Fighting for The Wilderness: A Critical Update on Our Legal Battle

From the American Battlefield Trust….

After the Battle of the Wilderness, Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant maneuvered his Army of the Potomac further south, looking to put his troops in an advantageous position between Robert E. Lee’s force and the Confederate capitol at Richmond. He knew he was playing the long game and in the midst of bloody fighting at Spotsylvania Court House, he wrote back to Washington, “I propose to fight it out on this line if it takes all summer.”

In fighting the proposed mega development at Wilderness Crossing, I have developed newfound appreciation for the determination in those words, the knowledge that the road will be long and hard but still necessary. 

It’s been 23 months since the Orange County Board of Supervisors voted on a flawed rezoning proposal that stands to completely overwhelm the gateway to this important battlefield and national park unit with data centers, distribution warehouses, industrial development and thousands of residential units.  

It’s been 22 months, since the American Battlefield Trust, the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust, Friend of Wilderness Battlefield and several private landowners filed a lawsuit in the aftermath.  

And just last Friday we had a significant milestone in the case with a hearing on the county’s motion to see it dismissed, as well as an effort to block the admission of “friend of the court” briefs filed by other conservation organizations.  

The hearing went all afternoon and into the evening – the only member of the Board of Supervisors to attend in person exited before the judge finally adjourned. And although he did determine that those important briefs from our allies would become part of the case’s record, he did not issue a decision on whether the case would move forward to trial.  

I have to respect this approach. In addition to the hours of arguments he heard live, there are literally thousands of pages of documentation to digest in order to have a fully formed opinion. Lawyers and historians both believe in thorough documentation, after all! So as nice as it might have been to share a more decisive update with you, I appreciate it’s important to take a thoughtful and considerate approach to a complex topic.  

The judge indicated he would take at least a month to issue his written opinion. If he rules in our favor, the case will proceed to trial; if he doesn’t as with the Prince William Digital Gateway, we will look at our options for appeal.  

And so we wait, knowing that we will fight it out on this line if it takes all summer, all year or even longer. The destruction of hallowed ground through ill-sited proposals and haphazard processes is too important an issue for us to stand down.

Make a gift to support our advocacy fund

As these critical legal cases drag on, I ask you to support the Trust’s advocacy work to ensure that we continue to purchase battlefield land without any need to divert a penny contributed toward that primary mission. We fight these battles now because, if we don’t, the impact of these data centers and distribution warehouses and industrial-scale solar arrays will just continue to spread to more and more historic areas.

‘Til the battle is won,

David N. Duncan
President
American Battlefield Trust

$2.3 Million Awarded To Protect 172 Acres At Battlefields

From National Parks Traveler

Compiled from National Park Service releases.

March 21, 2025

“Nation Makers” by Howard Pyle captures the spirit of the American Revolution in this 1906 painting inspired by the events at Brandywine Battlefield.

The National Park Service has awarded $2,289,880.56 in Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants through the American Battlefield Protection Program to protect 155.39 acres at Civil War battlefields in Mississippi and Virginia, as well as 16.2 acres at a Revolutionary War battlefield in Pennsylvania.  

State and local governments spearhead the projects funded by American Battlefield Protection Program grants to protect significant battlefield landscapes that are vital to the shared history of their communities and the nation. The Land and Water Conservation Fund makes these awards possible by reinvesting revenue from offshore oil and natural gas to help strengthen conservation and recreation opportunities across the nation. 

The awards are to: 

• Chadds Ford Township, Pa. -- $1,838,388.62 for preservation of 16.2 acres at Brandywine Battlefield in Delaware County, Pa. 

• Mississippi Department of Archives and History -- $73,616.00 for preservation of 4.45 acres at Chickasaw Bayou Battlefield in Warren County, Miss.

• Mississippi Department of Archives and History -- $36,645.00 for preservation of 0.39 acres at Chickasaw Bayou Battlefield in Warren County, Miss.

• Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation -- $132,077.41 for preservation of 11.72 acres at Boydton Plank Battlefield in Henrico County, Va.

• Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation -- $209,153.53 to complete preservation of 138.83 acres at Deep Bottom I and II Battlefields in Henrico County, Va.  

Chadds Ford Township will use its grant to partner with the North American Land Trust to protect an area that was a crucial part of General George Washington’s main defensive line and site of action at the Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777. Washington sought to block British advances toward Philadelphia, then the seat of the federal government.

British General William Howe and his men overran Washington’s right flank while General Wilhelm von Kynphausen’s Hessians attacked American forces near the Quaker Meeting house at Chadds Ford. While the British eventually prevailed, Nathanael Greene’s rear guard held off the British, allowing the Continental Army to retreat and regroup. An estimated 30,000 troops fought that day throughout the extensive Brandywine Battlefield.  

Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants empower preservation partners nationwide to acquire and preserve threatened battlefields on American soil. In addition, the National Park Service administers three other grant programs: Preservation Planning, Battlefield Interpretation and Battlefield Restoration Grants. Financial and technical assistance support sustainable, community-driven stewardship of natural and historic resources at the state, Tribal, and local levels. 

Over 50 Acres Preserved at Second Deep Bottom Battlefield

Preserving our nation’s hallowed ground requires tireless effort and support from numerous channels, but there is no better feeling than when that work culminates in saving American history and honoring the bravery of our nation’s soldiers. 

We at the American Battlefield Trust are incredibly excited to announce 50.5 acres of hallowed ground have been preserved on the Second Deep Bottom Battlefield, located just south of Richmond, Virginia. This land is located directly adjacent to already preserved areas of the battlefield, and much of it remains virtually unchanged from its 1864 appearance. This victory expands our ability to tell the story of Second Deep Bottom, allowing visitors to have a fuller understanding of the battle. 

