Fairfield, Varina meeting Sept. 8 to spotlight upcoming Civil War reenactments

Fairfield District Supervisor Frank J. Thornton and Varina District Supervisor Tyrone E. Nelson will hold a community meeting Monday, Sept. 8 on upcoming Civil War battle reenactments to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Battle of New Market Heights.

The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the Henrico Theatre, 305 E. Nile Mile Road. Officials with the Division of Recreation and Parks will discuss plans for the reenactments and related festivities, which will include living history exhibits and Civil War-era music, food and games.

The reenactments will take place Saturday, Sept. 27 and Sunday, Sept. 28 at the Runnymede property, which is adjacent to the Malvern Hill site of the Richmond National Battlefield Park, 8750 Willis Church Road, between Darbytown Road and state Route 5/New Market Road. Admission and parking are free.

For details on the reenactments, including directions and maps, go to civilwarhenrico.com and visithenrico.com. For information on the community meeting, call (804) 501-4208.

Fourteen African-American soldiers and two white officers serving in the U.S. Colored Troops received the Medal of Honor — the nation’s highest military award — for heroism in combat during the Battle of New Market Heights. Their actions helped dispel the notion, widely held at the time, that black soldiers were unfit for combat.