General Lee Attacks Philadelphia An Alternative History Tour

See: Stand beneath the massive statue of General George B. McClellan on the north side of City Hall.

Learn: We analyze the Union's command structure and the sheer scale of Philadelphia's logistical power. You will learn why the city's rail hub status made it a target, but also why an attack by Lee would have been a logistical nightmare for the Confederates.

See: View the opulent French Renaissance-style clubhouse of the Union League, founded in 1862.

Learn: Discover how this institution became the financial engine of the war effort. We discuss how Philadelphia's wealthy elite funded the regiments that Lee could not defeat, proving that wars are won by economies as much as armies.

See: Walk down the historic "Little Club Row" on Camac Street.

Learn: We analyze the connection to the "Great Central Fair" (Sanitary Fair). You will understand how civilian efforts and art exhibitions transformed political decisions—including the push for Emancipation—into tangible war funds and supplies.

See: Stand before the historic Musical Fund Hall.

Learn: Discuss this building's role as a center for political activity, including the first Republican National Convention in 1856. We explore how cultural mobilization helped sustain public support for the war when morale was at its lowest.

See: Stroll through the Physic Gardens of the first hospital in the United States.

Learn: We use this stop—the nation's premier medical hub during the 1860s—to analyze the immense logistical and moral dilemma facing Lee's invasion force: what do you do with thousands of wounded men in enemy territory?

See: Visit the oldest ground continuously owned by African Americans in the United States.

Learn: Understand the powerful role of Philadelphia's free Black community. We discuss the recruitment of Black soldiers (USCT) and the moral political strength that the Confederacy underestimated and could not defeat.

See: Walk through this scenic square to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Learn: Few visitors realize this park is a mass grave for thousands of Revolutionary War soldiers. We honor the continuity of sacrifice, linking the struggles of the American Revolution directly to the bloodshed of the Civil War.

See: The tour concludes in the shadow of the birthplace of the nation.

Learn: We connect the chaos of 1863 back to the promises of 1776. We discuss how the Civil War didn't just test the nation—it forged a "more perfect union" by finally securing the abolition of slavery and cementing the Federal power that was born in this very building.

Admission Ticket Not Included (Exterior Visit)