Without our friends and partners, our goal of saving this land would not have been possible, and you have our sincerest thanks.   

The Battle of Second Deep Bottom

As he had done in late July of 1864 during the Battle of the Crater, Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant called upon Maj. Gen. Winfield S. Hancock and his II Corps to attack Gen. Robert E. Lee around Richmond. Meanwhile, Lee dispatched Gen. Jubal Early to operate in the Shenandoah Valley. In return, Ulysses S. Grant sent Gen. Philip Sheridan to deal with Early. 

By the morning of August 14, Hancock had his men across the James River and in position to attack the Confederate lines. Gen. David D. Birney’s X Corps, detached with Hancock, found Confederates dug in along New Market Heights. Fighting in the area around Fussell’s Mill, east of New Market Heights, resulted in the Federals gaining some ground. On August 16, the Federals launched another attack at Fussell’s Mill. The assault opened a gap in the Confederate line, however Union infantry were driven back by counterattacks. 

Several days of fighting and sporadic skirmishing ensued. Eventually, both sides were worn out by the combat and extreme heat. After nearly a week of fighting and almost 4,400 casualties, Hancock abandoned the fight on August 20 and withdrew back across the James River. 

Nearly all of an attack from Union Col. George N. Macy, who was badly wounded on the first day of the battle, occurred on this land being preserved. Additionally, the 7th United States Colored Troops and the 9th United States Colored Troops marched through the land to assume a reserve position behind the main Union line the following day. Protecting this land preserves this history, creates an opportunity to interpret the United States Colored Troops' role in the battle and protects the larger historic landscape in the face of ongoing development around Richmond. 

Saving this hallowed ground would not have been possible without support from the Virginia Battlefield Preservation Fund, the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation and the American Battlefield Protection Program. These crucial grants, paired with support from local partners and your generosity, have ensured the hallowed ground at Second Deep Bottom will be cherished forever.

We can only fulfill our mission at the Trust through the stalwart support of our friends and donors. Our victories are your victories.

‘Til the battle is won. 

David N. Duncan
President
American Battlefield Trust

Help save this sacred ground at Gettysburg.

Gettysburg Preservation Update: Spring 2025

Just over two years ago, we set out to save 15 acres of hallowed ground at Willoughby’s Run, a key site in the Battle of Gettysburg. Once slated for an apartment complex, this land was nearly lost—until we secured a $3 million agreement to preserve it forever.

Thanks to generous supporters, we’ve made incredible progress. With a donor pledging to match half the cost, we raised the first $1.5 million. Now, we’re in the home stretch: just $475,000 remains to meet our goal.

This is the moment to ensure that history is protected, not paved over. Every donation brings us closer to securing this land forever. Will you help us cross the finish line?

The Opportunity 

We must work urgently to raise the remaining funds — $475,000 — to complete this preservation effort at Gettysburg before July 1 in time for the 162nd anniversary of Gettysburg.

These acres bore witness to the first moments of what would become the best-known battle ever fought on American soil. Considered by many a major turning point in the war, Gettysburg has long captivated students of history of all ages.

Tens of millions of Americans have traveled to Gettysburg to walk in the footsteps of their ancestors, to contemplate what they did there, and marvel at the flow of the Civil War’s greatest battle. No one would want to see inappropriate development at one of the nation’s most sacred sites.

This is a rare opportunity to ensure that the legacy of all those who fought, bled, and died at Willoughby’s Run will endure, to the 162nd Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg and beyond.

Donate now

The History

Gettysburg was not only the costliest battle of the Civil War but also the bloodiest battle ever fought on American soil.

If the battle had ended as the sun set on July 1, 1863, the first day alone would now be remembered as the 12th bloodiest battle of the Civil War. That’s how intense the first day of fighting was.

The violent combat at McPherson’s Ridge, Oak Hill, Oak Ridge, Seminary Ridge, and Barlow’s Knoll produced more than 16,000 Americans killed, wounded, captured, or missing.

First-hand battle accounts describe the carnage in gruesome detail and record the staggering and heartbreaking scale of human loss. The 13th North Carolina alone lost 83% of its men at Gettysburg.

One captain from the 2nd Wisconsin who fought with the Iron Brigade at Seminary Ridge later wrote:

“As if every lanyard was pulled by the same hand, this line of artillery opened, and Seminary Ridge blazed with a solid sheet of flame, and the missiles of death that swept its western slopes no human beings could endure.”

To stand on this property during the heat of battle on the afternoon of July 1, 1863, you would have been surrounded by gunfire, while your eyes would have been stung from smoke.

Situated between the critical battle arteries of the Chambersburg Pike and Fairfield Road, and bordering land preserved by the National Park Service and by the American Battlefield Trust, this tract hosted Union and Confederate movements and fighting on the battle’s first day, was used as a reserve position on the next day, and later served as or was right next to a temporary cemetery for Confederate soldiers killed nearby.

In this July 1863 Mathew Brady view, you can see in the distance part of the tract we’re trying to save, at right, looking through Reynolds Woods. Note the Seminary looming above the trees in the center (and at left in the detail above).

The initial deployments of the Union cavalry and horse artillery moved on part of the tract, while the Iron Brigade crossed it en route to its famous fights near Willoughby’s Run and the Railroad Cut. Commander Chapman Biddle’s brigades of Pennsylvania troops crossed over it again and again as they tried to move out of the path of incoming projectiles, some of which doubtless fell upon the tract.

Biddle’s brigade also retreated through this swale, followed by Generals James Pettigrew’s and James H. Lane’s North Carolina troops, and by Colonel Abner M. Perrin’s men from South Carolina.

