City's Place in US Civil War; Catherine Jones on How Liverpool Could Play a Central Role in America's Marking of Her Darkest Hour

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Byline: Catherine Jones

Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Fredericksburg, Fort Sumter, Atlanta... Liverpool. In the great roll call of American Civil War sites, the Mersey may seem like a bit of an odd man out.

But Liverpool, and the shipbuilders across the water in Wirral, played an integral role in the bloody conflict which has its 150th anniversary in 2011.

Now city chiefs are looking at ideas for a new American Civil War tour and trail which they believe could act as a magnet to thousands of visitors from across the Atlantic.

"It would attract a lot of American tourists which would be really good for Liverpool economically," says Virginian Tom Sebrell, who lectures in American history at London University.

"They'd be coming over for the whole four years from 2011-15 which mark the 150th anniversary.

"And a lot of people in the north of the United States are interested in the naval …