See You In Petersburg!

1864 USPS Stamps

United States Postal Service, Commemorative Stamps for 1864

Heading down to Petersburg, Virginia later today for the 150th anniversary of the battle of the Crater. I will be on the battlefield at roughly 4:45 tomorrow morning to mark the initial explosion at Pegram’s Salient and the beginning of the battle. Throughout the day I will do my best to post pics and comments on twitter with the hashtag #Crater150.

In addition to the the battlefield I will be signing books at the visitor center and on Friday evening at 7pm I will give a talk on the battle and historical memory downtown at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. This is going to be an exciting week.

As you can see above the USPS will unveil two new stamps commemorating the war in 1864, one of which focuses on United States Colored Troops during the Petersburg Campaign. Hope to see some of you in Petersburg.

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9 comments… add one
  • Mike Rogers Jul 29, 2014 @ 16:21

    Kevin — I know that you will have a wonderful time at Petersburg. Keep us updated on the goings on.

  • John C Hall Jr Jul 29, 2014 @ 15:48

    Did not know if you included the 3rd Georgia in your crater book. My ancestor Captain Corker, who I am writing a book about, was in Johnson Island prison during the battle yet after the war led the 3rd Ga to the crater in August 1875 at a Ga reunion. From the Augusta Chronicle “Captain Corker headed a group of the boys to visit the “Crater”*. This “spot presented special interest to the survivors of the Third as they had helped to drive the enemy back from the “Mine” on the terrible day of the “Blow up,” and in the charge lost their intrepid ensign, Mayor Gregory (Petersburg, Va) took the old battle flag of the Veterans and planted it amidst wild cheers upon the ramparts at the “Crater” and again it fluttered in the wind where more than eleven years before it had blazed defiantly in the face of the foe and was followed into “the jaws of death, into the mouth of hell” as cannon “bellowed and thundered.”

    • Kevin Levin Jul 29, 2014 @ 16:04

      Thanks for sharing this. It’s a wonderful account that I wish I had while researching the book. Unfortunately, I didn’t have access to many Georgia newspapers.

      • John C Hall Jr Jul 30, 2014 @ 3:59

        Kevin, Lucky for me Corker was from Waynesboro which is near Augusta. The Augusta chronicle had many articles about my ancestor. You could say I hit pay dirt many times. Genealogy bank was recommended by our historian here in Dublin.

  • Jerry Sudduth Jul 29, 2014 @ 9:18

    First off, let me say I wish I could be there tomorrow. I know that it’ll be a superb event.

    Secondly, thank you for sharing the stamps the USPS released for this year. I am impressed with the quality of the art chosen for the stamps as well as what battles they’re commemorating, but none more than Petersburg.

    The choice of the USCT’s assault on New Market Heights as the representation of the Petersburg Campaign is a good choice. The USCT’s saw extensive action in the campaign and it is accurate in that regard but also it reminds the American public that blacks were fully invested in their attaining freedom and willing to pay the ultimate price for it.

  • Charles Bowery Jul 29, 2014 @ 5:04

    Looking forward to meeting you tomorrow. I’ll have parents and niece in tow, so won’t be able to make the early morning commemoration, but it should be a great day.

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