Name: Forgotten World War: Exploring the Secret History of the American Revolution, from Spain to India and Back Again
Start: 2026-10-29
End: 2026-10-29

A locally owned and operated BBQ institution with Southern-style dining, including fried oysters and great corn fritters.

Sibley's BBQ

Craft distillery and tasting room offering nine liquors including bourbon, whiskey, vodka and moonshine.

Sleepy Fox Distillery

European Style Bakery Cafe experience in Ashland, VA. Specializing in a wide variety of sweet and savory artisan pastries, along with handcrafted espresso drinks and tea

Bravo Bakeshop

Specializes in delicious creations freshly-prepared to order. First Watch begins each morning at the crack of dawn, slicing and juicing fresh fruits and vegetables, baking muffins and making French toast batter from scratch.

First Watch-Hull Street

The Dutch Gap Conservation Area is 810 acres of diverse woods, wetlands and wildlife. Bordered by the beautiful and scenic James River, the area includes a blue heron rookery, the 4.5 mile Dutch Gap Trail, and the 2.5 mile Lagoon Water Trail. Fish along the River Trail and at five docks situated throughout the conservation area. The tidal waters include freshwater fish such as small and largemouth bass and blue catfish along with migratory species such as striped bass and American shad. Individuals and groups can schedule a private kayak/canoe tour in the tidal lagoon. A three-hour program includes nature guides, kayaks or canoes, paddles and flotation devices. Paddle time is about two hours. Minimum age is 7. For more information call 804-318-8735

Dutch Gap Conservation Area

Three Leg Run is a neighborhood brewery and winery with a rotating tap list and wine menu. We also have several small plate food items. We are kid and dog friendly!

Three Leg Run

Bruster’s Real Ice Cream is made the old-fashioned way, with slow kettle processing designed specifically to create the Bruster’s flavor, starting with a proprietary homestyle mix delivered fresh from its dairy to each store. It’s a process that simply makes Bruster’s a scoop above the rest.

Bruster's Real Ice Cream

Stand Up Paddle(SUP) The James River, Richmond, VA RVA, with the First ACA SUP certified Instructors in Central Virginia!

Black Dog Paddle-Chester

Upon returning to his prepared position on the Bermuda Hundred peninsula, General Benjamin F. Butler engineered a plan to build a canal across the small portion of land known as Dutch Gap. The canal’s intended purpose was to bypass Battery Dantzler and other Confederate fortifications along theJames River. The canal construction was begun in August 1864. Under the command of Brig. General D. S. Ludlow, construction was done primarily by African-American troops and continued well into December 1864 with over 67,000 cubic yards of material removed. All that was needed to complete the canal was the destruction of a dam and western bulkhead. On January 1, 1865 six tons of black powder were detonated under the bulkhead. However the bulkhead was not dislodged and the canal remained blocked. Soon thereafter the men working on the canal were assigned to the siege of Petersburg. In a January 4, 1865 letter General Grant requested that Butler be relieved of his command. The canal project was abandoned until after the Civil War. In the 1870’s Butler, then a member of the U.S. Congress, saw the canal completed. The Army Corps of Engineers widened the Dutch Gap Canal to its current extent in the 1930’s. The bluff at Henricus Historical Park marks the southern bank of Butler’s canal.

Dutch Gap Canal

Join us for brunch, lunch or dinner. Kick things off with our signature appetizers and salads, create your own perfect lunch, enjoy a classic combo for dinner, or go all out with our butcher's cut steaks, bold twists on pasta or fresh seafood.

O'Charley's - Chester

We’re a community of runners, hikers, bikers and ballplayers. We’re an outdoor playground, designed by Mother Nature, with class III and IV rapids running right through our downtown. A 52-mile bike trail runs along the James. The Richmond Marathon and Ukrop’s 10k are huge celebrations, and the whole region comes out to cheer on our local teams. In fact, we’re so sports-minded that the Washington Redskins have their training camp right in the center of the city. Add to that awesome hotels, beautiful venues, attractions, art, craft beer, more than 900 restaurants and a convenient location, and you’ve got a top choice for your next sports event. Welcome to RVA!

From indoor to outdoor facilities, the Richmond region has the fields, pitches, diamonds, venues and the dedicated staff to ensure your event is a huge success. 



Sports Richmond, VA

The Revolutionary War wasn’t just fought in the thirteen colonies—it was a world war, spanning four continents. To discover more, Derek Baxter embarks on an adventure-filled quest across the globe. He finds the human stories behind this long-ago conflict, expanding the universe of those who contributed to the cause, including the French, Spanish, Dutch, Oneida Indians, and Mysore Kingdom of India. And he delivers a powerful message: The United States only exists because peoples of different races, languages, and religions learned how to fight together, writing an unexpected story of independence that continues to resonate and inspire today. Baxter’s talk expands on the themes in VMHC’s exhibit *Revolutionary Allies: Foreign Friends of American Independence*.

Derek Baxter is the author of *In Pursuit of Jefferson: Traveling through Europe with the Most Perplexing Founding Father*, which chronicles how he followed Thomas Jefferson’s travels across six countries. His latest book is *The Forgotten World War: Exploring the Secret History of the American Revolution, from Spain to India and Back Again*.

The content and opinions expressed in these presentations are solely those of the speaker and not necessarily of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.

Program Notes:

- Tickets are required for in-person attendance. Lecture ticket includes admission to VMHC galleries.
- Admission to this lecture is free for members.

Forgotten World War: Exploring the Secret History of the American Revolution, from Spain to India and Back Again

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