Library of CongressIn this wartime watercolor by William McIlvaine, Union soldiers mill about the grounds of the historic Moore House in Yorktown, Virginia. The house—in which British terms of surrender were negotiated in 1781 during the Siege of Yorktown—was damaged during the Peninsula Campaign of 1862, its wood taken by soldiers for use in campfires.
In March 1862, Union general George B. McClellan launched the Peninsula Campaign, his ambitious attempt to capture Richmond by conveying his Army of the Potomac by sea from the vicinity of Washington, D.C., to the tip of the Virginia Peninsula, then advancing on foot toward the Confederate capital, defeating any southern troops in his path. In April, McClellan’s massive force reached the Confederate line of defense that spanned the width of the peninsula, from Yorktown (where the Rebels took advantage of some of the trenches dug by British forces in 1781) to present-day Newport News. Though greatly outnumbered, the Rebels succeeded in stopping McClellan’s advance for weeks before pulling back, in the process buying valuable time for reinforcements to help buttress the capital’s defenses. By early July, McClellan’s forces were in retreat, having been turned away from Richmond by newly minted Confederate army commander Robert E. Lee. The campaign that had seen some of its first fighting at Yorktown was over.
Interested in visiting Yorktown? To help make the most of your trip, we’ve enlisted two experts on the area—Homer Lanier and J. Michael Moore—to offer suggestions for what to see and do in and around the historic town.
CAN’T MISS
Lanpher Productions, Inc.Tyndall’s Point Park
Tyndall’s Point Park (7418 Battery Dr., Gloucester Point, VA; 804-693-2355), located just across the York River, contains reconstructed earthworks and interpretive signage that tell the stories of both Revolutionary War gun placements and the Confederate batteries that were erected in 1862 to prevent Union forces from passing upriver and advancing toward Richmond. These shore batteries were key to controlling access to the interior of Virginia. HL
Endview Plantation (362 Yorktown Rd., Newport News, VA; 757-887-1862), built around 1769, was a silent witness to both the American Revolution and the Civil War. During the 1781 Siege of Yorktown, Governor Thomas Nelson Jr. and the Virginia State Militia marched past Endview during their advance on the British forces at Yorktown. In 1862, Confederate generals Lafayette McLaws and Robert Toombs headquartered at Endview during the initial stages of the Peninsula Campaign. Endview survived this experience, as well as the subsequent posting of Union regiments on its grounds until 1864. A basement gallery provides information on the families who lived at Endview, and tours of the house’s upper floors are available. MM
BEST KEPT SECRET
Lanpher Productions, Inc.American Revolution Museum at Yorktown
While its area of coverage predates the Civil War, the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown (200 Water St.; 888-593-4682) is loaded with interactive exhibits that plunge visitors into the story of the entire conflict. Its 4-D Siege Theater places you in the trenches at Yorktown alongside thundering artillery and troops readying for an attack, while the outdoor living-history areas allow you to enlist in General George Washington’s army or help plant crops and feed livestock on a Revolution-era farm to learn about the effects of war on the home front. HL
Lanpher Productions, Inc.Colonial National Historical Park
Colonial National Historical Park (1000 Colonial Parkway; 757-898-2410) has been a destination for me since childhood. I enjoy walking across the Yorktown Battlefield and through the historic area. The visitors center has exhibits and a film that cover the 1781 Siege of Yorktown and the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution. MM
BEST FAMILY ACTIVITY
Lanpher Productions, Inc.Yorktown Beach
Yorktown Beach (425 Water St.; 757-890-3500) has ample opportunities for fishing, swimming, or boating along its beautiful two-acre beachfront, as well as places to have a meal or get ice cream along the shores of the historic York River. Bath houses allow you wash off the sand and salt before you head home. HL
Located on the historic Yorktown waterfront, the Watermen’s Museum (309 Water St.; 757-887-2641) teaches history from a maritime perspective, dating from the early Virginia Indians through modern times. The museum’s exhibits feature displays, models, boats, videos, and much more, including specific galleries about the commercial seafood industry and the 1781 Cornwallis’ Fleet shipwrecks. Its award-winning summer children’s programs are sure to appeal
to kids. MM
BEST CIVIL WAR SPOT
Lanpher Productions, Inc.Lee Hall Mansion
