcallister or call 912-727-2339.
Location:
Fort McAllister State Park
3894 Fort McAllister Road
Richmond Hill, 31324
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FREE Civil War Medicine event, Savannah, Dec. 17
Join the Savannah Chatham County Public School System at Massie Heritage Center in downtown Savannah at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, December 17 for Civil War Medicine in Savannah, a program devoted toward medical procedures and practices of the Antebellum Era. The guest presenter will be Talley Kirkland, Interpretive Ranger at Fort McAllister State Historic Park. The program will include guided tours of the facility from 5-6 p.m. before the main presentation begins and there is no fee for admission. For more information, search “Massie” at www.eventbrite.com or call (912) 395-5070.
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*Civil War Demonstrations @ Old Fort Jackson, Savannah
This December 2014 marks the 150th anniversary of the evacuation of Fort Jackson. Several days before December 20, 1864, General William Hardee arrived to take command of Savannah’s defenses. He refused General Sherman’s demand to surrender and ordered the evacuation of the city and all surrounding defenses. To commemorate this event Old Fort Jackson will offer engaging programs throughout the weekend of December 20th and 21st. Details here.
