A Labor of Love: New Exhibition Celebrates the Unsung Heroes of Fredericksburg's Battlefields

On January 2nd, the Fredericksburg Visitor Center will unveil a groundbreaking exhibition celebrating the extraordinary contributions of National Park Service volunteers—the dedicated individuals who bring history to life, one transcription, one garden bed, and one preserved earthwork at a time.

At the heart of the exhibition is a remarkable story of historical detective work by volunteer Steve Morin, whose passion for primary sources led to an extraordinary discovery. While digitizing materials from Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park's bound volume collection, Steve uncovered the diary of Lieutenant Horace Hill, a young officer killed during the Battle of the Wilderness in 1864. But Steve didn't stop at transcription. His curiosity drove him deeper into the story, ultimately leading him to connect the dots and “complete a puzzle.”

What happened next reads like a historian's dream. Steve managed to locate Nancy Rosen, Francis Hill's great-great-granddaughter, who lives just five miles from the house where Francis was raised. Nancy had preserved a trove of family letters and diaries in a cedar chest for generations, and she shared them with the park, dramatically expanding the collection. Through Steve's dedication, the Hill brothers transformed from names in a regimental roster into real people with families, fears, and profound love for one another, and the fruits of his labor will be on exhibition for all of Fredericksburg to come bear witness. 

"As a bound volume volunteer, Steve’s job is to read the primary source the park gives him and simply transcribe it digitally," explains Ashley Ranalli, the park's first-ever Volunteer Coordinator. "He didn't need to make a story." But Steve's approach goes beyond the prescribed duties. "I have always loved the way he views history,” Ashley explains. “To me, Steve is looking to understand the people he is researching and make a connection.” For example, instead of just reading that Horace Hill died, he becomes a “real” person. “Steve made it his mission to make Horace and Francis real people, which is a gift to anyone reading his report. They become more than just names in a document, instead, real people of consequence who actually suffered for the war.”

“It’s like a puzzle that I have to solve,” says Steve, who has always had an analytical mind. He builds each document’s story, piece-by-piece, adding additional elements and details as he transcribes each document. Mostly, he gets accounts of the weather, battles, or longings of home, but the Hill brothers’ correspondence stood out. Having a close relationship with his own brother, Steve saw the humanity embedded between the lines of the brothers’ correspondence and continued peeling back the layers until he had a complete picture of the journey from upstate New York to retrieve Horace’s body.

Steve's lifelong passion for Civil War history began in 1965 when he attended the centennial celebration of the Battle of Fredericksburg with his parents. His deep knowledge of camp life and period phrases proves invaluable to historians working with primary documents. He’s been a Civil War re-enactor for years as well, and recently celebrated a decade of volunteering with the National Park Service.

The exhibition features Steve, along with seven other volunteers and represents the diverse ways people contribute to the park across four battlefields. From the Earthworks Corps volunteers who trek deep into trenches every other Friday to clear vegetation, to garden caretakers at Chatham, to maintenance volunteers who repair cannon casings and paint fences, each represents the vital role volunteers play in preserving these sacred landscapes.

"Volunteers are such a critical part of the National Park Service," Ashley emphasizes. With over 60 active volunteers at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania, these community members are the backbone of the park. 

As Ashley puts it, these volunteers are "only paid in sunsets" but give immeasurably to preserve history for future generations. The exhibition stands as a testament to their dedication and an invitation for others to join in caring for these hallowed grounds.

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Note: The Fredericksburg City Visitor Center kicked off the city’s America 250 celebration with the unveiling of this exhibit on January 2 and a reception, followed by a half-hour guided Q&A session led by Chief of Interpretation, Beth Parnicza, at the City’s Visitor Center during the town’s First Friday festivities. While this special event will have passed by the time this magazine reaches your mailbox, we hope you’ll stop by the Visitor Center this month to view the exhibition.