Historic Blakeley State Park’s Veterans Day events

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Historic Blakeley State Park will commemorate Veteran’s Day with a day full of special educational activities. On Saturday, November 11, the park invites the public to explore this area’s rich military heritage through discovery of Alabama’s largest Civil War battlefield.

The event includes multiple Civil War weapons demonstrations, offering a rare chance to hear what some of the more than fifty pieces of artillery which were involved in the siege of Fort Blakeley sounded like. During the morning, we take two cruises into the waters of the storied Mobile-Tensaw Delta to explore the sites associated with the battle and the larger Campaign for Mobile in 1865.

Dr. Gary Joiner, professor of history at LSU-Shreveport and director of the Red River Regional Studies Center, will speak at 11:45 AM in the park’s event center. Joiner is a nationally-known author or co-author of more than twenty books on Civil War and Louisiana history. Several Federal units which fought at Blakeley also fought in the Red River Campaign which is the focus of his talk. Following the lecture, the park offers a guided tour of its new USCT Heritage Trail, where one of the largest contingents of African-American soldiers to fight in any Civil War battle were positioned.

Piggly Wiggly will be on hand with Royal Sausage products at lunch! This event is sponsored in part by the Alabama Tourism Department, the Mobile Area Civil War Roundtable, and the Pensacola Civil War Roundtable. As always, veterans receive free individual day use admission. For more information on the full schedule of events or to purchase tickets for cruises visit our events page at blakeleypark.com.

Schedule of Events

• 8:30-8:45 AM Civil War Artillery Demonstration
• 9:00-10:00 AM Battle of Fort Blakeley Cruise
• 10:00-10:15 AM Civil War Artillery Demonstration
• 10:30-11:30 Battle of Fort Blakeley Cruise
• 11:45 AM-12:45 PM Lecture by Dr. Gary Joiner
• 12:00-12:15 PM Civil War Artillery Demonstration
• 1:00-1:15 PM Civil War Artillery Demonstration
• 1:00-2:00 Guided Tour of the USCT Heritage Trail

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