A Trust Triumph: 47 Acres Saved in the Old Dominion!

As we stroll into the month of March, we continue to set our sights on the places where soldiers marched, fought and sacrificed — leaving behind powerful stories with every footstep they planted in the soil. Marching with a mission, we at the American Battlefield Trust always delight in sharing victorious news with you. So, I am enthused to announce that the American Battlefield Trust has protected 47 acres across Virginia’s Cedar Creek and Cedar Mountain battlefields!

  But what makes this news more meaningful is that the roughly two and a half acres at Cedar Creek have been transferred to the National Park Service for incorporation into Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park. What this does is help to create a fuller experience at the site of one of the boldest military moves of the Civil War!

It Takes an Army

  The effort at Cedar Creek wouldn’t have been possible without the help of the National Park Service, the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation (SVBF) and your continued support. SVBF helped maintain the land prior to transfer and in the future, the Trust will work towards the removal of post-war structures post-transfer.

Development and Sites of Historical Significance Don’t Mix!

  With such a crowd supporting the Cedar Creek tract’s preservation, it is important to remember why. To start, Cedar Creek is one of the most threatened battlefields in America due to an international mining company already owning more than 500 acres of battlefield land. Additionally, this land felt the determined actions of Union and Confederate troops on October 19, 1864.

  After Lt. Gen. Jubal Early launched his surprise attack on Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan’s Army of the Shenandoah, Union troops under Hayes and Kitching retreated across this land sometime after 6 a.m. But they were pursued by Confederate Maj. Gen. Stephen D. Ramseur's division. While attempts were made to hold off Ramseur’s attack, the Union forces were hit, and the line collapsed. Federals retreated, again across the now-preserved property, and across the Valley Pike toward Belle Grove. In the process of Union retreat and Confederate pursuit across the more than tw0 acres, fighting also unfolded upon this ground.

  Ultimately, Early lost the battle after Sheridan arrived just in time to rally his troops and launch a crushing counterattack. The victory extinguished any hope of further Confederate offensives in the Shenandoah Valley.

Rusty Sabers in the Virginia Piedmont 

  As you know, we’ve just launched a new opportunity to save a critical acreage at Cedar Mountain, but are pleased to report that we protected another nearly 45 acres elsewhere on the battlefield.

  Turning back the clock to 1862, and traveling more than 50 miles south of Cedar Creek, the Battle of Cedar Mountain concluded in a Confederate victory. Located in Culpeper County, Virginia, this is where Confederate Maj. Gen. Stonewall Jackson rode into the heart of the 1862 battle to rally his faltering troops…and when his rusted saber refused to come out of the scabbard, Jackson wielded it, scabbard and all, to turn the tide of battle

  This site is also where the Trust recently saved nearly 45 acres with the help of the American Battlefield Protection Program and the Virginia Land Conservation Fund. In 1862, this particular acreage set the scene for an hour-long artillery duel, including Confederate Capt. William Pegram’s famed battery, that led to the battle’s conclusion.

  Today, acreage on the Cedar Mountain and Brandy Station battlefields is readying to be part of a new Virginia state park! But there’s still plenty of work to be done — you can help us bring preservation to an even higher level by considering a donation to our latest fundraising campaign.  

Marching On with Great Thanks

  With springtime in sight, now is the perfect time to plan a battlefield visit and march in the footsteps of those who fought on these pivotal fields. Perhaps a hike at one of the Trust’s trails? Or a visit to Cedar Creek & Bell Grove with the Cedar Creek Battle App? Seeking them out for Park Day? Whatever suits you, I hope you’ll take time to relish in the accomplishments that YOU made possible at Cedar Creek and Cedar Mountain. I am forever thankful for your staunch commitment to the Trust’s critical mission.

Sincerely,

David N. Duncan, President

American Battlefield Trust

Help Save Pristine Acres at Brandy Station & Cedar Mountain

You may know the story at Cedar Mountain... 

As it appeared that Stonewall Jackson’s troops were on the verge of defeat, the General rode into the thick of the fight, waving his sword — rusted into its scabbard from disuse — and turned the tide of the battle. 

Then, less than a year later and only about 15 miles away at Brandy Station, leaders like Union Generals Alfred Pleasonton, John Buford, and David M. Gregg charged and countercharged Confederate horsemen under Generals J.E.B. Stuart, Wade Hampton, and W.H.F. “Rooney” Lee in the largest cavalry battle ever fought on the North American continent.

Today, we have the opportunity to lead 104 acres of pristine battlefield land at Cedar Mountain and Brandy Station into preservation forever... 

Tapping the state funds requested by Governor of Virginia Glenn Youngkin and appropriated by the legislature to help save the land at Brandy Station, and applying for additional federal and state matching grants, we hope to cover fully a whopping $5,244,382 million (92%!) of what we need through those sources.

With the various grants we are applying for, and with a generous match of all gifts up to $225,000 from a donor who loves this battlefield, the value of your gift today is multiplied $25-to-$1!

Receive the latest in our collector’s Battlefield Challenge Coins, this one for Brandy Station, with your gift of $50 or more.

The land we have a chance to save today is essential to any future preservation work to be done at Brandy Station...

It would connect — forever — the land that you have helped preserve, from the western edge of Fleetwood Hill extending northward for nearly four miles!

This will be our only chance to protect these 97 acres at Brandy Station and 7 acres at Cedar Mountain, and we urgently need your help to close these transactions soon.

If we don’t save the Brandy Station property now, it will certainly be lost to the development of warehouse distribution centers!

Paul, will you be the leader we need to help secure this land at these two battlefields — as well as at endangered battlefields all across our nation — with your generous support?

Very sincerely yours, 

 David N. Duncan, President

American Battlefield Trust

P.S. Your gift today to preserve 104 acres at Brandy Station and Cedar Mountain is multiplied $25-to-$1! That means a $50 gift helps save $1,250 worth of this land; $100 is increased to $2,500, and a $1,000 gift helps save a whopping $25,000 worth of hallowed ground! But we must move quickly. Please make a gift now. 

Preserve 128 Acres at Antietam and Shepherdstown

The Opportunity

We can add six additional acres to those preserved at Antietam and preserve 122 acres of pristine land at Shepherdstown — all part of the 1862 Maryland Campaign — together having a total transaction value of $2.75 million for only $343,837.  

