Visit Historic Tredegar, home of the Civil War's top ironmaker

RICHMOND, Va., Feb. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On April 16, 1861 at 4:30 a.m., a 10-inch Tredegar mortar was fired upon Fort Sumter. From that day on, Tredegar Iron Works became known as the "Ironmaker to the Confederacy" supplying over half of all munitions and cannon used for its war effort.

By the summer of 1863, General Robert E. Lee was mobilizing his army for assaults on northern soil. Under Joseph Reid Anderson's direction, Tredegar Iron Works was able to recycle old cannon mixed with new materials to supply General Lee with newer, 12-Pounder Napoleon cannon to better match the artillery of Union forces.

"Lee's Army marched to Gettysburg with Tredegar sending much needed munitions and new cannon as quickly as it could be produced. Those supplies made all the difference," said Christy Coleman, president of the American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar.

The rich history of Tredegar Iron Works is one of the many stories visitors can immerse themselves in this travel season at Historic Tredegar, one of the few remaining Civil War industrial sites in the country.

The roles of women and children in making the material of war will also be explored this summer when Historic Tredegar premieres a new living history program featuring three characters.

"These signature characters are based on real people who have incredible stories that lend well to Historic Tredegar's education mission to share the legacy of the Civil War through Union, Confederate and African American perspectives," said Coleman.

Along with Saturday cannon firings, visitors can enjoy the Center's nationally acclaimed interactive exhibit. In the Cause of Liberty is the country's first to present the story of the Civil War from three perspectives—Union, Confederate, and African American. For more information, visit www.tredegar.org.

The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar opened in October 2006 with the mission to tell the whole story of the conflict that still shapes our nation. Last year, the American Civil War Center, in partnership with the Richmond Battlefield Park of the National Park Service, was selected by the Richmond Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau to serve as the Richmond Region's Gateway to the Civil War. The Center is also part of the Smithsonian Institution Affiliations Program. For more information about the center, visit www.tredegar.org

Contact: Penelope Carrington Wallace
The American Civil War Center
(804) 780-1865 Ext. 21
[email protected]

SOURCE The American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar