Rappahannock Valley Civil War Round Table
Fredericksburg, Virginia
Internships are sponsored throughout the year at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park
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News
April Meeting
April 13, 2026 7:30pm
Brad Gottfried
Born and raised in Philadelphia, Brad Gottfried earned his Ph.D. in Zoology from Miami University and spent the four decades as an educator in higher education. He has served as a full-time faculty member, department head, campus dean, chief academic officer and president. Before retiring in 2017, he served as President of Sussex County Community College (NJ) and College of Southern Maryland for the past 17 years. His interest in the Civil War began at an early age and was rekindled when he returned to an administrative position in the Philadelphia area. His fourteenth book was recently published. His early writing primarily centered on the Battle of Gettysburg, and he wrote five books on this topic. He has also written two brigade-level histories. His current “niche” is map books, where he thoroughly describes campaigns through the use of maps. Seven books have been published in this series. He is also working on a variety of other Civil War related projects. In addition to writing, Brad is an Antietam Certified Battlefield Guide and a Gettysburg Licensed Town Guide. Brad is married to his wife, Linda and between them they have four grown children and six grandchildren.
Even before the guns fell silent at Gettysburg, Robert E. Lee was preparing for the arduous task of getting his defeated Confederate army back safely into northern Virginia. It was an enormous, complex, and exceedingly dangerous undertaking—all in a pouring rainstorm and all under the shadow of a possible attack from the Federal Army of the Potomac.
The victor of Gettysburg, George Meade, remained unsure of Lee’s next move and dispatched Maj. Gen. John Sedgwick’s VI Corps on a reconnaissance-in-force. The thrust found the Confederate army in full retreat: Lee was heading back to Virginia. The encounters that followed—including several engagements with Jeb Stuart’s horsemen—resulted in the loss of hundreds of vehicles, the capture of large numbers of wounded, and the seizure of tons of valuable supplies. Even as Meade hurriedly pursued Lee, he sought opportunities to launch an attack that might crush Lee’s army—and even end the war—once and for all.
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​​Our speaker lineup for 2026 is NOW available HERE
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Dinner Meeting Extras!!
At each monthly dinner meeting we offer multiple door prizes, including gift certificates to Brock's Riverside Grill and Riverby Books. We also have dozens of used Civil War and military history books available for a "pay what you will" rate. All book proceeds are donated to the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust.
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Central Virginia Battlefields Trust (CVBT)
Central Virginia Battlefields Trust (CVBT) is a nonprofit organization preserving land associated with the Civil War campaigns of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Mine Run, The Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court House. They have preserved nearly 1,700 acres of hallowed local battlegrounds since incorporating in 1996. RVCWRT has raised and donated over $40,000 to support CVBT projects. Our round table is proud to be the 2017 recipient of the CVBT Dr. Michael P. Stevens Preservation Award, whose purpose is "to shine a light on those who have made notable contributions to the preservation of Civil War resources in Virginia." Learn more about this active and important preservation organization at www.cvbt.org.
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Brock's Riverside Grill
Brock’s Riverside Grill, 503 Sophia Street, on the Rappahannock River in historic Old Town Fredericksburg, has been our favorite meeting venue for many years. Brock’s is open for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch year round. Menu is American “steak and seafood” with a southwestern flair. More information is available at Brocksgrill.com. Call 540-370-1820 for reservations.
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A Note from Riverby Books
Riverby Books has been buying and selling quality used books in downtown Fredericksburg since 1996. Our 3-level store houses more than 25,000 volumes for readers, scholars, and collectors alike, with an additional 25,000 volumes of rare and unusual titles found only in our online inventory. We carry titles for all interests and all levels of expertise, with a large selection of American History. We buy books (and whole collections) every day, pay fair prices, price them cheap, and delight in watching our customers take them home. No topic is too obscure. Beach reads, kids books, cook books, antique books and more. Open 7 days a week at 805 Caroline St.
https://www.riverbybooks.com/
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Geoff White Music
Geoff White is from Blowing Rock North Carolina. He has played the fiddle all his life, and has performed in pubs, bars, restaurants, concert halls, and battlefields all across the east coast. Geoff was a member of the bluegrass group Sugar Run for several years. He currently lives in Roanoke. He earned a degree in History from Radford University in 2002.