The Land at Gettysburg Today

While preservation campaigns (including our efforts!) eventually took hold in one direction, and commercial development steamrolled on in another, this 11-acre plot stayed nearly the same for more than a century and a half. It’s in nearly pristine condition!

It’s a two-minute walk from the Lutheran Seminary. It’s a three-minute walk to the famed spot where the Three Confederate Prisoners were photographed in one of the most iconic images of the Civil War.

It’s about 1,200 feet from the monument that marks the place where Gen. John F. Reynolds lost his life, and barely 1,600 feet from Lee’s Headquarters. That’s how central this tract is to the battlefield and the first day of fighting!

Please give what you can today to help save this hallowed land.

Donate now

Your History Is Under Threat — Help Us Defend It

“We have not yet begun to fight.”

Those powerful words, spoken by Revolutionary War hero John Paul Jones, echoed across the chaos of battle when surrender seemed inevitable. His ship was sinking. His crew was battered. But his spirit? Unbroken.

Today, we face a battle of our own—not with cannons and muskets, but with petitions, court filings, and the unwavering determination to defend America’s sacred ground.

The historic Manassas Battlefield, where soldiers fought and fell during the Civil War, is under siege—not by armies, but by corporations eager to build the world’s largest data center campus.

Thirty-seven massive data centers sprawling over land three times the size of Disneyland, threaten to smother the very ground where American history was written.

This isn’t just any land.

It’s where the Second Battle of Manassas raged in 1862—a battle that saw unimaginable courage and devastating loss. One historian described part of the battlefield as a “whirlpool of death,” where entire regiments were nearly wiped out. The 21st Georgia, for example, lost 184 of its 242 men in a single night.

We cannot allow their sacrifice to be buried under concrete and steel.

And it isn't just Manassas; the Wilderness, Brandy Station and many other battlefields are also threatened.

That’s why the American Battlefield Trust has filed an appeal with the Virginia Court of Appeals to overturn the reckless decision that greenlit this development.

But this legal battle is fierce, and we cannot win it alone. We need your help in holding the line against impinging development!

Here’s how you can stand with us today:

  SIGN THE PETITION urging Virginia’s leaders to protect our historic battlefields.

 MAKE A GIFT to fuel our legal fight and advocacy efforts.

This is more than a lawsuit. It’s a stand against the erosion of our history. It’s about honoring the soldiers who gave everything—and ensuring future generations can walk these fields, reflect on the past, and understand the price of freedom.

“We have not yet begun to fight.”

Those words remind us that even when the odds are stacked against us, courage and conviction can prevail. That’s the spirit we’re channeling today.

Will you join us?

With determination and gratitude,

David N. Duncan, President

American Battlefield Trust

P.S. The corporations behind this development have deep pockets and powerful lawyers. But we have something stronger: people like you who believe that history is worth fighting for. Please donate today and help us protect America’s sacred ground.

SIGN THE PETITION

DONATE NOW

Preservation Opportunity at Rocky Face Ridge

from Emerging Civil War

Saving History Saturday: Preservation Opportunity at Rocky Face Ridge

By Terry Rensel on February 8, 2025

Save the Dalton Battlefields, and the American Battlefield Trust, are working on a project to acquire 61.54 acres at Rocky Face Ridge in Dalton, Georgia.

Photo: Save the Dalton Battlefields

The 61.54-acre property includes two artillery batteries and nine lunettes, one of which is made from stacked rock, in Crow Valley along the southeast slope of Rocky Face Ridge. The position was occupied by the Washington Artillery/Stanford’s Battery.

The American Battlefield Trust has spearheaded the acquisition, which has also been supported by the Open Space Institute. Open Space Institute is a conservation organization that has also partnered with Save the Dalton Battlefields to preserve this property, as both an historic and environmental/ conservation project. This property is located along the southeast slope of Rocky Face Ridge. The purchase price for the 61.54 acres is $677,000, and to date over $600,000 in pledges and support has been raised, with a June 2025 deadline to raise the rest.

To learn more about the American Battlefield Trust, visit their website.

For more about the Open Space Institute, click here.

To learn more about the Save the Dalton Battlefields, including on how to support this preservation project, visit their Facebook page.

Another Preservation Win at Seven Pines/Fair Oaks!

From Emerging Civil War

By Doug Crenshaw on February 5, 2025

The Seven Pines/Fair Oaks battlefield has long been considered completely lost to preservation. A key battlefield in 1862, it witnessed some 11,000 casualties, making it the second-bloodiest day of the war to that time. Joe Johnston was wounded here, and Robert E. Lee took command of the army on this ground.

During World War I, the area where D. H. Hill attacked became a production area for war materials, and supporting housing and a retail village sprung up. Today this area is known as Sandston, and more houses continue to be built. The Fair Oaks portion has also been developed. Tragically, there did not seem to be even a sliver of land available to save.

The area shaded in pink is a 24-acre tract of the Seven Pines/Fair Oaks battlefield from June 1, 1862 recently preserved by the Capital Region Land Conservancy. The site will be transferred to the Richmond Battlefields Association. (Courtesy Doug Crenshaw)

This all changed a few years ago when Vic Vignola was working on his book Contrasts in Command. Vic discovered that the part of the wartime Adams farm might be available for sale. He immediately notified Bobby Krick of the Richmond National Battlefield Park, as well as the American Battlefield Trust. The Trust quickly stepped in and saved the roughly dozen acres. This is important land… the farm was a key part of the Federal position in the Fair Oaks area on May 31, 1862.

Now another tract is being saved. The Capital Region Land Conservancy has acquired 24 acres to the east, down along the railroad tracks. It’s out of the way, but it was a significant scene of the action on June 1. On this land the brigades of Oliver O. Howard and Thomas Meagher struggled with those of Lewis Armistead and George Pickett. Howard was possibly wounded and lost his arm here. CRLC anticipates recording a conservation easement with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources before the transfers to the Richmond Battlefields Association.

