Plan your visit
Upcoming events
Walk the ground, meet living historians, and discover the stories of the Shenandoah Valley. Unless noted, programs are free and open to the public.
Third Battle of Winchester: 162nd Anniversary
Join author and historian Scott Patchan for three focused tours that explore pivotal moments from the Third Battle of Winchester.
Maj. Gen. Stephen D. Ramseur’s Tarheels
Ramseur’s North Carolina troops were the first Southern infantry
engaged at Third Winchester. After fighting Brig. Gen. James H.
Wilson’s cavalry in the early morning, they held against steep
odds until Maj. Gen. James B. Ricketts’s Sixth Corps division
overwhelmed their position. The tour follows their retreat and
return to the fight as part of Maj. Gen. Robert Rodes’s
counterattack.
Meeting place: North Carolina Monument, off
Route 7 on Getty Lane in front of the TownePlace Suites hotel,
170 Getty Ln., Winchester, VA 22603.
The 14th New Hampshire and Brig. Gen. Henry Birge’s Brigade
Birge’s Nineteenth Corps brigade began by breaking through the
left of Confederate Gen. John B. Gordon’s division. Victory
appeared close as the New England and New York troops pressed
forward, but the situation reversed abruptly when the brigade
was outgunned. It lost 525 men, most killed or wounded, during
this phase of the battle. The walking tour retraces their advance
and examines how their early success turned so quickly.
Meeting place: Alabama Monument in the Middle
Field, 253 Averrell Ave., Winchester, VA 22603.
Maj. James Breathed’s Horse Artillery
Jubal Early’s Confederate force entered the battle outnumbered,
but the handling of its artillery kept defeat from becoming a
complete disaster. From this position, the tour explores how the
horse artillery and the supporting dismounted cavalry of Maj.
Gen. Fitzhugh Lee helped shape the final stages of the battle.
Meeting place: The artillery on Huntsberry Farm,
on the north side of Redbud Run, 541 Redbud Rd., Winchester, VA
22603.
Fort Collier Open House & Living History Camp
Fort Collier’s 2026 Open House commemorates the 162nd anniversary of the site’s crucial role in the Third Battle of Winchester and celebrates the 25th anniversary of the nonprofit Fort Collier Civil War Center. The weekend includes living-history encampments featuring Civil War reenactors representing the 7th Virginia and 124th New York Infantry regiments. Free tours of the grounds and the restored Stine House Museum will be offered, and refreshments will be available.
Why attend?
- Explore the site of the largest cavalry charge against infantry in American history, during the Third Battle of Winchester.
- Tour the grounds and restored Stine House Museum, filled with Stine family and Civil War memorabilia.
- Walk the battlefield and surviving earthwork fortifications.
- Visit the restored family cemetery, including the graves of Rachel and Benjamin Stine and other family members.
- Meet Civil War reenactors and members of the Fort Collier Civil War Center’s board.
- Purchase souvenir Fort Collier T-shirts.
Follow the Fort Collier Civil War Center on Facebook for additional updates and details.
Fort Collier Civil War Center922 Martinsburg Pike · Winchester, VA 22601 · www.fortcollier.com
Holidays in Winchester During the Civil War
SVBF Ranger Michael Gionfriddo explores how Winchester residents celebrated the holidays during the American Civil War. Foundation members attend free. The museum is located at 20 N. Loudoun St., Winchester.