Located only a few minutes’ drive from Historic Yorktown, Lee Hall Mansion (163 Yorktown Rd., Newport News, VA; 757-888-3371), built in the 1850s, is one of the last surviving antebellum homes on the Virginia Peninsula. It played a central role in the Peninsula Campaign, during which Confederate generals Joseph E. Johnston and John B. Magruder used the mansion as their headquarters. A bit farther away is the USS Monitor Center at The Mariners’ Museum & Park (100 Museum Dr., Newport News, VA; 757-591-7789), where visitors can learn about the ironclad ships that changed naval warfare forever. You can get up close to Monitor’s gun turret and guns that are currently being conserved and spend hours among the exhibits that tell the story of the Battle of Hampton Roads. HL
Lanpher Productions, Inc.USS Monitor Center at The Mariners’ Museum & Park
The Yorktown National Cemetery (1000 Colonial National Historic Parkway; 757-898-2410), established in 1866, is the final resting place of over 2,000 Civil War soldiers, most of them Union soldiers killed during the Peninsula Campaign, including Private William Scott of the 3rd Vermont Infantry, known to history as the “Sleeping Sentinel.” (He was sentenced to death for being found asleep at his post but pardoned by President Abraham Lincoln.) The cemetery is also located near the spot where British forces surrendered on October 19, 1781, in effect ending the Revolutionary War. MM
Lanpher Productions, Inc.Yorktown National Cemetery
BEST EATS
Lanpher Productions, Inc.Water Street Grille
For lunch, the Yorktown Pub (540 Water St.; 757-886-9964) is a must-visit local landmark. They have great sandwiches and burgers as well as fresh local seafood (the crab cake sandwich with fries is a personal favorite). During the cooler months, their chili and grilled cheese is a nice pick-me-up. A good dinner spot is the Water Street Grille (323 Water St.; 757-369-5644). Located on the York River, it offers a variety of Virginia craft beers on tap. The food, from fish tacos to brick oven pizza, is excellent too. The live music featured throughout the spring, summer, and fall is a bonus. HL
Lanpher Productions, Inc.Riverwalk Restaurant
In Historic Yorktown, I enjoy having breakfast at the Duke of York Hotel’s Beach Bakery Café (508 Water St.; 757-898-5270). The food is delicious—especially the omelets, the breakfast sandwiches, and “The York” (two eggs, bacon, pancakes, and potatoes)—and there’s a spectacular view of the York River. A great lunch option is the Yorktown Pub, a Tidewater favorite that’s been named one of “America’s Best Seafood Dives” by Coastal Living magazine. It offers fresh seafood, half-pound burgers, and local microbrews. For dinner, try the Riverwalk Restaurant (323 Water St., Suite A-1; 757-875-1522), a fine-dining spot overlooking the York River that has great daily specials and an excellent wine selection. You can’t go wrong with the she-crab soup, Kentucky bourbon ribeye, or the grilled elk chops. MM
BEST SLEEP
Lanpher Productions, Inc.Hornsby House Inn
The Hornsby House Inn (702 Main St.; 757-369-0200) is a wonderful bed and breakfast located across the street from the York-town Victory Monument. Its beautifully decorated rooms offer an at-home feel, and its wonderful porches are a great spot to soak up the breeze coming in off the York River. And it’s within walking distance, or a short free trolley ride, of anywhere in Historic Yorktown. HL
Lanpher Productions, Inc.Marl Inn Bed and Breakfast
The Duke of York Hotel (508 Water St.; 757-898-3232) offers a great view of the York River and reasonably priced rooms. The Marl Inn Bed and Breakfast (220 Church St.; 301-807-0386) has beautiful gardens and quiet areas for reading and relaxing. The Hornsby House Inn on Main Street is a Colonial Revival home that overlooks the York River and has a comfortable sunroom. All three are located within easy walking distance of Yorktown sites. MM
BEST BOOK
Yorktown’s Civil War Siege: Drums Along the Warwick (2012), by John V. Quarstein and J. Michael Moore, both of whom are locals and experts on the American Civil War. The authors paint a portrait of Yorktown, augmented by maps, drawings, and period photographs, that immerses readers in early war events. HL
John V. Quarstein and I co-authored Yorktown’s Civil War Siege: Drums Along the Warwick in 2012. We combined almost 40 years’ worth of primary research on the Civil War on the Virginia Peninsula, along with two decades of leading countless tours of the area, to produce this work, which I believe provides a good narrative of the events that took place around Yorktown in 1861–1862. MM
ABOUT OUR EXPERTS
Lanpher Productions, Inc.Homer Lanier (left) and J. Michael Moore
Homer Lanier, a native of Williamsburg, Virginia, serves as the Interpretive Program and Events Manager for the Jamestown–Yorktown Foundation, where he has worked for 32 years.
J. Michael Moore is the curator for Lee Hall Mansion and Endview Plantation in Newport News, Virginia.
