A BGES Revolutionary War Field University Program
With Robert Dunkerly
October 17, 2026; from Williamsburg, VA
8:00 A.M. Meet at Christiana Campbell’s Tavern
101 S. Walker Street, Williamsburg, VA 23185
Free parking is located behind the tavern.
Join historian Bert Dunkerly, author of the BGES publication, An Explorer’s Guide to America’s Revolutionary War, for a tour of hidden and lesser-known sites in Williamsburg and Yorktown. Have you visited before? We will hit the highlights but also visit seldom-seen and off-the-beaten-path locations. The tour will explore the area from the start of the conflict to the final campaign, visiting the sites of pre-war protests, campsites, battles, and more. Colonial Williamsburg’s streets and public spaces are free to access, but we will not enter any of the historic buildings. We will also visit Yorktown, and depending on time and the group’s wishes, visit some key sites and lesser-known spots.
Walking: 2 miles in Williamsburg, there are places to sit along the way. There will be minimal walking in Yorktown, as it is mostly a driving tour.
Lunch will be on your own at a restaurant of the group’s choosing
Itinerary
Saturday, October 17, 2026
8:00 A.M. Williamsburg
Meet at Christiana Campbell’s Tavern.
Introduction: overview of Revolutionary Williamsburg, our plan for the day.
Campbell’s Tavern and its role as a meeting place. One of many businesses run by widowed women.
Stop 1: Capitol Building
Overview of the building’s history, prewar protests here led by Patrick Henry and others. Virginia’s declaration of independence in May 1776.
Stop 2: Raleigh Tavern
Here delegates met after being dismissed and made plans to resist British laws. Geroge Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Patrick Henry were among those who met here.
Stop 3: Kings Arms Tavern
Overview of events here during the war.
Stop 4: Ludwell-Paradies House
Clementina Rind, published the Virginia Gazette here, she was the official printer for the State of Virginia.
Stop 5: Gunpowder Magazine
The 1775 Gunpowder Incident was a key spark in the coming of the Revolution. We will also discuss the recently discovered Civil War burials found here.
Stop 6: Governor’s Palace
Once the Royal Governor fled, Virginia’s first state governor, Patrick Henry, used the residence. It was a hospital after the battle of Yorktown.
Stop 7: Wythe House
Headquarters for British General Cornwallis before Yorktown, as well as General George Washington a week later.
Stop 8: Bruton Parish Church
Those who worshiped here included George Washington, James Madison, John Tyler, Benjamin Harrison, Patrick Henry, and Thomas Jefferson. The church still uses a bell cast in 1761, which rang to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783.
Stop 9: St George Tucker House
Overview of his role in the Revolution
Stop 10: Peyton Randolph House
An overlooked Revolutionary leader, the first President of the Continental Congress.
Stop 11: Wrenn Building
Oldest building at the College of William and Mary, used as a barracks and hospital during the war.
Stop 12: Public Goal
POWs were kept here during the Revolution.
Stop 13: French Cemetery
A hidden, lesser-known site in the historic area
Noon: Lunch and commute to Green Spring Battlefield Site
We will make two stops at Green Spring: The Church on the Main, with Revolutionary markers and burials, and the battlefield tour stop. After viewing these we will continue onto Yorktown.
Yorktown:
Visitor Center: restrooms, exhibits, and orientation. The park charges admission, those with National Park Passes can get in free. If enough of our group members have passes, we can all be covered. Depending on time and the interest of the group, we will visit these sites:
Driving Tour Sites:
Stop 1: British Defenses
We will examine the British positions and discuss the army’s challenges.
Stop 2: First Parallel
This is where the Americans began their siege lines.
Stop 3: Second Parallel
Here the Allies concentrated their artillery for the final bombardment.
Stop 4: Redoubts
The only significant infantry action took place here and sealed the fate of the British.
Stop 5: Surrender Field
Site of the formal surrender of arms.
Stop 6: French Monument
A lesser-known spot, the monument honors the French who were killed in the campaign. This was the site of a French attack and a British redoubt.
Optional Stop: Untouched Redoubt
If time permits, we will visit one of the only original earthworks from 1781.
Optional Stop: Moore House
If time permits and the group is interested, we will visit the house where the surrender negotiations took place.
5 pm. Depart for hotels in Williamsburg.
About the Faculty
Robert M. (Bert) Dunkerly is a historian, award-winning author, and speaker who is actively involved in historic preservation and research. He holds a degree in history from St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and a Master’s in historic preservation from Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He has worked at 14 historic sites and written over a dozen books and numerous scholarly articles. His research includes archaeology, colonial life, military history, and historic commemoration. He is a past president of the Richmond Civil War Round Table and serves on the Preservation Commission for the American Revolution Round Table-Richmond. He has taught courses at Central Virginia Community College, the University of Richmond, and the Virginia Historical Society. Dunkerly is currently a park ranger at Richmond National Battlefield Park. He enjoys exploring local bookstores, battlefields, and breweries.
Hotel Information
There is no sponsoring hotel for this one-day, private driving–walking tour. There are numerous hotels nearby in Williamsburg and Richmond, VA.
Transportation
The servicing airport is Richmond International Airport (RIC). It is 48 miles from Williamsburg, VA.
Recommended Reading
The following books are suggested to enhance your readiness for the program.
- Cecere, Michael. Williamsburg At War: Virginia’s Colonial Capital in the Revolutionary War. Berwyn Heights, MD: Heritage Books, 2023. ISBN: 978-0788444043.
- Davis, Burke. The Campaign That Won America: The Story of Yorktown. Eastern Acorn Press, 1979. ISBN: 978-0915992010.
- Dunkerly, Robert M. An Explorer’s Guide to America’s Revolutionary War. Danville, VA: Blue and Gray Education Society, 2023. ISBN: 979-8218005719.
- Greene, Jerome. The Guns of Independence: The Siege of Yorktown, 1781. El Dorado Hills, CA: Savas Beatie, 2009. ISBN: 978-1932714685.
Tour Pricing
Current BGES member (one-time payment only, no deposit): $100
Non-BGES member (one-time payment, no deposit): $150
Annual membership fee: $75
Registration
The registration period for this tour has closed. Please check out some of our other tours that may interest you or contact us to inquire about a future offering for this tour.
To register by mail or fax, download: Printable Registration Form
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