HISTORY Under - Cleveland Civil War Roundtable
Transcription
HISTORY Under - Cleveland Civil War Roundtable
CIVIL WAR PRESERVATION TRUST HISTORY Under SIeGE A Guide to America’s Most Endangered Civil War Battlefields 4 2007 What is the value of land that thousands of men paid for with their lives? We believe it to be priceless. 41 History under siege Introduction 4 2 VIRGINIA Cedar Creek 4 4 3 ALABAMA Fort Morgan 4 4 PENNSYLVANIA Gettysburg 4 4 5 West Virginia Harpers Ferry 4 6 Mississippi Iuka 4 7 Georgia Marietta 4 4 8 Louisiana New Orleans 4 9 Mid-Atlantic Northern Piedmont 4 4 10 Virginia Petersburg 4 11 Tennessee Spring Hill 4 4 12 At Risk SItes Fifteen Additional Battlefields 4 14 Progress Report 4 4 15 museum in peril 4 16 About CWPT 4 4 2007 History Under Siege In your hands you hold the 2007 edition of History Under Siege, the Civil War Preservation Trust’s (CWPT) annual report on endangered Civil War battlefields. This report is more than a list of threatened historic sites—it is also a roadmap for saving the last remaining links to a moment in history that defined us as a nation. Although many battlefields are in danger of being lost forever, CWPT is making significant progress. In 2006, CWPT rescued more than 1,300 acres of hallowed ground at legendary battlefields like Gettysburg, Pa., Fort Donelson, Tenn., and Fredericksburg, Va. Since our creation two decades ago, CWPT has protected 23,500 acres at more than 90 sites in 18 states. Despite such successes, our work is far from done. We hope this report energizes both longtime supporters and new allies to continue the fight to protect and preserve these priceless treasures. History Under Siege has two distinct components: the first section identifies the 10 most endangered battlefields in the nation, and the second section lists 15 additional “at risk” sites, rounding out the 25 battlefields we believe need the most immediate attention. No attempt is made to rank the sites within these two tiers— instead, the battlefields are listed in alphabetical order. The selection process is lengthy and difficult. Sites are nominated by our membership, and final decisions are made with help and input from historians, preservationists and CWPT’s board of trustees. The sites included in the report are determined based on geographic location, military significance and preservation status. In analyzing each site, CWPT consulted a 1993 study by the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission (CWSAC) that prioritized sites according to their historical significance and state of preservation. Whenever possible, CWPT has cited the CWSAC rating system throughout this report. Battlefields are ranked from Priority I (sites considered the most threatened) to Priority IV (sites considered all but lost). CWSAC also ranks battlefields from A (the most historically significant sites) to D (sites of local importance). INtroduction 1 4 Most Endangered Battlefields A Guide to America’s Most Endangered Civil War Battlefields History Under Siege 2 2 VIRGINIA Cedar Creek October 19, 1864 After a string of costly setbacks at the hands of Union Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan during September and early October of 1864, it appeared that Confederate domination of the fertile Shenandoah Valley had finally ended. However, the Rebel chieftain, Lt. Gen. Jubal Early, was a stubborn man who would not easily admit defeat. c On the morning of October 19, Early launched an audacious surprise assault at Cedar Creek that routed elements of Sheridan’s army and nearly reversed Southern fortunes in the Valley. Unfortunately for Early, his opponent was also his equal in stubbornness. Sheridan, galloping onto the field after a nearly 15-mile ride from his headquarters in Winchester, rallied his men and launched a crushing counter-attack from which Early’s army would never recover. c Never again would a Southern army seriously challenge Union control of the Shenandoah. Coupled with ongoing Union success in Georgia following the fall of Atlanta, the victory at Cedar Creek propelled President Abraham Lincoln to success in the 1864 election. ThreaT The threat to Cedar Creek is as dire and immediate as any faced at a Civil War battlefield. The O-N Minerals Company has filed an application with Frederick County to rezone 639 acres from “rural” to “extractive manufacturing” so as to expand its current mining operations with five additional quarries. The property in question is adjacent to the Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park. According to the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation, at least 60 percent of this property is core battlefield land. c In June 2006, the Frederick County Planning Commission voted unanimously against the O-N rezoning application. However, the final decision rests ultimately with the Frederick County Board of Supervisors. That decision is expected later this spring. Priority CWSAC classified Cedar Creek as a Priority I, Class A battlefield—its highest designation. ... Still none behaved more gallantly or exhibited greater courage than those who returned from the rear determined to reoccupy their lost camp. c Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan August 5–23, 1864 From the beginning of the war, Northern strategy called for an extensive naval blockade of Southern ports, cutting off European trade and placing a stranglehold on the Confederate war effort. Mobile Bay, protected by the 46 guns and 500-man garrison at Fort Morgan, was one of the last ports available to the beleaguered Confederacy. c In August 1864, a Federal fleet under Adm. David Farragut arrived off the Alabama coast, intent on closing the port. To do so, it would need to pass extensive Confederate fortifications, artillery positions, underwater mines and other hazards, which had been laid over three and a half years of war. After 18 days of intermittent bombardment, Fort Morgan surrendered. It was the last stronghold on the bay to do so. Threat Today the once formidable Fort Morgan has fallen into significant disrepair. Neglect, storm damage, staff shortages and insufficient