Our good friend John Hennessy of the Fredericksburg- Spotsylvania National Military Park Service just sent me information on a wonderful event that is taking place this Saturday at the historic Massaponax Baptist Church in Spotsylvania County. In addition to standing just down the road from the Aubrecht homestead, MBC was also the site of Alexander Gardner’s famous photo of Grant’s War Council. On Saturday, the NPS will present two, one-of-a-kind programs (5 pm & 7 pm) that present the experiences of those who witnessed the Civil War firsthand. Admission is free. View event poster (PDF). Here is the promo:

No place in America suffered more during war than Spotsylvania. Children, churches, parents, and homesteads--all were caught in a maelstrom that transformed them. On Saturday March 28, members of the community, Massaponax Baptist Church, and the National Park Service come together to tell the story of Spotsylvania’s residents during the Civil War. Using a vivid historic setting, music, images, and the words of the people who lived here–-both slave and free--”Voices from the Storm: Spotsylvania's Great Trial ” will portray a community amidst four years of struggle.