RALEIGH — The State Capitol will mark the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Big Bethel on Saturday, June 11. Though the battle in June 1861 took place in Virginia, North Carolina soldier Henry Lawson Wyatt was reportedly the first soldier to die in battle for the Confederate cause in the Civil War.
From 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., the North State Rifles re-enacting group (www.northstaterifles.com) will be on the northwest Capitol grounds at the Wyatt monument. Group members will speak about Wyatt’s life, model the variety of uniforms worn by Tar Heels in the first year of the war, and give a lecture on the Battle of Big Bethel.
Displays at “Remembering Big Bethel” will shed light on how soldiers made the transition from home to the battlefield.
Capitol staff will be on hand to assist visitors in making a stone rubbing of the base of the Wyatt monument to take home as a remembrance. A new exhibit titled “The Capitol: 1861” will be on display inside. The event is free and open to the public.
The program is part of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources’ 2nd Saturdays (www.ncculture.com) summer programming series showcasing North Carolina’s culture, heritage and arts. Partners include Our State magazine and AT&T. Media sponsorship is provided by Public Radio East.
For a complete schedule of more than 100 2nd Saturdays programs across North Carolina, go to www.ncculture. com or call 919-807-7385.
The Capitol is at One Edenton Street.