Good news for Civil War battlefield preservation!

Good news for Civil War battlefield preservation this week!

On April 30, 2020, the National Park Service announced that $923,314 in grants from the American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP) would be used to protect 207 acres of America’s Civil and Revolutionary War battlefields. The grants will be used to acquire portions of Vicksburg Battlefield in Mississippi, Fort Ann and Newton Battlefield in New York, Bentonville Battlefield in North Carolina, and Cedar Mountain Battlefield, Trevilian Station Battlefield and Peebles’ Farm Battlefield in Virginia.
The Battlefield Land Acquisition Grant program, administered by the American Battlefield Protection Program, provides up to 50% in matching funds for state and local governments to acquire and preserve threatened Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War Battlefield land through the purchase of land in fee simple and permanent, protective interests in land. Eligible battlefields are listed in the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission’s 1993 “Report on the Nation’s Civil War Battlefields” and the 2007 “Report to Congress on the Historic Preservation of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Sites in the United States.”

For complete details about each battlefield’s new acquisitions, please see the original press release: https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/04-30-20-nps-awards-grants-to-protect-historic-battlefields.htm

Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Acting to Preserve Cedar Creek

Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation is requesting help to preserve 72 acres of core battlefield at Cedar Creek.

Read the information below and check out the map to see how you might respond.

Grant to preserve around 111 acres of Civil War battlefield sites

March 14, 2020  WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News Staff

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Two West Tennessee Civil War sites are to receive a portion of a $900,000 grant.

A news release from the Tennessee Historical Commission says sites in Hardin, Henderson, Rutherford and Hamilton Counties will be receiving grant funds through the Tennessee Civil War Sites Preservation Fund.

Shiloh National Military Park will be receiving $51,000 to help purchase 53 acres of privately owned land inside the park, according to the release.

Parkers Crossroads will also be receiving $125,000 for the purchase of a half-parcel acre to help preserve the historic crossroad itself, according to the release.

The release says the grant will help preserve almost 111 acres of endangered Civil War battlefield sites across the state.

An Opportunity to Save 72 Acres at Cedar Creek Battlefield.

Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Trust has announced the opportunity to save 72 acres of land at Cedar Creek battlefield.

Located at the southern end of the fighting area and on bluffs above the creek, this land saw the clash of Confederate General Joseph Kershaw’s division with Union General George Crook’s units on the foggy morning of October 19, 1864. The tract of land lies at the center of already preserved property, making it a key piece to opening this part of the battlefield for interpretation and ensures that no developments will be allowed at the center of this battleground.

The property’s owners, Byron Brill and Kathy Cantor, have agreed to donated $400,000 of the property’s value. In addition to state grants, SVBF is seeking to raise $300,000 to save the 72 acres valued at $1.4 million.

More information about this preservation opportunity and how to donate is available here: http://www.shenandoahatwar.org/help-save-72-acres-at-cedar-creek/

State Senator Pat Browne Congratulates CWRT for Preservation Efforts

Celebrate Our Victories Saved: Three Tennessee Battlefields

Celebrate Our Victories Saved:
Three Tennessee Battlefields

Civil War Trust writes: We have saved 15 acres of vital Civil War history in the volunteer state, including Fort Donelson, where Ulysses S. Grant secured the "unconditional surrender" of the Confederate army in February 1862, and at Brown's Ferry, the October 27, 1863, battle that opened the "Cracker Line" and enabled Grant to eventually lift the siege of Chattanooga.

This effort included one final push to ask supporters to get us to the finish line at Franklin, to save land right in the heart of the battlefield, a literal stone's throw away from the center of the main Union defensive line. These close quarters were the scene of horrific carnage.

You responded to the call and now we can declare a preservation victory on a battlefield that was once considered lost, paved over, and nearly forgotten! It wasn't too long ago that both a Domino's and a Pizza Hut stood on the land where 11 Medals of Honor were awarded, and 9,200 soldiers fell, killed, wounded or missing.

Thanks to steadfast supporters like you and a dedicated team of local partners, we have been able to help claw back this battlefield, acre by acre, to tell the story of one of the Civil War's most horrendous days.

Preserving these parcels incorporates more tiles in the mosaic of Tennessee’s rich Civil War heritage, adding to the approximately 639 acres we have already saved at these three battlefields. This is a tremendous accomplishment.

