The Shepherdstown Battlefield Preservation Association, Inc. ((SBPA) is planning two events to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Shepherdstown. The first is on the evening of Friday, Sept. 21 and the second on Saturday afternoon, Sept.22. The events will also celebrate the purchase of the historic Cement Mill property, an important part of the site of the Battle of Shepherdstown. The site was purchased with funds primarily garnered by the SBPA and its members.

As many know, the Battle of Shepherdstown was the third and last battle of Robert E. Lee’s Maryland Campaign, the campaign that many historians believe was the turning point of the Civil War.

The first event will be the 8th annual concert for the benefit of the SBPA. The concert will be held at the Train Station in Shepherdstown with doors opening at 7:30 p.m. and entertainment to begin at 8. The band is yet to be determined. A $10 donation is requested at the door. Food, and soft drinks will be available as well as adult beverages for a small donation. An auction with Civil War interest is also planned.

On Saturday, Sept. 22, there will be two tours of the battlefield led by two Civil War historians. The first tour will begin at 2:30 p.m. and the second at 3:30 p.m. The tours take about two hours and include a wading of the Potomac River at Boetler’s Ford (optional), a hike through the Cement Mill property and then onto the battlefield about one half mile south of the Potomac where most of the battle took place. The tours will be followed by a barbecue on Trough Bend Lane with hamburgers, hot dogs, salads and beverages, all for a donation of $30 per participant. Tickets for the river crossing will be available on SBPA’s website on Sept. 1 at www.battleofshepherdstown.org.