An Additional Six Acres to the Existing Antietam Battlefield

The six-acre tract in Sharpsburg, Washington County, Maryland, is steps away from the West Woods and iconic Dunker Church, and a slightly longer stroll can take you to the Bloody Lane or Cornfield. A 70s style brick house, garage, and barn are currently on the property along with a stand of trees that did not exist in 1862. Over the past decades, we’ve been able to purchase and secure 464 acres at the Antietam battlefield site, and with the purchase of these six acres, we could unify and restore a significant portion of the battlefield including preserved, adjacent land to the South, West, North and East—it's a hole in the donut!

Saving 122 Acres in Near Civil War-Era Condition

The much larger tract of 122 acres near Shepherdstown saw fighting days after Antietam and was instrumental in preventing the Confederates from resuming their advance northward. The land is presently in an almost original state but is now threatened by the development of a residential subdivision of McMansions. In Shepherdstown, we’ve saved more than 600 acres. The addition of this land to that already sizable plot means even more history will be preserved.  

While we have had much success securing hallowed ground in Washington County and Shepherdstown, these plots are necessary to maintain uninterrupted parcels of hallowed ground at both sites. 

Generous state and federal grants, as well as commitments from donors, have reduced the amount we need to raise to just $343,837 from the total of $2.75 million.  

The History

In September 1862, the Confederate president Jefferson Davis, along with General Robert E. Lee, devised a strategy to deliver a devastating blow on Northern soil.  At the same time, President Lincoln needed a Union victory to issue the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation from a position of strength. What played out included the bloodiest single day in American history.  ​​​​​

The Confederate Army’s strategy to move the war into northern territory had several goals: to recruit Maryland citizens and free it from Union control; to draw the Union army out of its capital where it could be dealt a decisive blow; to influence the 1862 midterm elections in their favor; to turn the attention away from Confederate failures elsewhere; and to convince prominent European countries to back the Confederate states. To prevent this action, Lincoln sent the Federals, under the command of General George B. McClellan, to protect key Northern cities and drive the Confederate army out of Maryland, in what became the Maryland Campaign which included the Battles of Antietam and Shepherdstown.

At Antietam, after hours of brutal fighting around the Cornfield, the Hagerstown Pike and near the Dunker Church, Confederate reinforcements arrived at the edge of what was known as the Reel Farm (on land currently owned by the Trust), just south of what would later be called “The West Woods.” These and other soldiers in the vicinity wrapped around an advancing Union flank under General John Sedgwick, inflicting 2,500 casualties and sending the Union troops reeling.

While the Union Army outnumbered the Confederates elsewhere on the field, the loss of life was nearly equal. The battle raged on with a casualty count of more than 22,000 men and a loss of life of more than 3,600, making it the bloodiest day on U.S. soil — greater than 9-11 or the deaths at D-Day.

In the end, the Confederates fell back across the Potomac River into Virginia.

Days later, with troops from both sides amassing at Shepherdstown, fighting continued with both sides gaining and losing ground. Although casualty counts were not nearly as high as Antietam, the Maryland Campaign came to an end while soldiers awaited the next bloody chapter in Virginia.

With the completion of the Maryland Campaign and the Battle of Antietam, Lincoln used the opportunity to issue his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, now with a firm date to free slaves in territories under rebellion on January 1, 1863. This momentous decision changed the course of the war and ushered in a new birth of freedom for so many.

Help save 52 Acres at Three Battlefields

WATCH A YOUTUBE VIDEO ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY

The Opportunity

We need your help in saving pieces of three battlefields at three separate sites: Chancellorsville in Virginia, Gilgal Church in Georgia, and Corinth in Mississippi.

These three tracts total 52 acres in size and have a combined transaction value of more than $1.6 million— a sizeable amount because they are highly sought-after sites for new development.

Thanks to landowner donations plus expected government grants, we need to raise less than 10% of that amount — $160,680 — which means that for every dollar you donate today, it will be multiplied by $10.30!

Three Acres in Chancellorsville

The first is a three-acres piece of battlefield land that factored into the Battle of Chancellorsville. The tract has been squarely in the bullseye of residential developers eager to cash in on the explosive growth taking place outside the city of Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Bolstered by your generosity, we intend to stitch the property together with other previously preserved tracts to complete the preservation of the Flank Attack portion of the Chancellorsville Battlefield and add to the interpretation of General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson’s renowned and daring maneuver.

18 Acres at Gilgal Church 

The second property is an 18-acre parcel from the Battle of Gilgal Church, which saw fighting June 15-17, 1864 and is located just southwest of the town of Kennesaw, Georgia. This will be the Trust’s very first preservation action at the battlefield if we can secure it.

The 18 acres has been under threat of residential development for several years and holds some of the last remnants of Civil War entrenchments to be found anywhere along the route of Sherman’s Atlanta campaign. 

After raising the money needed to purchase the land, we will place a conservation easement on the property for use as a historic park. Because it’s located just outside of downtown Atlanta, you can imagine how highly attractive this property is to developers. And thanks to the landowner’s willingness to sell to us — and hopefully your willingness to help us raise the needed funds — we’ll be able to protect this land forever!

32 Acres in Corinth 

The third and largest tract is a 32-acre parcel that includes the once-extensive, seven-mile line of earthworks commonly known as the Beauregard Line. It was built in 1862 by Confederate forces using slave labor to defend the strategic transportation hub of Corinth, Mississippi.

This tract later became part of the Corinth Contraband Camp, established for thousands of ex-slaves. A security company comprised of those slaves eventually formed the nucleus for the 1st Alabama Infantry of Colored Descent — later the 55th U.S. Colored Infantry.

The tract’s owner seriously considered developing the land, long sought after by residential builders, before signing a purchase contract with the Trust. This is why we can’t hesitate a second. 

Take Action 

These three tracts totaling 52 acres are key pieces in advancing the Trust’s preservation efforts at three different and historic Civil War battlefields.

Please join in saving this hallowed ground and taking advantage of an amazing $10.30-to-$1 match. Make a gift now before more hallowed ground is lost forever.

