Hunter’s Campaign and the Battle of Hanging Rock were important events in Salem Civil War history. On Thursday, July 13 at 7 p.m. at the Salem Museum, noted Civil War historian Alex Burke will describe the campaign leading up to the battle, the notable participants and the eventual outcome of the conflict.
Salem’s most active engagement during the war occurred on June 21, 1864 as retreating Federal forces under Major General David Hunter met up with Confederate cavalry under Brigadier General John McCausland at the Battle of Hanging Rock. The North suffered nearly 50 casualties and lost ten pieces of artillery, while only two Southern soldiers were killed. While this small battle did nothing to change the trajectory of the war, it played a significant role in how these events are interpreted and remembered locally.
Burke is the assistant director of the Salem Museum. A Salem native, he graduated from Glenvar High School and Roanoke College. At Roanoke, he studied history with a major focus on the American Civil War and 18th Century America. He has been associated with the Salem Museum since 2014, when he first began as an intern. He now serves as the Museum’s chief historian, exhibit designer and in-demand speaker. His speaking engagements have included several Elderscholar programs and numerous presentations for community and heritage groups. Burke is now working toward a Master’s degree at VCU.
-The Salem Times-Register