It’s been called the greatest war in American history – the only war fought on American soil by Americans. By the time it was over, three million had fought, and more than 600,000 of them died – more than the combined fatalities of all the other wars we’ve fought in our short history. And yet, historians of the times couldn’t even agree on its name – they called it the War for Constitutional Liberty, the War for Southern Independence, the War of Northern Aggression, the Second American Revolution, the War Against Slavery – even the Lost Cause! We know it today as the Civil War.
Virginians have always been fascinated with the Civil War, with our Commonwealth the site of so many fierce battles, the home of so many soldiers’ graves. Hampton Roads has a rich history of involvement in the struggles and the battles of the War Between the States.
On November 27th, WHRO proudly aired the first episode in a 4-part series: The Civil War in Hampton Roads in Standard Definition on WHRO TV15 and simulcast in High Definition on Digital 15.1 Channel.
The Civil War in Hampton Roads is a WHRO production – our first documentary in High Definition! John Quarstein, Director of the Virginia War Museum, is writer and host. Dr. Quarstein is familiar to history lovers throughout the Commonwealth, and is often heard on HearSay with Cathy Lewis and seen in our Here and Then TV series. The Civil War in Hampton Roads examines the role this region played militaristically, politically and strategically, in the war that divided the country in half.
WHRO is proud to present a fresh and timely look at the conflict that split a nation – and the role our own Hampton Roads played in its beginning, its devastating duration, and its end.
Send your questions to John Quarstein.
The production of Civil War in Hampton Roads: 1861 was made possible by generous support from these donors