42 battlefield acres in Chancellorsville are at URGENT risk!

We didn’t get the $450,000 in government grants that we were counting on... 42 battlefield acres in Chancellorsville are at URGENT risk!

Last May I wrote you about a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to save 42 acres at Chancellorsville, including Jackson’s Flank Attack and the site of Dowdall’s Tavern. The American Battlefield Trust raised the funds that we thought were needed.

  We hoped for $450,000 in government grants to seal the deal. Unfortunately, there were more applications than the available funding this year. In Civil War terms, the reinforcements we were counting on never arrived.

  We need you to step up to help preserve this hallowed ground at Chancellorsville!

  This crisis is happening at the worst possible time. The 42-acre site is located in one of the fastest growing areas in the nation — one where developers are chomping at the bit to get their hands on every acre of land they can.  

  These developers have never met a battlefield they won’t bulldoze. We can’t let that happen here.

  Not on the site of Robert E. Lee’s greatest military victory ... near the place where Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson was mortally wounded ... and the site of a battle that is still studied today by military personnel all over the world. 

  The clock is ticking. If we don’t raise $450,000, the whole deal could crumble. This year the government funding may not have been enough to go around... but I believe you are up to the task and will step into the breach!

  Please make an emergency gift to help permanently protect this 42-acre site at Chancellorsville.

Very sincerely yours,

David N. Duncan, President

American Battlefield Trust

P.S. Over the years, the Trust and our partners have saved 1,322 acres of the Chancellorsville Battlefield in the surrounding area. But this extraordinary tract has remained out of our grasp. Please respond just as generously and urgently as you can, and help save this battlefield!

An unparalleled opportunity at Gettysburg

For generations, this half-acre property that played a major role in Pickett’s Charge has been occupied by commercial development, operating as a restaurant, theater, and gift shop known as “General Pickett’s Buffet.” Now, the business is looking to its next chapter – relocating to a new, larger site – and and giving the Trust the opportunity to buy and restore the property.

The Opportunity 

We have an unparalleled preservation opportunity to help save a piece of Gettysburg Battlefield that witnessed monumental points in history, including Pickett’s Charge and two World War camps! The long-time owner of the property has chosen to work with another local businessman to relocate the business several miles away and off the battlefield. We are fortunate that in this process, he approached the Trust about preservation options for the original restaurant site.

It’s a true win-win for everyone: more preserved battlefield and a beloved institution thriving in a new location, retaining local jobs and accommodating even more customers. But if we are unable to come up with the money — in this case, $1.5 million — he will be forced to sell to someone else.

An artist's rendering of a conceptual interpretation of the target property. Dale Watson

In addition to the $1.5 million price tag, we estimate that it will cost another $155,000 to take down the current structure, remove the asphalt parking lot, and restore the landscape, preparing the property for an interpretation and visitor experience that will attract heritage tourists for years to come.

The good news is that this land is eligible for a whopping $750,000 in federal matching funds. Fortunately, we already have half that amount either pledged or in hand from anonymous donors and our great partner organization, the Gettysburg Foundation!

The bottom line is that we still need to raise $550,000 between now and December 15 to ensure that we can close on the property and then have the funds on hand to begin the restoration and interpretation of the property once the federal matching grant is received.

Developers are desperate to scoop up this land. The landowner prefers to sell to us. But we need to raise $550,000 before December 15. Please give now and your donation will be TRIPLED!

Donate Now

The History

While this tract of land at Pickett’s Buffet is small, it has witnessed an unbelievable amount of history.

On the First Day of the Battle of Gettysburg, Union cavalry and then Union infantry galloped or double-quicked to the sound of the guns right past this land, only to be driven back on the same roads later that day to the relative safety of Cemetery Hill where they made their stand.

From this tract on the next day, you would have been able to watch as Confederates swept across the farm fields and Emmittsburg Road to attack the Union III Corps of General Daniel Sickles in the Peach Orchard and the Wheatfield and could have seen battle smoke and heard the distant fighting for Little Round Top. There was also skirmishing on this very land, as the Confederates probed the Union defenses for any advantage.

Gettysburg | Pickett's Charge | July 3, 1863 | 3:45 - 4:00 pm (May 2022) American Battlefield Trust

On the fateful Third Day, from this tract of land you would have had a front-row seat to one of the largest and most significant charges of the entire Civil War.

By the end of those three days, 51,000 soldiers would either lie dead on the battlefield, be wounded (some lightly, many more grievously), become prisoners, or go missing, perhaps never to be seen again.

This land witnessed so much more history! In November of 1863, you would have seen crowds arriving on Cemetery Hill to see and hear President Lincoln deliver one of the most famous speeches in American history, the Gettysburg Address — speaking words that he had written only the night before.

Years later, in 1917, new-fangled weapons of war called “tanks” rumbled across the battlefield. What is now the restaurant’s parking lot was the location of the headquarters of the Camp of the United States Troops at Gettysburg (later dubbed Camp Colt), which was one of 34 WWI training camps in the United States. A young officer named Dwight David Eisenhower was put in command here in 1918, and he would come to love the battlefield and town of Gettysburg, eventually making it his home, which you can still visit today.

Years later, there was also a prisoner of war camp for German WWII POWs, on the same land as the training camp.

Help save a piece of land at Gettysburg that witnessed monumental points in history, including Pickett’s Charge and two World War camps!

From every point on the compass, this small parcel of ground has been a unique witness-place of American history. And today, you and I have the chance to reclaim it, restore it, and preserve its stories forever for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Will you join in this urgent effort by making a gift today?

Donate Now

Help Save 56 Acres of Second Fredericksburg Battlefield

Help Save 56 Acres of Second Fredericksburg Battlefield

Central Virginia Battlefields Trust is collaborating with Downtown Greens, a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to foster community involvement and growth through collaborative environmental stewardship and experiential education, to save 56 acres of farmland in the Battlefield Industrial Park in Fredericksburg. This property contains wetlands, mature timber, and nearly 20 acres of the last working agricultural space in the city. This land is also important hallowed ground where troops from the Army of the Potomac's VI Corps marched and took fire from Confederates along the Howison Hill and Telegraph Hill ridgeline on May 3, 1863. These acres will also provide an important access and future interpretation point for visitors to learn more about the often forgotten story of the Second Battle of Fredericksburg.