The History 

From the very beginning of the Civil War, Tennessee figured prominently in Union and Confederate strategies. It was in Tennessee – during the war's early stages – where Gen. Ulysses S. Grant first gained national recognition by demanding and securing the "unconditional surrender" of a Confederate army at Fort Donelson. In 1863, strategists in blue and gray crafted schemes to seize control of Chattanooga—a vital railroad hub that ultimately remained in Union hands after fighting at places like Brown’s Ferry, Lookout Mountain, and Missionary Ridge. And it was in Tennessee that Gen. John Bell Hood launched a last-ditch effort to strike back at the Yankees, resulting in inconceivable suffering at Franklin and subsequent defeat at Nashville.

Greetings and Thanks from Shenandoah Valley Battlefield Foundation

Civil War Round Table of Eastern PA received greetings and thanks from our partners in preservation - the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation.

Thank You Received From Shenandoah Valley Battlefield Foundation

Our Civil War Round Table recently received this thank you from the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation:

New Market Battlefield Preservation

News from the Shenandoah Battlefields Foundation - an effort support by Eastern PA Civil War Round Table

2019 Preservation Awards Listed

2019 List of Donations for Preservation

With the VERY successful conclusion of the 2018 – 2019 Campaign Season, it has been determined that the following Civil War Battlefields will receive a donation from the Civil War Round Table of Eastern PA in the amount of $5,000.00. There are matching funds with each bequest and are listed below:

• $1000.00 for preservation of 42 acres at Stone’s River (TN) – matching funds of $33.94 for a total of $33,940.00

• $1000.00 for preservation of 15 acres at Fort Donelson, Chattanooga and Franklin – matching funds of $21.17 for a total of $21,170.00.

• $1000.00 for preservation of 185 acres at Wilderness, Cold Harbor and Bentonville – matching funds of $10.43 for a total of $10,430.00

• $1000.00 for preservation to the Shenandoah Battlefields Foundation of 35 acres at New Market Battlefield – matching funds of $14.00 for a total of $14,000.00

• $500.00 for preservation of 226 acres at Reams Station, Petersburg Breakthrough, Champion Hill and Jackson Battlefields – matching funds of $7.48 for a total of $3,740.00

• $500.00 for preservation of 73 acres at Shiloh and South Mountain Battlefields – matching funds of $6.89 for a total of $3,445.00

The $5000.00 to be awarded to the above will be matched
for a total of $86,725.00 for battlefield preservation!

Help Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Create a New Visitors Center

Help Create the New Winchester Battlefields Visitor Center

We need your help to complete and open a new visitor center in Winchester – a major step in our campaign to make America’s future brighter by fostering greater understanding of its past.

With your help, we’ve been able to save thousands of acres of battlefield in the Shenandoah Valley. But we aren’t just working to preserve these battlefields. We are engaged in an audacious effort to open as much of these lands to the public as we possibly can, creating full service battlefield parks throughout the National Historic District.

During the Civil War, Winchester changed hands more than any other town in America; for the people who lived there, strife and stress were constant. Six major battles, from First Kernstown to Third Winchester, raged through and around their town. Now, we are on the cusp of opening a new Visitor Center that will orient, guide, and educate visitors to these battlefields. But we need your help to make that happen. We need you and our other friends across the country to come together to raise the last funds needed to complete the project.

This Visitor Center will include an outdoor visitor’s plaza that, through signage and unmanned exhibits, will provide year-round, 365-day interpretation to visitors from around the world. The staffed Visitor Center building will feature exhibit rooms, an orientation film, an electric map, handouts, guides, and more – all designed to provide an overview of Winchester’s Civil War history and to encourage visitors to explore battlefields and partner sites throughout the area.

But in order to open this new Visitor Center and provide the visitor experience that we envision, a minimum of $270,000 must be raised to complete this first phase of the project. And we need your help to do it. You have already done so much to help save our past. Now we’re asking you to help us change our future. Help us open this Visitor Center, and help us write a new chapter in the history of battlefield preservation in the Shenandoah Valley.

To learn more, click here to read a letter about this preservation effort from SVBF CEO Keven M. Walker.

South Mountain Battlefield In Maryland Gaining Nearly 19 Acres

From National Parks Traveler
By NPT Staff on May 2nd, 2019

A $160,552 grant released from the American Battlefield Protection Program by the National Park Service will help purchase nearly 19 acres for preservation as part of the South Mountain Battlefield in Maryland.

The land in question was threatened with damage or destruction by urban and suburban development, according to a Park Service release.

In September of 1862, mislaid communications led to the Battle of South Mountain. Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s plans to split the Army of Northern Virginia, sending half into western Maryland and half to capture the federal garrison at Harper’s Ferry, landed in the hands of Union Commander Major General George B. McClellan.

McClellan responded to this intelligence by sending his forces to South Mountain to destroy the Confederate forces and divide Lee’s vulnerable army. While the Union was successful against the Confederate forces at South Mountain, Confederate resistance allowed Lee to reunite and concentrate his forces, setting the stage for the Battle of Antietam three days later.

The American Battlefield Protection Program’s Battlefield Land Acquisition Grant program provides up to 50 percent in matching funds for state and local governments to acquire and preserve threatened Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War battlefield land through the purchase of land in fee simple and permanent, protective interests in land.

Eligible battlefields are listed in the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission’s 1993 “Report on the Nation’s Civil War Battlefields” and the 2007 “Report to Congress on the Historic Preservation of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Sites in the United States.”

1,053 Acres Saved at Seven Civil War Battlefields - Thank You!

Thanks to the generosity of supporters like you, more than one thousand acres of hallowed ground across seven Civil War battlefields are forever protected from development!

From the 1864 Shenandoah Valley Campaign in Virginia and the "battle that saved Washington" in Maryland to Corinth and the Vicksburg Campaign in Mississippi to the Red River Campaign in Arkansas, this land represents a significant cross-section of major military movements in the war. Most of the tracts we've saved are adjacent to previously preserved ground, meaning that acre by hallowed acre, we are expanding outdoor spaces to honor and explore American history.

Altogether, this land is worth more than $4.1 million. Thanks to a combination of matching grants, federal funds, we were able to save it for a fraction of that price. More importantly, the battlefields where these tracts are situated — Brice's Cross Roads, Cedar Creek, Champion Hill, Corinth, Monocacy, Prairie D'Ane and Second Deep Bottom — saw more than 32,000 American combat casualties.

I'll tell you what, my friend — an opportunity to save so much hallowed ground in one fell swoop is rare. But at the Trust, we work to match the scope of America's defining conflicts. Members like you are the reason we can work at this level and leave a remarkable legacy for future generations of Americans.

Your good work has also inspired other battlefield landowners to preserve their important land, as demonstrated in our current fundraising effort to preserve 68 acres at Champion Hill.

In honoring our nation's past, we help protect its future, ensuring that men and women for generations to come can learn from some of the best outdoor classrooms in our country. I continue to be astonished at all we can accomplish when we work together. Thank you for your partnership in this critical endeavor.

'Til the Battle is Won, 

Jim Lighthizer
President
American Battlefield Trust

P.S. Want to learn more about the land you saved? See how all these campaigns and battles fit together in our Animated Map of the Civil War, then peruse the battles by state or year.  

18 Acres of First-Day Battlefield at Seminary Ridge are Forever Safe

In this critical effort to safeguard American history, we must always remember why we do what we do. Battlefield preservation isn't just about saving as many acres as possible — it's about the stories these acres help tell.

That's why I'm, frankly, elated to report that 18 acres of first-day battlefield at Seminary Ridge are forever safe thanks to your generous support. My friend, we've saved a lot of land at Gettysburg over the years — 1,040 acres and counting — but that doesn't make these 18 acres any less significant. In a way, the historical context that already exists at Gettysburg makes this victory all the richer.

Recognized as some of the bloodiest Gettysburg ground left in private hands, the land at Seminary Ridge witnessed the climactic scene of the first day's fighting. The determined defense on Seminary Ridge by men from the Union's Iron Brigade and other units enabled the army to regroup and hold Cemetery Hill, key to the ultimate Federal victory at Gettysburg.

I've said it before, but it bears repeating: without Seminary Ridge, you cannot tell the full story of Gettysburg, and without Gettysburg, you cannot tell the full story of the Civil War. Preserving these 18 acres helps ensure a more comprehensive understanding of this crucial piece of American history, while allowing generations present and future to honor the hundreds of soldiers who fought and fell on this very ground.

I can't overstate what a tremendous win this is for American history, and also for Gettysburg's oldest educational institution, the United Lutheran Seminary (established in 1826), which has faithfully maintained this land since that fateful July in 1863.

We couldn't have done this without our amazing supporters. Please take a minute to visit the Seminary Ridge Virtual Donor Wall and see the names of all Trust supporters who contributed $100 or more to this important effort. You can also visit our website to learn more about why these 18 acres are so significant.

With Deepest Gratitude, 

Jim Lighthizer
President
American Battlefield Trust

P.S. Want to take a look at the land you have helped save? Check out successful Facebook Live Save Seminary Ridge Fun(d)raiser in which many of you participated! 

Thank You from American Battlefield Trust - Chris Heisey honorarium

The Round Table received a thank you for the honorarium we presented Christ Heisey last month and which he requested be turned over to the trust….

Protect America's Battlefields - Support the "Preserving America's Battlefields Act"

Dear Friends,

Last year, with your help, the Trust made incredible progress in Congress to preserve America’s hallowed grounds.

For the first time in history, the House of Representatives voted to reauthorize the federal Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants Program at $15 million. While the Senate was unable to likewise advance reauthorizing legislation before the end of the year, your efforts moved the ball farther than ever before. Dozens of representatives and senators are now on record in support of preserving our nation's battlefields — thanks to you!



I am pleased to report that we now have a chance to pass a bill that will ensure this program remains one of the strongest weapons in our arsenal for years to come!

Just days after the start of the new Congress, Rep. Jody Hice of Georgia, together with a bipartisan coalition of House members from across the country, reintroduced the Preserving America's Battlefields Act, H.R. 307. Sens. Johnny Isakson of Georgia, Tim Kaine of Virginia and Roy Blunt of Missouri are championing an identical companion bill in the Senate, S. .225.

This legislation would reauthorize the Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants Program at $20 million annually. Further, for the first time, it would provide funding to restore and interpret battlefield sites following their preservation — making them the outdoor classrooms we all know they ought to be.



As I've said before, our cause has benefited from tremendous partners in government, including the United States Congress and the National Park Service. Their institutional, bipartisan support for battlefield preservation has resulted in the continued success of the Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants Program. The matching grants awarded through this program have enabled the American Battlefield Trust and other nonprofit groups to save more than 30,000 acres of battlefield land at sacred places like Antietam, Brandywine, Fort Donelson, Gettysburg, Princeton, Richmond and Vicksburg.

It is imperative that your elected representatives in Washington, D.C., hear from you! Please take a moment to write your members of Congress and ask them to cosponsor the Preserving America's Battlefields Act, S.225 and H.R. 307.  Our online advocacy tool is simple, and sending a letter only takes a few minutes.

Let your representative and senators know that — as a constituent — this issue is important to you, and you would like their support. With the approaching 250th anniversary of America's War of Independence, there is no better time than now to pass this landmark legislation.

Thank you, now as always, for your support for battlefield preservation!

'Til the battle is won,

Jim Lighthizer
President
American Battlefield Trust

P.S. Your voice is needed! Please write your members of Congress in support of battlefield preservation. Our online tool is simple and sending a letter only takes a few minutes.

Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation Endorses I-81 Improvement Legislation

Battlefields Foundation Endorses I-81 Improvement Legislation

Interstate Passes Through 7 Major Battlefields in the Shenandoah Valley

NEW MARKET, Va.— January 22, 2019 - Today the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation (SVBF) announced its strong endorsement of the Interstate 81 improvement legislation that is currently under debate in the Virginia legislature.  Interstate 81 passes through 7 major battlefields in the Valley, among them New Market, Fisher’s Hill, Cedar Creek, and Third Winchester, so discussions and legislation regarding the future of the interstate directly impact and greatly concern the Battlefields Foundation.

Changes to the interstate have the potential to dramatically affect not just the preservation and interpretation of the battlefields, but also their ability to draw tourists to the Valley.  The battlefields draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to the region each year, making them huge economic assets.

“We really appreciate the effort that our legislators and Governor Northam’s Department of Transportation put in to this plan,” said Keven M. Walker, Chief Executive officer of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation (SVBF).  “The legislation as proposed will address many of the problems drivers face on I-81, and improve driver safety, while causing the least negative impact on the Shenandoah Valley and its battlefields.”

On January 15th, Valley legislators introduced bills implementing the results of the Virginia Department of Transportation’s (VDOT’s) year-long I-81study.  The two identical bills, House Bill 2718 (patrons are Delegates Landes and Austin) and Senate Bill 1716 (patrons are Senators Obenshain and Carrico), create the “Interstate 81 Corridor Improvement Program and Fund.”

The bills would authorize tolls on cars and trucks to raise money for the $2.2 billion list of I-81 improvements in Virginia.  The bills set the toll for commercial trucks at 17 cents a mile and up to 11 cents a mile for everyone else.  Tolls would be cut in half from the hours of 9:00 PM and 6:00 AM to encourage drives to shift their trips to times when the road is underutilized.  Tolls would be collected electronically (no toll booths).   An annual commuter pass will be available, not to exceed $32.35/year.  The legislation also blocks additional sales taxes or gas taxes in the corridor while tolls are in effect.

The bill creates a 13-member committee, made up of elected and appointed officials in the I-81 corridor, to guide project development and oversee possible toll increases in the future.

“This legislation includes many of the things we’ve been advocating for more than a decade,” said Walker.  “Instead of unpopular wholesale widening, the legislation funds a list of targeted improvements, backed by safety data and public input.  Plus, it requires consideration of environmental and historic resources when ranking projects.”

According to SVBF, the problems on I-81 are not simple, and workable solutions cannot be either.  The legislation allows improvements to the I-81 corridor which includes parallel roads and rail.  It also would fund operational improvements like speed enforcement and cracking down on distracted driving, clearing accidents more quickly, and using technology to alert drivers to upcoming problems.

“Tolls are always controversial,” Walker said.  “But compared to the alternatives, tolls make the most sense.  And the legislators have come up with a thoughtful forward-looking approach.”

One truck does the damage of 5,600 cars, according to the I-81 Corridor Improvement Plan, so it makes sense that trucks would pay a greater share.  While all drivers pay for use of the highway, those who are the heaviest users and have the greatest impact pay more of the costs.

“There is definitely room for improvement” according to Walker.  “For one, the solutions are overly reliant on asphalt, with more than 58 miles of new pavement in the VDOT Staunton District alone.” The plan needs more flexibility for rail improvement (to get the long-haul trucks off the highway) and transit (like the popular new Virginia Breeze bus service), Walker added.

A Letter to Allentown City Council and the Morning Call

by Frank Whelan (a CWRT Board member)

There are many things that have changed in downtown Allentown lately, a lot of it for the better.

But there is one thing I find offensive, the multi colored lighting used on the Center Square Soldiers and Sailors monument.

While that kind of lighting is fine for the new office buildings it is rather garish, gaudy and tasteless when applied to a 19 th century community icon that represents not just the soldiers of sailors of the Civil War, its original purpose, but those of all wars.

This does not mean that I think the monument should go unlighted. White lights that are directed at the statues of the soldiers and sailors themselves around the base would not only be appropriate but also respectful of the heritage, that I as a member of the board of the Civil War Roundtable of Eastern Pennsylvania and my fellow members cherish.

I respectfully request that Lehigh County authorities as guardians of this treasure that represents the sacrifices of so many make this change that would not only enhance respect for the monument itself but also honor those who will serve their country in the future.

A Message of Thanks from the American Battlefield Trust

On October 3, 1863, President Lincoln issued a proclamation designating "the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving." A year later, citizens would organize a special Thanksgiving dinner for Federal soldiers and sailors to show the public's appreciation for their service and sacrifice.

Today, I'd like to share my appreciation for you. Thanks to your support this year, we crossed the thresholds of 50,000 acres preserved for future generations and 20,000 students sent to battlefields and historic sites through our Field Trip Fund. We preserved hallowed ground at Princeton, Gettysburg and Yorktown and were chosen to help lead the 250th commemoration of the founding of the United States.

If you have two minutes today, please watch the Trust's year in review video for a brief summary of all the incredible things you made possible in 2018. Of course, two minutes isn't nearly enough time to express my awe and gratitude for your dedication to battlefield preservation – but it's a start!

Simply put, the successes of this year would not have been possible without your generosity. Whatever you're doing on this day of thanks, please know how much your support means – not just to me and my colleagues, but to generations of Americans, present and future. From all of us at the Trust, warmest wishes for a very Happy Thanksgiving.

With deepest gratitude,

Jim Lighthizer
President
American Battlefield Trust

P.S. I hope you are enjoying this day of thanks with your friends and family. This two-minute video summarizes all of your accomplishments in 2018. Thank you for your steadfast support.