This is not all that the CRLC has done recently. Just a few years ago they purchased a major piece of land at Malvern Hill, where basically the entire battlefield has been saved. It has been called one of the best-preserved battlefields in America. The CRLC has also been steadily acquiring land near Deep Bottom within the core area of the Battle of New Market Heights where the US Colored Troops broke through the Confederate line and marched on to Fort Harrison.

While land is becoming increasingly scarce, the actions of an observant individual and a team of dedicated preservationists can work wonders. Be sure to keep an eye out… you never know what you might discover!

This land is at risk, but you can save it!

If you’ve ever watched a line of dominoes fall, you know how one small action can spark something greater. History works the same way—each event shaping the next. And today, you have the power to make a lasting impact.

Right now, we’re working to save 161 acres across five historic battlefields: Fort Heiman, Fort Henry, Chattanooga, Spring Hill, and Bentonville. These lands are critical pieces of America’s story. Without action, they could be lost forever to development.

These battlefields witnessed pivotal moments during the Civil War. Here’s what your generosity helps preserve:

• Fort Heiman/Fort Henry (KY/TN): These forts were the keys to General Ulysses S. Grant’s first major victory and opened critical Union supply lines along the Tennessee River in 1862.
  
  

• Brown’s Ferry/Chattanooga (TN): In October 1863, the “Cracker Line” was established here, breaking the Confederate siege of Union troops and paving the way for future Union victories.
  
  

• Spring Hill (TN): A remarkable tactical failure by the Confederates in November 1864 allowed Union forces to escape undetected, setting up their triumph at the Battle of Franklin.
  
  

• Bentonville (NC): The site of the last major battle of the Civil War’s Western Theater in March 1865, marking a final stand by Confederate forces before surrendering. Nashville Campaign Connections: Across these battlefields, Confederate and Union forces maneuvered in ways that shifted the war’s trajectory toward Union victory.

SAVE THESE BATTLEFIELDS NOW

These are more than just acres of land—they are stories of courage, sacrifice, and the determination that shaped America.

But here’s the incredible news: your gift today will be matched $54-to-$1! This means every $10 you contribute becomes $540 to save irreplaceable hallowed ground.

We know times are challenging. But in moments when so much feels out of our control, we can focus on what we can do. Today, you can protect these historic sites and inspire future generations to learn, reflect, and honor.

Act now to save these battlefields and secure your special gift—a stunning photo book, Battlefields in Focus, showcasing the beauty and history of the lands we’ve preserved together.

'Til the battle is won,

David N. Duncan, President
American Battlefield Trust

P.S. Every dollar counts, and with this unprecedented $54-to-$1 match, your contribution has the power to transform history. Don’t miss this limited opportunity to protect these five historic battlefields and leave a legacy of preservation.

GIVE NOW

Victory! Further land saved at UNESCO-designated Fort Negley

Some preservation projects are so ambitious that they require cooperative effort from all levels of government – federal, state and local – alongside the nonprofit sector to come to fruition. And in the case of our recent project at Nashville’s Fort Negley, that’s on top of a past quest for public recognition and a pitched advocacy battle!

Nashville is a thriving city, with real estate prices to match. But when you hear the fascinating history of this remarkable 2.36-acre property, you’ll understand why so many partners banded together to assemble its $9.5 million purchase price! In addition to an approximately $4.1 million federal matching grant and $2.3 million from the Tennessee Civil War Battlefield Fund, Metro Nashville contributed $3 million for the acquisition – on top of some $12 million being put toward a master plan to stabilize the fort itself and upgrade existing park infrastructure. With such allies at the table, the Trust’s financial contribution was comparatively small, but our expertise was instrumental in facilitating such a complex and nuanced transaction.

The U.S. flag flies at Fort Negley in Nashville, Tenn. | Melissa A. Winn

Today, as we mark the 160th anniversary of the Battle of Nashville, we are thrilled to declare victory on this key project at Fort Negley, whose guns fired the salvo that signaled the start of that engagement.

Fort Negley

Built by Union forces during the Civil War, Fort Negley may not have played a decisive role in combat for control of the city, but it has become a major Nashville touchpoint in the decades since.

After the city of Nashville fell to the Union in February 1862, Black men, women and children, dubbed “contrabands,” flocked to Nashville in hopes of freedom and fair wages.

With plans to construct defensive fortifications around the city, the military was desperate for a Black workforce to undertake the backbreaking labor. These same men and women then supporting Union hospitals, built and repaired railroads and were recruited or impressed into United States Colored Troop (USCT) regiments. After the war, many of those veterans chose to remain in the area, forming one of Nashville’s first post-emancipation free Black communities in the shadow of Fort Negley.

In the wake of 1950s Urban Renewal policy, the historic fort structure – all that remained of the Union defenses that once encircled the city – fell into disrepair. A baseball stadium for the minor league Nashville Sounds was built within Fort Negley’s historic boundaries in the 1970s.

By the early 2000s, a resurgence of interest in the fort led to major municipal investment, and the opening of Fort Negley Park. But in 2014 the Sounds’ stadium was demolished, the team having moved to a new area of the city and a massive mixed-use development proposal put the historic landscape in jeopardy. The plan drew the ire of council members and local and national nonprofits, including the American Battlefield Trust and the Cultural Landscape Foundation, to lend support to the historical site’s cause. Thankfully, that project was scrapped, with Fort Negley nominated as the first American site for the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Slave Route Project in 2019.

Today, Fort Negley faces a far brighter future, with more land preserved and work about to begin on the $12 million Phase One of an ambitions master plan for infrastructure improvements, new interpretation and visitor service upgrades.

The ongoing preservation efforts at Fort Negley stand as a testament to collaborative public-private partnerships that can and should be used as a lesson in future preservation efforts. 

We can only fulfill our mission at the Trust through the stalwart support of our friends and donors and know that our victories are your victories.

‘Til the battle is won. 

David N. Duncan
President
American Battlefield Trust

Next Steps in Preserving History, Fighting Giants

The last week has been a busy one in the Trust’s ongoing fight against data center development on and around Virginia’s battlefields, and I want to update you on those developments. 

As previously shared, although we and our fellow plaintiffs were disappointed in the circuit judge’s Halloween ruling against us in the demurrer hearing related to our case against the Prince William Digital Gateway at the Manassas Battlefield, it was not unexpected.  We always knew that such a decision from a local court was possible, as many of our arguments relate to broader, statewide issues.

After consulting with counsel, our petition to the Virginia Court of Appeals was filed last week. Our attorney, former State Senator Chap Petersen, is confident in the challenge: “There is no question that the Prince William County Board of Supervisors violated state law and its own code in approving these rezonings. I am confident the Court of Appeals will recognize the merit of our case and order the board to reconsider its shortsighted decision.” 

As a refresher, our case outlines an array of legal violations that occurred during the rezoning of the 2,100-acre Digital Gateway. These range from the lack of required information about the proposed development; inadequate public notice and hearings; unlawful waivers of key analyses, submissions and approvals; failure to consider key environmental and historical facts; and unlawful delegation of rezoning power to the data center developers by not requiring they identify which portions would be put to what uses. These, we believe, are claims with merit that deserve to be heard at the appellate level.

Speaking of efforts to urge high level consideration of data center issues, on Monday Virginia’s Joint Legislative Audit Review Commission released its long-awaited report to the Governor and General Assembly on the industry’s impact on the state. The year-long research project did much to document the profound and skyrocketing energy consumption of these behemoths and how they stand to overwhelm the state’s energy grid and saddle residents with hefty utility bills.

But, despite the impact on historic resources being one of the topics that JLARC was specifically tasked with investigating, the report did not delve too deeply into the subject. Of its 156 pages, fewer than three were devoted to the issue. When battlefields are mentioned, it’s as an example of historic resources that have been and could be impacted.

The only remotely relevant policy recommendation is a suggestion that the legislature could amend state code to require a Phase I historic resource study – the most cursory of investigations – be completed for the project to receive its tax breaks. But just lines later, the report acknowledges that most municipalities do not have professional staff with the expertise to parse such a report and examine its findings critically. In those cases, a consultant paid for by data center developers could certify the results – not an ideal circumstance. It was evident from the report that more advocacy is necessary for the threat of data to battlefields and other historic treasurers to be fully understood.  

After reading the report, it is clearer to me than ever how necessary it is for the American Battlefield Trust to take a leadership role in this fight. Data centers pose a threat unlike any we have ever faced before — frankly, they make me long for the straightforward subdivisions we faced off against 15 years ago!  Our steady advocacy is necessary to ensure that historic sites, which simply cannot be moved, remain part of the conversation when data center impacts are discussed.

Make a gift to support our advocacy fund

Please consider making a gift to help us fight these monstrosities through activities at the courthouse and in the statehouse. We are up against some of the wealthiest corporations on the planet, and your support can make a difference.

‘Til the battle is won,

David N. Duncan
President
American Battlefield Trust

Just a few weeks left for this Fredericksburg tract

We are SO close to preserving this twice-hallowed ground at Fredericksburg. 

But I’m afraid we’re closing out the year with one more urgent deadline we simply must meet. 

We’ve had our eye on this property for years because we knew its enormous significance as the scene of not one, but two Civil War battles. And I’m so grateful to you and every supporter who helped come up with the down payment earlier this year so we could save this land from the bulldozer and the steamroller! 

But the year’s end is now here, and we need to raise $100,000 more before December 31st to see the first part of this transaction through.  

We must raise $100,000 by 12/31 to save twice-hallowed land in Fredericksburg.

 SAVE HALLOWED GROUND IN FREDERICKSBURG

The historic value of this land has been rightly recognized for decades, and not only by us. 

The National Park Service erected interpretive signage on Lee’s Hill way back in 1962, and this tract is in plain view of that and other Park Service exhibits. 

Yet this land at Fredericksburg is entirely unprotected and always has been. For all these years, the property owners have lived on it, but now, for the first time, the land can be preserved forever. 

I know it often feels like we are battling it out for the soul of our nation, that our history is under siege. 

But in the end, the victories we’ll secure will help to save these outdoor classrooms for all future generations while honoring those who fell on both sides, defining America’s story. 

‘Til the battle is won,

David N. Duncan
President
American Battlefield Trust

P.S. Please make your year-end gift to save this twice-hallowed land at Fredericksburg now. There’s no better way to commemorate the anniversary of the First Battle of Fredericksburg than to finish what we started and ensure this twice-hallowed ground is permanently protected! 

Giving Tuesday 2024: A Resounding Success for Gettysburg

Thanks to the generosity of our Friends, donors and visitors from across the country on GivingTuesday, the Gettysburg Foundation raised $63,411.75 for the restoration of the Klingel Farmstead, in partnership with the National Park Service. This essential funding will allow Gettysburg National Military Park to begin the restoration process, using reconstruction and replica techniques, to restore both its structural integrity and historical significance.

We are especially grateful for the $24,000 GivingTuesday challenge fund made possible by several generous donors, led by a longtime Friend of the Foundation, David Malgee. David made his gift in honor of “the boys who fought and died at the Klingel Farmstead on July 2 and 3, 1863,” as well as the family who lived on the property. The Gettysburg Foundation is pleased to recognize donors who contributed $250 or more to help save the Klingel Farmstead.

If you have yet to contribute, it’s not too late to make an impact. The Gettysburg Foundation will continue raising vital funds for the Klingel Farmstead throughout 2025, emphasizing its crucial role in educating visitors at Gettysburg National Military Park. We look forward to keeping our Friends, donors and supporters updated on the restoration progress in the coming months.

Thousands of visitors come to Gettysburg each year to experience history firsthand. By supporting the restoration of the Klingel Farmstead, our GivingTuesday donors have played a key role in preserving Gettysburg's story of resilience—told through the experiences of the soldiers and civilians connected to this historic site. This GivingTuesday success also strengthens the Gettysburg Foundation’s broader preservation efforts, including the recent rehabilitation of Little Round Top and the stewardship of other key historic properties on the battlefield.

Together, we are ensuring these stories endure and continue to inspire future generations. Thank you to all who helped make GivingTuesday 2024 a tremendous success!

The Gettysburg Foundation

92 Acres of Battlefield Land Transferred to the National Park Service

Here at the American Battlefield Trust, we have the  goal of saving as much historically significant battlefield land across the United States as possible, and, when we have an opportunity, transfer that land to a permanent steward that can for the land forever.  

Well folks, thanks to dogged persistence we at the Trust can announce that just this month more than 92 acres of pristine hallowed ground has been transferred to the Mill Springs National Monument at Mill Springs, Kentucky — a unit of the National Park System, incidentally, that came into being through your generosity and our efforts alongside visionary officials.

Without the support of our friends and partners our goal of saving this land would not have been possible, and you have our sincerest thanks.

The Battle of Mill Springs

Kentucky was the physical embodiment of the Civil War era, with newly elected President Abraham Lincoln remarking about his birth state, “I hope to have God on my side, but I must have Kentucky.”

On January 19, 1862, fighting broke out in Pulaski County — named after the famed ‘father of American cavalry’ Casimir Pulaski — during a dark, rain-soaked night with Confederate Gen. Felix Zollicoffer and his troops hoping to surprise the sleeping Federals. Brutal close quarters fighting ensued, with Federal troops pushing back Zollicoffer’s troops through a dense fog. In the ensuing melee, Zollicoffer was shot and killed after mistaking Federal lines for his own.

More than 4,000 Union troops continued to surge against nearly 6,000 Confederates, leading to the latter’s hasty retreat back into Tennessee.

After the Union drubbing at First Manassas and a string of other losses, the Battle of Mill Springs represented the first major Union victory in the Western Theater of the American Civil War.

The charge to save this hallowed ground began in the early 1990s, initially led by the Mill Springs Battlefield Association (MSBA). The Trust was soon enlisted in the undertaking alongside the MSBA and preservation champion U.S. Congressman Hal Rogers (R-KY). Through these efforts, more than 550 acres of land encompassing the core of the battlefield has been permanently protected. 

An October 14, 2020, ceremony in Nancy, Ky., cemented this preservation legacy, when Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument officially became part of the National Park System — thanks to Congressman Rogers as well as former U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), the U.S. Department of the Interior, the National Park Service, MSBA, and local leaders. 

Purchased by the Trust back in 2016, these 92.86 acres of battlefield land have now been successfully transferred to the National Park Service — all thanks to you.

We can only fulfill our mission at the Trust through the stalwart support of our friends and donors and know that our victories are your victories.  

‘Til the battle is won,

David N. Duncan
President
American Battlefield Trust

Help Save 11 Acres at Gettysburg

This 11-acre battlefield parcel is mere steps from sites like Reynolds Woods, Willoughby’s Run, Lee’s Headquarters, and the Seminary.  

It’s right in the heart of the action!

Yet this remarkable tract currently has NO protections of any kind. None at all. Anyone could snatch it up now and build several single-family homes. 

But that won’t happen if we get it first. For the last few months, we’ve been working furiously to reach a deal with the family that has owned the land for generations. At last, they’ve signed! 

Gettysburg holds a unique place in American history. 

SAVE 11 ACRES NOW

Those three days of fighting changed the course of the war, which means they changed the course of our nation’s history. We all walk in the shadows of the brave men who served there. 

Thanks to generous patriots like you, we’ve preserved more than 1,277 acres at Gettysburg, and we’re not done yet. 

Saving these 11 acres now will add another piece to the contiguous area that we’ve preserved together and can one day expand the borders of National Park Service land. 

It will also protect the land from growing development threats. Gettysburg was a quiet and mostly rural area at the time of the battle and even a century later when President Eisenhower retired here in the 1960s, but it’s not so quiet and rural now.  

Land prices are rising in Gettysburg, and commercial and residential development continues to encroach on the remaining unprotected battlefield land.

We must continue to act urgently to save what we can, and I’m counting on you!

Today, I have high hopes we can raise the $315,000 we need to get this deal done.

Together, we can preserve this battlefield land, so central to the action on the first day of fighting at Gettysburg and preserve it forever! But only if we have your help.

Thank you in advance, on behalf of those who hallowed this ground, as well as for those future generations who will get to experience it because of you.

‘Til the battle is won,

David N. Duncan
President
American Battlefield Trust

P.S. The same groves of trees that sheltered troops as the fighting raged near Seminary Ridge on the first day of Gettysburg is the hallowed ground we seek to save now – before it’s developed. Will you please make your gift now to save this national treasure? Your gift will be matched $1.63-to-$1 when you do.

PRESERVE 11 ACRES AT GETTYSBURG

Preservation Alert - Downtown Gettysburg

 Dear Friends,

 A proposed multistory development near the Gettysburg historic train station has raised concerns because of its potential impact on the town’s historic character and iconic viewsheds.   

Our Foundation purchased the train station at the National Park Service’s request; it’s the historic site where President Lincoln arrived to deliver the Gettysburg Address. 



The developer has submitted a request to theGettysburg Borough Council to construct a 72-foot-tall building (about six stories) adjacent to the train station. If approved, this structure would impact the town’s skyline and alter visitors’ experience of this historically significant area. We are particularly concerned about how the project might impact viewsheds from landmarks such as Cemetery Hill, Culp’s Hill, and sites associated with the Battle of Gettysburg’s first day. 

While the Foundation has not yet taken an official position, we encourage you to review the proposal and share your thoughts.

Also, for those interested, “Save Historic Gettysburg” has started a petition to preserve the town’s historic integrity. You can find that petition here.

As always, we value our Friends perspective as we continue to advocate for the preservation of Gettysburg’s historic landscape. Please feel free to share this alert with others who may be interested. Also, let us know if you have any comments or questions – which can be directed to Friends Membership Program Manager, Bethany Yingling. We will keep you updated as the situation progresses. 

Thank you for your continued support and dedication to Gettysburg’s legacy. 

The Gettysburg Foundation 

A Setback, Not a Defeat to Protect Manassas Battlefield

At the risk of leading with a mixed metaphor, when it comes to our fight to block the Prince William Digital Gateway up against the Manassas Battlefield, the American Battlefield Trust and its allies need to channel the spirit of Nathanael Greene in the Revolutionary War’s Southern Campaigns:

“We fight, get beat, rise and fight again.”

I won’t pretend that yesterday’s decision by Judge Tracy C. Hudson in Prince William County Circuit Court, upholding the county’s demurrer motion and preventing our case from going to trial, wasn’t a major blow to our cause. But I’m here to assure you that we remain undaunted and will continue to fight. 

As I told members of the media immediately after the ruling: We’ve experienced setbacks before, and still prevailed. The Manassas Battlefield is too important to allow it to be overwhelmed by the world’s largest data center campus. Mark my words – this fight has only just begun. 

So where DO we go from here? While we certainly hoped for a better outcome than this, we always knew that a ruling against moving ahead to trial was a real possibility. Now it’s time to rise and fight again. 

And that’s where you come in. Complicated legal cases surrounding nuanced land use issues don’t come cheap, but I believe this case is simply too important for us to stand down. More and more Virginia historic sites are facing the destruction of data center development directly, and the second order impacts on battlefields are even more far-reaching. The route for a new powerline corridor to power the data centers will just skirt Monocacy National Battlefield in Maryland – and this is an improvement over one of the original possibilities, which crossed land we’d protected with easements! We simply must fight this scourge with every weapon in our arsenal. 

I don’t to want to divert any money that members like you have donated for land preservation for legal fees, here or at the Wilderness, where we’re also engaged in a lawsuit. Instead, we have established a separate donation channel to support the Trust’s advocacy work, allowing us to speak out against this and other ill-considered development proposals that threaten and destroy hallowed ground.

Make a gift to support our advocacy fund

If you believe, like I do, that this lawsuit is critical and that we should keep fighting , bringing our case to the Court of Appeals, I ask you to make a gift today.

‘Til the battle is won,

David N. Duncan
President
American Battlefield Trust

Help Save 64 Acres of Virginia Battlefield Land

I live in Virginia. And I don’t have to drive more than a few miles to walk out onto well-preserved battlefield land — including acres that you helped to preserve!

But I also don’t have to drive far to see where sprawling housing developments and hulking data centers are marring the landscape and encroaching on sacred ground.

I’ve spent most of my life here, and I have never witnessed development pressures at such a fever pitch.

Literally billions of dollars are being invested in land for new development. Which means our efforts to save the battlefield acres we have left have never been more urgent.

That’s why I’m so excited to share with you today we have the opportunity to save nearly 64 acres of hallowed ground at four battlefields in Virginia.

One tract is at Chancellorsville. Two tracts are at First and Second Kernstown. The last is at Ware Bottom Church, a place that's enormously important.

WE HAVE FOUR VIRGINIA BATTLEFIELDS TO SAVE.

And an extraordinary match to save them!
Your gift today can be matched $37-to-1 to preserve battlefield lands facing urgent development threats! Can we count on you?

$37-to-1 MATCH

The Civil War affected all of America, and all Americans. In many ways, it continues to shape us to this day. And Virginia was right in the center of it all.

The total value of this Virginia land is a whopping $2.2 million.

But lucky for us, we have been able to secure more than 97% of the funds through donations and matching grants. All we need now is to raise the final $60,000 to secure 64 acres that helped shape our nation.

This means that every dollar raised toward this final $60,000 will be matched $37-to-$1!

So, imagine for a moment getting 37 times the value out of anything else you might spend your money on...

That’s the equivalent of buying a $40,000 car for less than $1,100, or getting a $300,000 house for less than the closing costs.

By raising $60,000 now, we can save these battlefield tracts before the developers can get their hands on them, and your support will be matched by $37-to-$1!

We're deeply thankful for any contribution you can make today to this worthy cause.

'Til the battle is won,

David N. Duncan
President
American Battlefield Trust

P.S. 18 acres at Chancellorsville. Two lots totaling 40 acres at Kernstown — a double-battlefield! And six acres at Ware Bottom Church, too. Add them all up and you have one of the best opportunities we will have this year to save some of the most valuable, and most coveted, battlefield acres still available in Virginia today.

New Land Opportunity at Gaines Mill / Cold Harbor

We’ve experienced several major successes over the years...

In 2012, the Trust saved the 285-acre site of Longstreet’s Advance at Gaines’ Mill, the largest land preservation success since the national park was created.