Yes, Let's Save Second Fredericksburg Acres!

The Vermont Brigade

During the Battle of Second Fredericksburg, May 3, 1863, regiments from the Army of the Potomac's Vermont Brigade marched and fought across the land that CVBT and Downtown Greens are working to preserve. Organized in 1861, the Vermont Brigade earned an early reputation for tenacity during the Peninsula Campaign and Seven Days' Battles. Possessing excellent leadership and determined soldiers, the Vermont Brigade continued to prove itself during the Overland, 1864 Shenandoah Valley, Petersburg, and Appomattox Campaigns.

Among the Vermont Brigade units to march across the ground that CVBT seeks to preserve with Downtown Greens were the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 6th Vermont Infantry regiments. In a letter to his parents following the battle, Pvt. Hiram H. Tilley, 2nd Vermont, explained, "We charged across the open field to the foot of the Heights where we had to cross 'as best we could' a wide ditch partly full of of muddy water after which 'under a heavy fire of muskets' we charged up the Heights. . . ."

Today's fundraising effort will help CVBT continue to fulfill its mission to preserve this area's battlefield land and tell the stories of the soldier's who fought there.

Donate

Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation AssociationPurchases Land for NMP

Battlefield Preservation Association purchases land, will gift to Park Service

Partners stand at the former Crouse property on Route 116, Hanover Road, Straban Township.

November 17, 2022 by Alex J. Hayes

The Gettysburg National Military Park will soon have more land thanks to the Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association.

The association recently purchased 50 acres of land across the road from the Historic Daniel Lady Farm on Route 116, Hanover Road, in Straban Township. Melvin Crouse, the land’s previous owner, valued preservation over development.

“I didn’t want a strip mall or condos to be built on such beautiful land,” said Mr. Crouse. “I know Kirk (Davis, GBPA president) and the GBPA will take excellent care of the place”.

Crouse has been a longtime friend of the association and allowed it to use the land for event parking.

“We were approached with an amazing opportunity,” Davis said. “With the help of several principal people at Members 1st Credit Union, we were able to make it happen.”

Research done by GBPA shows that a large part of the property was part of the Lady Farm during the Battle of Gettysburg. The acquisition also includes Wolf Hill, a key location for the battle. Adjacent to Culp’s Hill, Wolf Hill was where Major General Edward Johnson arranged his men for battle in a ravine that continued to Benner’s Run. General Johnson used the Daniel Lady Farm as his headquarters and it was a Confederate Field Hospital during the battle.

Founded in 1959, the GBPA has contributed about 200 acres to the National Park Service.

The Daniel Lady Farm was purchased in 1999 with the intention of donating it and the 150 acres around it to the park. The GBPA spent the next several years restoring the house and barn only to find out the National Park Service could not accept it because it was not contiguous with the park’s borders.

The GBPA chose to maintain the property, giving tours and eventually holding events to pay for the necessary expenses. Under Davis, the GBPA was able to obtain the property between the Farm and Benner Hill which now makes it contiguous The purchase of the Crouse property will help complete the story of the battle at Culp’s Hill and the contribution of the Daniel Lady Farm.

“Unfortunately, the National Park cannot accept property with any encumbrances,” says Davis. “We are very grateful to re-enactors and the public who participate in our events and fundraisers. That is even more important now that we have a mortgage that needs to be paid before we can start the turnover process.”

The next large event scheduled to be held at the Lady Farm will be the 160th Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg on June 30, July 1 and 2, 2023. Tickets to that event and a list of all GBPA events can be found on the Events page of gbpa.org or danielladyfarm.com. Donations can also be made online or mailed to GBPA, P O Box 4087, Gettysburg, PA, 17325.

Civil War Battlefield Acreage In Mississippi, Virginia, And West Virginia To Be Protected

From National Park Traveler

The Faraway Farm barn witnessed the 1862 Battle of Shepherdstown in West Virginia. The Battlefield Land Acquisition Grant ensures that Faraway Farm remains as it has for the past 160 years/American Battlefield Trust

By Compiled From N... - November 19th, 2022

The Faraway Farm barn witnessed the 1862 Battle of Shepherdstown in West Virginia. The Battlefield Land Acquisition Grant ensures that Faraway Farm remains as it has for the past 160 years/American Battlefield Trust

More than 200 acres of Civil War battlefield acreage in Mississippi, Virginia, and West Virginia are going to be protected thanks to nearly $2 million Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants.

These projects support collaborations among state and local governments and their nonprofit partners to care for the places and stories of the nation's shared heritage. The awards from the National Park Service are made possible by the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which reinvests revenue from offshore oil and natural gas leasing to help strengthen conservation and recreation opportunities across the nation. 

One of the grants announced Friday goes to the Jefferson County Landmarks Commission and will support the purchase and placement of a perpetual conservation easement on nearly 122 acres of the Shepherdstown Battlefield in Jefferson County, West Virginia. The project brings together the county government, a local landowner, the Land Trust of the Eastern Panhandle, and the nonprofit American Battlefield Trust to ensure that the fields of Faraway Farm remain as they have been for much of the past 160 years.  

In late September 1862, after the Union army beat back the Confederate invasion of Maryland at Antietam, General Robert E. Lee retreated across the Potomac and left a rearguard to defend the river’s ford. Union troops suffered heavy casualties in crossing the river and trying to establish a beachhead. This rearguard action halted Federal pursuit of the retreating Confederates and cost Union Major General George McClelland his job, but the Union victory at the end of the Maryland campaign was the “turning point” that President Abraham Lincoln was seeking.

On September 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, with the promise of forever freedom to persons held in slavery in secessionist states at the stroke of the new year. The grant builds on sustained preservation efforts that have protected more than 600 acres at Shepherdstown and on our collective commitment to healing and renewal. 

The other grant awards went to: 

• Mississippi Department of Archives and History ($136,740) for preservation of 3.06 acres at Chickasaw Bayou Battlefield in Warren County, MS.

• Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation ($536,277) for preservation of 42.19 acres at Chancellorsville Battlefield in Spotsylvania County, VA.

• Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation ($257,757) for preservation of 44.75 acres at Cedar Mountain Battlefield in Culpeper County, VA.

The Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants managed by the National Park Service empower preservation partners nationwide to acquire and preserve threatened battlefields on American soil. In addition, the program 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. 

Protect Missouri’s Civil War Battlefields

Missouri played a pivotal role in the American Civil War; only Virginia and Tennessee saw more fighting and more battles than the “Show-Me” State. In the southwestern corner of the state, combat that would determine whether Missouri would be a Union or Confederate stronghold played out on key battlefields. Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield protects the site of such an engagement in August 1861, but the issue was hardly decided in one day.

  Two crucial Civil War battles were fought in and around the small community of Newtonia, Missouri, a short distance from the battlefield at Wilson’s Creek, that helped to decide the state’s fate in the war. The first, fought in September 1862, was among the very few Civil War engagements that included Native Americans fighting on both sides. The second battle at Newtonia in October 1864 was the last major engagement of the Civil War in Missouri.

  Legislation to expand the boundaries of Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield to incorporate the site of these engagements has been introduced by Senator Roy Blunt and Representative Billy Long (S3307 and HR6130). While this boundary expansion does not immediately bring preserved lands at Newtonia into the national park, it is the critical first step that makes such a transfer possible. We encourage you to support these bills to ensure this part of American history is protected in perpetuity by the National Park Service.

The inclusion of these critical acres inside the National Park System has the support of the Newtonia Battlefields Protection Association, the Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Foundation and the American Battlefield Trust. To date, 25 acres have been preserved by local preservation groups, including the historic Ritchie House, one of the few remaining structures to witness the battle. The Trust is proud to have been involved in that transaction.

  The fate of this legislation will be decided by the end of the year, so please take a moment to visit our Speak Out page and contact your legislators now. Time is especially precious because Senator Blunt, a longtime advocate for the national park and battlefield preservation in general, is retiring when his term concludes in early January.

  Your voice matters: Help us secure the future of these important battlefield lands and ensure a fuller interpretation of related historical events within the park. Send a letter to your legislators today.

 Sincerely,

Jim Campi, Chief Policy and Communications Officer

American Battlefield Trust

American Battlefield Trust hopes to purchase General Pickett’s Buffet in Gettysburg

American Battlefield Trust hopes to purchase General Pickett’s Buffet

November 9, 2022 by Leon Reed

Google Image

In the first major land preservation action in the core area of the of the Gettysburg battlefield since the 2003 demolition of the Home Sweet Home Motel, the American Battlefield Trust (ABT) plans to purchase the site of General Pickett’s Buffet Restaurant located on the southern edge of Gettysburg at 571 Steinwehr Avenue. The site is also home to the Gettysburg Battlefield Theater.

The ABT, formerly known as the Civil War Trust, is a charitable organization that has acquired and preserved over 50,000 acres of battlefields of the American Civil War, the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.

“For generations, this half-acre property that played a major role in Pickett’s Charge has been compromised by commercial development, operating as a restaurant, theater, and gift shop known as General Pickett’s Buffet. Now, the long-time owner has decided to retire and give the Trust the opportunity to buy and restore the property,” said an announcement on the ABT website. 

General Pickett’s is a longtime popular restaurant that has provided meals to untold numbers of bus tourists. But it was also one of the most intrusive commercial presences on the battlefield, plainly visible by any visitor standing at the Angle or leaving the National Cemetery from the Taneytown Rd. exit, for example. It is also land where pivotal action of Pickett’s Charge took place.

The move drew high marks from historians and preservationists.

“When George Pickett tried to rally his men for their charge across the field toward the Union line, he certainly said, ‘Some day, future generations will honor your courage and sacrifice on this battlefield with an all-you-can-eat buffet!’ Of course he didn’t—but that’s part of what has made General Pickett’s Buffet such a surreal part of the Gettysburg landscape,” said Chris Mackowski, author of five books on Gettysburg. “It has become such a well-known landmark, but it’s jarring in its juxtaposition. Reclaiming that part of the battlefield, in the context of the reclamation that has gone on directly across the street, will help restore the hallowed nature of the ground where this fabled story took place.”

Mackowski said he was speaking as an individual.

“It is hard to think of a more important parcel on the battlefield to be preserved. This is a natural follow-up to the acquisition and reclamation of the adjacent Home Sweet Home motel property two decades ago,” said licensed guide and author Ralph Siegel, who said he was speaking as an individual.

It is likely that this property will be transferred to the Gettysburg National Military Park once it has been cleared and rehabilitated.

Featured image from Google Maps.

Firing the First Shot of the American Civil War at Fort Johnson

Have you heard about our latest preservation opportunity to purchase three battlefield tracts spanning three wars?

  Three parcels of land totaling almost seven acres — with history spanning the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War, and the beginning shots of the Civil War — must be preserved and we must act fast to save it.

  Watch a video Kristopher White recorded for you from the battlefield!

[VIDEO] Click here to join us for a 9-minute overview.

  Thanks to generous local grants, as well as commitments from a major donor and private landowners, the amount we need to raise for these three parcels is just $62,000 of the total $2.7 million.

  Each of these transactions will allow us to add to existing protected lands and preserve them for future generations, while making progress toward our ambitious goal of saving 2,500 acres of Revolutionary War battlefields to mark the conflict’s 250th anniversary!

  Your Gift Matched $45-to-$1! That means every $1 you give is worth $45 with these matching grants. Securing these properties is well within reach with your help. Please make a donation today.

  Will you join us in protecting hallowed ground at Fort Johnson, South Carolina, Eutaw Springs, South Carolina, and Fort Ticonderoga, New York? Your gift will be matched $45-to-$1!

  Thank you for everything you do to preserve America's hallowed ground.

 With warmest regards,

 Garry Adelman, Chief Historian

American Battlefield Trust

Lend Your Voice to Stop Massive Data Centers near Antietam Battlefield

The battlefield of Manassas is no stranger to development threats. From highways to shopping centers and theme parks, over the decades, it has seen more than its fair share of ill-considered proposals that the preservation community has rallied to oppose and derail. But today, it faces a threat like nothing we have seen before: a uniquely 21st-century scourge in the form of enormous data center warehouses – hulking, windowless monstrosities the size of a shopping mall that consume enormous amounts of electricity and water for operations and climate control, while utilizing technology that will be obsolete within a decade.

The Prince William County Board of Supervisors is currently considering a plan to allow massive data center development along the narrow corridor between Manassas National Battlefield Park and Conway Robinson State Forest. In fact, the footprint being considered in this proposal includes land owned and preserved by the American Battlefield Trust! Of course, we will protect that land forever, regardless of the county’s actions, but this further demonstrates the historic significance of the area under threat.

The Trust, alongside many allied organizations and a chorus of local residents, has been vocal in its opposition to this project since it arose more than 18 months ago. But as the county’s moment of decision nears, we need YOU to speak out to protect the battlefields of Manassas.

Please visit our website to learn more about this proposal and sign a letter of opposition that we can provide to elected officials – and share this opportunity with your friends. We need to send a message that while modern infrastructure is necessary, we need not sacrifice our history in the process.

Local voices are especially important, as constituent opinion carries tremendous weight with elected officials. In addition to writing local officials, please consider attending a rally against the proposal on Saturday, October 29 (RSVP here please), just a few days prior to the Board of Supervisors hearing on November 1. If you live nearby, please consider attending one or both of these events.

Jim Campi

Chief Policy and Communications Officer

American Battlefield Trust

Preserve Acres at Antietam and Shepherdstown

For more than 30 years, we have watched while land around the Antietam Battlefield in Washington County, Maryland, and Shepherdstown, West Virginia, was sold off to developers and we have pursued opportunities to get in there and get the land before they could. 

And we have been successful, in large part, thanks to you. As of 2022, we’ve purchased and saved 464 acres at the Antietam Battlefield site and 622 acres at the Shepherdstown Battlefield.

Now, what’s at stake? Pivotal parcels of land at Antietam Battlefield and Shepherdstown — two battles of the Maryland Campaign that dramatically changed the course of the war and shaped the destiny of America.

Your gift today will ensure that this land at Antietam and Shepherdstown is preserved forever. Every $1 you contribute is worth $8.

Please, let me explain. In the midmorning of September 17, 1862, the Union armies were gaining ground at Antietam as a large, Northern force entered the West Woods, near the parcel we are trying to preserve. But a powerful counterattack of some 7,000 Confederates fell upon the Union front, flank, and rear, sending them reeling. And the thousands of casualties suffered here comprised just one hour of that long, terrible day that claimed more than 22,000 soldiers, killed, wounded, captured and missing — making it America’s bloodiest day.

Six Acres of Historic Importance to Us All

If we can purchase this parcel, we can unite a significant portion of the Antietam battlefield we’ve already saved. A 70s style brick home, a garage, and a barn that sully the site will be removed to restore an unobstructed view into the past!

With contributions from federal and state agencies, local organizations, and major donors, we only need to raise $343,837 to secure this land.

After the battle, the soldiers stayed on the field for a day before Confederate forces moved back across the Potomac and into Virginia at Shepherdstown. Part of the Union army pursued and attacked the Confederate rearguard, capturing four guns. The next day, Union forces crossed the Potomac and established a bridgehead as well.

General Lee dispatched General A.P. Hill’s division to counterattack on the very land we hope to save. With fewer casualties than days before, Confederates were able to hold off the Federals and discourage them from further pursuit. Lincoln was so frustrated with General George B. McClellan’s lack of initiative that in November he relieved him of duty and named General Ambrose Burnside the commander of the Army of the Potomac.

Pristine Civil-War Era Land Can Be Saved

Almost miraculously, the 122 acres we hope to purchase at Shepherdstown appears mostly as it did in the battle. It is well-preserved but under constant threat from developers, who are seeking to build a subdivision of McMansions. Digging up and paving over history forever.

While historians and enthusiasts argue to this day about who won the Battle of Antietam or the subsequent fighting at Shepherdstown, Lincoln claimed a strategic victory. On September 22, the President announced the Emancipation Proclamation, and thus changed the course of the war forever and seared the importance of the Maryland Campaign into the American consciousness. 

The Long Game

If you have ever wondered how serious we are in our fight to save, protect, and preserve hallowed ground where battles were fought to establish a nation and, later, to preserve it for posterity, now you know. We have played a long game and will unite as much land where the battles of Antietam and Shepherdstown occurred as we can.

Today, we need your support to pull together the $343,837 necessary to secure these vital 128 acres. Each $1 gift you make will be worth $8 toward the purchase price. 

Will you please help save 128 sacred acres at Antietam and Shepherdstown?

Yours, ‘til the battle is won,

David N. Duncan

President

American Battlefield Trust

Vicksburg Needs Your Voice

The unique landscape around Vicksburg, Miss., is an inextricable part of its Civil War story: sharp bluffs rising up from the Mississippi River made it the Gibraltar of the Confederacy; dramatic topography shaped the siege lines; sandy caves scratched out of hillsides sheltered frightened civilians.

For decades, National Park Service officials have worked to manage geological challenges posed by the loess soil type found in abundance at Vicksburg which is particularly vulnerable to erosion. The same forces that shaped the battlefield’s familiar landscapes can, with time, render them unstable and present issues for visitor safety. Given this prolonged process, much effort has gone into combating erosion, stretching back to the work of the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.

Then, in early 2020, catastrophe struck. Spurred by some of the heaviest rainfall the region had seen in decades, erosion washed away hillsides, buckled and shifted roads. Perhaps most tragically, the remains of several Union soldiers in Vicksburg National Cemetery were left exposed. The footage captured in this video demonstrates the scale of this cataclysmic damage.

Unsafe and inaccessible, a full third of the park has been closed to visitors ever since. Not only does this detract from the experience of those looking to explore the historic landscape, but it hamstrings the region’s heritage tourism-based economy, the park being Mississippi’s single most visited attraction.

If urgent action is not taken now to stabilize the landscape, reengineer the roads and reopen key parts of the park, this entire battlefield could be irreparably damaged. As this video demonstrates, rather than simply reapplying asphalt, a systemic approach is required to address the underlying issues and ensure the park’s integrity for generations to come.

Please join the Trust, the National Parks Conservation Association and Friends of Vicksburg National Military Park as we call upon legislators to take the necessary steps to supply the funding needed to complete required studies and begin the daunting task of stabilizing the landscape, reinterring the displaced remains and rehabilitating the landscape.

Vicksburg National Battlefield needs our help to ensure it remains a national treasure for our children and grandchildren to learn from and explore.

Sincerely,

Jim Campi

Chief Policy and Communications Officer

American Battlefield Trust

Let’s keep the Antietam Battlefield intact for future generations.

American Battlefield Trust writes:

For more than 30 years, we have watched while land around the Antietam Battlefield in Washington County, Maryland, and Shepherdstown, West Virginia, was sold off to developers and we have pursued opportunities to get in there and get the land before they could. 

And we have been successful, in large part, thanks to you. As of 2022, we’ve purchased and saved 464 acres at the Antietam Battlefield site and 622 acres at the Shepherdstown Battlefield.

Now, what’s at stake? Pivotal parcels of land at Antietam Battlefield and Shepherdstown — two battles of the Maryland Campaign that dramatically changed the course of the war and shaped the destiny of America.

Your gift today will ensure that this land at Antietam and Shepherdstown is preserved forever. Every $1 you contribute is worth $8.

Please, let me explain. In the midmorning of September 17, 1862, the Union armies were gaining ground at Antietam as a large, Northern force entered the West Woods, near the parcel we are trying to preserve. But a powerful counterattack of some 7,000 Confederates fell upon the Union front, flank, and rear, sending them reeling. And the thousands of casualties suffered here comprised just one hour of that long, terrible day that claimed more than 22,000 soldiers, killed, wounded, captured and missing — making it America’s bloodiest day.

Six Acres of Historic Importance to Us All

If we can purchase this parcel, we can unite a significant portion of the Antietam battlefield we’ve already saved. A 70s style brick home, a garage, and a barn that sully the site will be removed to restore an unobstructed view into the past!

With contributions from federal and state agencies, local organizations, and major donors, we only need to raise $343,837 to secure this land.

After the battle, the soldiers stayed on the field for a day before Confederate forces moved back across the Potomac and into Virginia at Shepherdstown. Part of the Union army pursued and attacked the Confederate rearguard, capturing four guns. The next day, Union forces crossed the Potomac and established a bridgehead as well.

General Lee dispatched General A.P. Hill’s division to counterattack on the very land we hope to save. With fewer casualties than days before, Confederates were able to hold off the Federals and discourage them from further pursuit. Lincoln was so frustrated with General George B. McClellan’s lack of initiative that in November he relieved him of duty and named General Ambrose Burnside the commander of the Army of the Potomac.

Pristine Civil-War Era Land Can Be Saved

Almost miraculously, the 122 acres we hope to purchase at Shepherdstown appears mostly as it did in the battle. It is well-preserved but under constant threat from developers, who are seeking to build a subdivision of McMansions. Digging up and paving over history forever.

While historians and enthusiasts argue to this day about who won the Battle of Antietam or the subsequent fighting at Shepherdstown, Lincoln claimed a strategic victory. On September 22, the President announced the Emancipation Proclamation, and thus changed the course of the war forever and seared the importance of the Maryland Campaign into the American consciousness. 

The Long Game

If you have ever wondered how serious we are in our fight to save, protect, and preserve hallowed ground where battles were fought to establish a nation and, later, to preserve it for posterity, now you know. We have played a long game and will unite as much land where the battles of Antietam and Shepherdstown occurred as we can.

Today, we need your support to pull together the $343,837 necessary to secure these vital 128 acres. Each $1 gift you make will be worth $8 toward the purchase price. 

Will you please help save 128 sacred acres at Antietam and Shepherdstown?

Yours, ‘til the battle is won,
David N. Duncan, President
American Battlefield Trust

137 Acres Saved at Todd's Tavern!

Today I encourage you to raise a glass and join our toast to the preservation of 137 acres at the site of Todd’s Tavern, which sat at the intersection of the Brock and Catharpin Roads — an important road junction connecting the Wilderness to Spotsylvania Court House. You may be asking: Why a toast? Well, it is National Drink Beer Day, and you can bet the establishment that lent its name to the May 15, 1864, battle served its fair share of the malty elixir!

The Trust recognizes that this celebratory news wouldn’t have been possible had it not been for the support of the American Battlefield Protection Program, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Virginia Battlefield Preservation Fund and our friends at the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust. Working hand-in-hand with these entities has saved not only this versatile site — but numerous hallowed acres across Virginia.

But it’s all due to YOUR generosity — with you on the side of battlefield preservation, we can charge forward with confidence that significant places like Todd’s Tavern remain a reminder of our country’s powerful, multifaceted past.

General Lafayette, and General Cornwallis too! 

After the 1781 Battle of Guilford Courthouse, British General Charles Cornwallis marched his army to Virginia but was trailed and taunted by a Continental force under General Lafayette. On the way to shield the vital logistical center of Fredericksburg from the British, Lafayette brought his command along the Brock and Catharpin Roads, on the southern and the eastern portion of the property the Trust successfully saved. It was this maneuvering of Lafayette and Cornwallis that ultimately led to Yorktown, where the British famously surrendered. 

Troops at Todd’s Tavern

Following in the footsteps of the legendary Lafayette, Union Generals Ulysses S. Grant and George Gordon Meade rode south along Brock Road on the night of May 7, 1864, skirting the 137-acre tract and stopping briefly at the one-and-a-half story inn known as Todd’s Tavern. A few days later, on May 14, Confederate General Thomas Rosser’s cavalry brigade spent the night at the tavern. The following day, Rosser marched east on Catharpin Road and engaged the 2nd Ohio Cavalry and 23rd USCT. Within this encounter, Union General Philip Sheridan and Confederate General Fitzhugh “Fitz” Lee waged one of the most intense and important cavalry battles of the Overland Campaign. 

While this tavern — a combination residence, tavern, post office and store — was destroyed sometime before 1884, the land alone speaks volumes to its place in American history. Without your help, this pristine acreage could have been lost to a residential subdivision or utility-scale solar farm. I thank you again for making this preservation dream into a reality. 

Sincerely, 

David N. Duncan, President

American Battlefield Trust

P.S. Did you know that there are a handful of beers that carry names inspired by the Civil War? For a background on beer’s presence during the conflict, take a look at this article!

Help Save “Absolutely incomparable” Hallowed Ground

Gaines’ Mill, fought north to south, and Cold Harbor, fought east to west, are among two of General Robert E. Lee’s great victories of the Civil War.

“Absolutely incomparable. No unpreserved battlefield property in North America resonates with higher historical value than this land.” Historian Robert K. Krick  

Now, we’re launching Phase Three of Gaines’ Mill-Cold Harbor Saved Forever Campaign to save 45 acres that we’re calling “The Juncture at Griffin’s Woods” along with 12 additional acres associated with the battles of Glendale, First Deep Bottom, and Malvern Hill. 

This Saved Forever Campaign is one of the largest transactions we have ever taken on, and we have about two years left to raise all the funds we need to complete the Campaign. We are obligated to make timely payments each year or risk defaulting on our agreement. 

At this phase, we’re fighting for TWO tracts of land that span FIVE Civil War battles. This is a uniquely historic preservation opportunity! 

45 Acres at Gaines’ Mill-Cold Harbor 

The terrain of the 45-acre target tract encompasses much of the thick woods that marked the center of the Gaines’ Mill battlefield and abuts National Park Service property. 

This key tract of sacred ground serves as that critical juncture between battlefield land we’ve already saved to the east, west, and north, filling in a gap and completing an uninterrupted and fully protected section of this battlefield. 

Griffin’s Woods is completely unchanged from its wartime appearance. The trees among which a dozen brigades ferociously fought are descendants of the forest that so troubled and confused the combatants on June 27, 1862. Both branches of Boatswain’s Creek still meander through the woods as important landmarks. 

12 Acres at Glendale, First Deep Bottom, and Malvern Hill 

At Glendale, the penultimate Seven Days battle which took place on June 30, 1862, initial Confederate attacks led by General James L. Kemper’s Virginia brigade jumped off from this very ground, supported by a single artillery battery. 

The next day at Malvern Hill, Confederates pivoted to pursue and attack the Federals who had taken a strong defensive position. As much as half of Lee’s army marched over or on the roads immediately bordering this property, as they girded for their doomed advance.  

Then, about two years later, at First Deep Bottom, dismounted Federal cavalry established a line in the Long Bridge Road, the northern border of the tract. The troopers, belonging to General David M. Gregg’s division, were attacked by several brigades of Confederate infantry. With the bulk of the fighting swirling just north of the road, the temporarily defeated Union soldiers rallied and regrouped on the land we are working to save. 

Now today, we can preserve this nearly 12-acre tract of land associated with all three of these battles! When it rains, it pours, right? 

We can’t do it without your support in this fight! 

After more than 25 years — we have the remarkable opportunity to preserve this most-important unprotected hallowed ground in America... a challenge we simply must meet! 

For every $1.00 you give today, you will help preserve two historic tracts of land associated with FIVE Civil War battles! 

It’s so very important that we protect this and other battlefields across our nation before they are lost forever to development. Thank you for your support. 

 ‘Til the battle is won,

David N. Duncan, President
American Battlefield Trust

Gettysburg Day One Battlefield Threatened

Few places are as uniquely American as the Gettysburg Battlefield, where Lincoln’s iconic address proclaimed the nation’s new birth of freedom. But for such treasured landscapes to endure, concerned citizens such as yourself must advocate for their protection.

No community is frozen in time and modern society requires 21st century infrastructure for towns and cities to grow and thrive. The American Battlefield Trust has never been anti-development – but we do encourage thoughtful development that balances respect for the past with plans for the future. Unfortunately, a proposal currently under consideration near Gettysburg would undermine decades of preservation and restoration work.

This September, Cumberland Township officials will rule on a plan to build a 112-unit, multi-story apartment rental complex off Country Club Lane, adjacent to land that the American Battlefield Trust helped protect in 2011. This property saw combat as soldiers fought over control of Willoughby Run and McPherson’s Ridge. Further, the project’s impact in the form of increased traffic, sound and light pollution would spill across many other areas of the July 1 battlefield – the Railroad Cut, McPherson’s Woods, Seminary Ridge and Lee’s Headquarters.

We ask that you consider weighing in on this proposal – regardless of whether you are a local resident, a frequent visitor to Gettysburg, or just care deeply about our history. As we saw just last month, when overwhelming opposition defeated a plan that would have altered height restrictions around the battlefield, your voice matters.

Please take a moment to SPEAK OUT by signing the appropriate letter on our website, urging Township officials to reject this proposal. Together, we can make a difference and prevent hallowed ground from being irreparably lost.

Sincerely,

Jim Campi

Chief Policy and Communications Officer

American Battlefield Trust

If we hesitate, it will be too late

A note from the president of the American battlefield trust

When it comes to saving the hallowed ground that must be saved, like this new battlefield preservation opportunity, we are facing threats we have not seen in a generation or more. We are competing with some of the most well-funded companies in the world, who have a far greater ability to pay than we do.

Construction of data centers, warehouse distribution facilities, and utility-scale solar farms are exploding almost everywhere we work. New high-demand residential subdivisions, apartments and condos are seemingly popping up everywhere — as people flee the cities and seek to work remotely. 

If many of these places are to be saved, it is up to the Trust and supporters like you to do it; if we hesitate, and believe we can wait until the next generations coming up behind us are ready take on this vital work, it will be too late.

That’s why I'm emailing you today, for your help in saving pieces of three battlefields at three separate sites: Chancellorsville in Virginia, Gilgal Church in Georgia, and Corinth in Mississippi.

These three tracts total 52 acres in size and have a combined transaction value of more than $1.6 million — a sizeable amount because they are highly sought-after sites for new development.

The good news is that, thanks to landowner donations plus expected government grants, we need to raise less than 10% of that amount — $160,680 — which means that for every dollar you give today, we will turn it into $10.30 of saved hallowed ground!

Learn more about these threatened 52 acres in Virginia, Georgia and Mississippi and give what you can to help us protect them before it's too late.

With warmest regards,

David N. Duncan, President

American Battlefield Trust