In 2019, we saved the 50-acre Sportsplex tract before it was lost to development. In 2021, the adjacent site of the Cold Harbor Tavern was preserved, bringing us to a total of 655 acres saved for all time.

But it was in 2020 that we met the preservation opportunity of a lifetime — almost one square mile of nearly pristine battlefield land where the 1862 Battle of Gaines’ Mill and the 1864 Battle of Cold Harbor overlapped.

And after years of waiting and dreaming about saving this crucial hallowed ground, preservation- minded landowners stepped forward and offered us the chance to preserve it forever.

So, taking a calculated risk, we did the only thing we could do — we launched our Gaines’ Mill Cold Harbor Saved Forever Campaign, and broke the effort into phases.

Through each phase, we’ve worked tirelessly to save the only place in America where more than one square mile of “double battlefield” can still be preserved, as well as additional hallowed acres at Gaines’ Mill and Cold Harbor that have become available along the way. So far, our campaign has been a historic success — thanks to your generosity and that of your fellow members.

 Next year, historian Bobby Krick will be publishing the first book of a new two-volume set — each about 500 pages — on the Battle of Gaines’ Mill. Bobby is the leading expert on Gaines’ Mill, and these two volumes will be the definitive, generational account of the battle. And we’ll be getting the first copies, hot off the press!

You DO NOT want to miss this exclusive offer!

This hardcover book is heading to the publishers shortly, which means the copies will not be available until 2025, but you’ll receive it before it’s available in any bookstore or online. You will not want to miss this limited opportunity to get a copy of the definitive history on one of the most important battles of the Civil War!

In recent years we’ve seen massive data centers built up on sacred ground in Northern Virginia and near Richmond, too. We’ve seen dense new developments go up that probably never should have been approved, but they were constructed anyway.

And just a few weeks ago, I saw that one company paid $2.4 million an acre for 20 acres in Loudoun County nearby. $2.4 million an acre! We simply can’t compete with that.

Fortunately, there are good people like you. I meet them every day.

That includes landowners who would like to see hallowed ground saved forever rather than see it bulldozed and steamrolled to make way for another warehouse or shopping center.

Please help us preserve this land at Gaines' Mill and Cold Harbor now and forever.

'Til the battle is won,

David N. Duncan
President
American Battlefield Trust

P.S. To a surveyor, this may just be another 1.2 acres of land. But its significance is immeasurable. It’s a true double battlefield, where soldiers fought, bled, and died. It’s also another example of putting the puzzle pieces together. Some pieces are large, and some are small, but the more we add, the more progress we make toward telling the complete story of these important battlefields and creating a connected monument to our history, heritage, and heroes. Your donation today will help us protect this land forever.

PLEASE MAKE A GIFT NOW

Important Update: Legal Challenge Against Data Center Development at Manassas Battlefield

The preservation community has been eagerly awaiting word of progress in the legal challenges to two gargantuan rezoning proposals that would allow for massive data center development impacting the Wilderness and Second Manassas battlefields. The Trust is a plaintiff in lawsuits filed against Prince William and Orange Counties, over the deeply flawed governmental approvals that allowed such inappropriate projects to move forward.

I’m writing today, with an update on the situation at the Manassas Battlefield: We have a court date of October 31 for a preliminary hearing that will determine whether the case will proceed to trial.

Back in January 2024 we launched this legal challenge because we were confident that there were substantial failures in Prince William County’s handling of the rezoning application for the Prince William Digital Gateway. If built, it would be the largest data center complex on the planet and have horrific impacts on the Second Manassas Battlefield. Because the Trust owns land immediately adjacent to the project area, we stand to be uniquely harmed by the development, giving us the legal standing to sue, alongside several private citizen plaintiffs.

Late last week, with that critical hearing approaching, the reinforcements arrived!

On Thursday, October 3, 2024, six leading national, state and regional conservation organizations committed to the preservation of National Parks and historic resources filed an amicus curiae brief in the case, urging the judge to see it proceed to trial, in the face of the county’s motion to dismiss.

It was filed by the Coalition to Protect Prince William County, Piedmont Environmental Council, National Parks Conservation Association, Preservation Virginia, National Trust for Historic Preservation and Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks. The six groups, although not plaintiffs themselves — remember: the Trust has unique standing as a neighboring landowner — voice full-throated support that the historic preservation case to overturn the December 2023 rezoning should be heard at trial.

We’re very grateful for this support from our allies because, while the Trust is helping lead the legal charge, we are certainly not alone in our convictions that this wholly inappropriate development would have catastrophic impacts on the battlefield.

Engaging in these complex legal cases requires a significant investment in our time and resources, including specialized legal counsel. If you value grassroots efforts like these lawsuits, please consider making a gift to directly support the Trust’s advocacy work.

Learn more about this ongoing struggle and ways to help protect the Manassas Battlefield on our website.

Cordially, 

Jim Campi, Chief Policy & Communications Officer

American Battlefield Trust

Preservation Victory at Toms Brook!

The Battlefields Foundation has been working to preserve this small parcel in the Town of Toms Brook since 2017. Thanks to those of you who donated to this project, as well as the Virginia Outdoors Foundation and the Shenandoah County Conservation Easement Authority, the property is now forever preserved!

Though not large in terms of acres, this project represents the Town of Toms Brook’s continued interest in being a “battlefield town.” They would like as much land around their town preserved and opened to the public as possible and are anxious to develop Tom's Brook Battlefield into a battlefield park and destination tourism site. This strategic parcel is core battlefield and a part of the field where Merrit’s Federal horsemen moved to attack Confederate cavalry on the heights to the south. Tucked along the creek and adjacent to the Valley’s historic rail corridor, this parcel will be an important future connection point for a battlefield interpretive trail.