maintenance have led to the closure of some portions of the property. c In 2006, the Alabama Historical Commission, which owns and operates the site, adopted a new plan to gradually increase staff and repair storm damage to the property. The process of transforming Fort Morgan will be lengthy and difficult. Full implementation of the management plan will require substantial state funding. Another alternative supported by some concerned groups is to transfer the site to the National Park Service as a division of the Gulf Islands National Seashore system, which already includes Civil War sites in Pensacola, Fla., and Biloxi, Miss. Priority CWSAC classified Fort Morgan as a Priority I, Class A site—its highest designation. Alabama 3 4 Most Endangered Battlefields Fort Morgan History Under Siege 4 4 Pennsylvania Gettysburg July 1-–3, 1863 For three days in the summer of 1863, the eyes of the nation were fixed on the small crossroads town of Gettysburg. The Army of Northern Virginia had invaded the North for the second time, engaging the Union Army of the Potomac in the largest battle ever fought in the Western Hemisphere. Approximately 170,000 men in blue and gray entered the fight, and 51,000 became casualties. c The unprecedented bloodletting transformed Gettysburg into a mecca for those who sought to commemorate the sacrifices made there and on other fields during the Civil War. President Abraham Lincoln’s timeless address struck a chord with the American public that still resonates more than 140 years later. Today the battlefield—dotted with thousands of markers, monuments and historic tablets—is visited by nearly 2 million people each year. Threat Although a proposal to build a 5,000-slot gambling facility one mile from the battlefield was defeated in December 2006, development pressures on the Gettysburg Battlefield continue unabated. c Spurred by the continuing expansion of the Washington, D.C., and Baltimore suburbs, this once quiet, rural area dominated by orchards and family farms is quickly becoming home to large-scale commercial and residential development. According to The Gettysburg Times, the Adams County Office of Planning and Development estimates that some 1,100 homes are either already under construction or slated to begin shortly. An additional 14,000 units have been proposed by developers, and 6,500 more are foreseeable in the near future. Such extensive construction could increase the county’s population by 30 percent. Priority CWSAC classified Gettysburg as a Priority I, Class A battlefield—its highest designation. All around was the wreck the battle-storm leaves in its wake— broken caissons, dismounted guns, small arms bent and twisted by the storm or dropped and scattered by disabled hands... and all the sorrowful wreck that the waves of battle leave at their ebb. c Corp. Thomas Marbaker, 11th New Jersey Infantry September 12-–15, 1862 Although it is best known as the scene of John Brown’s abortive attempt to arm and liberate local slaves, Harpers Ferry is also the site of a famous 1862 battle. From the heights that surround the sleepy village, Maj. Gen. Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson orchestrated one of the largest mass surrenders in American history. c Jackson’s plan involved the precise coordination of three separate commands split between two wide rivers. Even today, with 21st-century technology and communications, such a plan would be difficult to coordinate successfully. In the early 1860s, only a commander of Jackson’s caliber and confidence could have pulled it off. In his biography of Jackson, author James I. Robertson, Jr. writes, “Harpers Ferry was the most complete victory in the history of the Southern Confederacy.” Threat On August 19, 2006, a consortium of Jefferson County, W. Va. developers crossed onto National Park Service (NPS) property along School House Ridge and dug two 1,900-foot-long trenches for water and sewer piping. They did so without receiving any permit from NPS or notifying Park authorities of their intent. Despite repeated requests to cease and desist, the developers refused, leaving nearly two acres of taxpayer-owned hallowed ground seriously compromised. After the incident, NPS officials discovered archaeological artifacts among the rubble. To make the story even more heartbreaking, the property had only become part of the Park in May 2005, after CWPT members contributed $300,000 toward its protection. c Currently the U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S. Department of Justice are considering charges against the developers, who could be tried under both civil and criminal law. Priority CWSAC classified Harpers Ferry as a Priority I, Class B battlefield. West Virginia 5 4 Most Endangered Battlefields Harpers Ferry History Under Siege 4 6 Mississippi Iuka September 19, 1862 A Confederate column under Maj. Gen. Sterling Price occupied Iuka in mid-September 1862, intent on preventing Union occupation forces in northern Mississippi and western Tennessee from reinforcing the garrison at Nashville. Alarmed that Price might be en route to strengthen Gen. Braxton Bragg’s Kentucky offensive, Maj. Gen. Ulysses Grant prepared to attack the town from the south and west. c As Union troops approached the outskirts of Iuka late on the afternoon of September 19, they collided with one of Price’s divisions hastily redeployed a mile southwest of town to counter the Union threat. A bitter, pitched battle raged for the next three hours, during which the Confederates managed to drive the head of the Federal column back a third of a mile before darkness ended further carnage. Although Price was initially inclined to renew the battle the next morning, the presence of Union reinforcements convinced him to withdraw to the south during the night to join preparations for the attack on Corinth. Threat Like many other Civil War battlefields, modern roadways penetrate the core battlefield and scene of the most significant fighting at Iuka. The intersection of U.S. Route 72 and Miss. Route 25 is a hotbed for development in the region. A motel was built on the spot where Lt. Cyrus Sears’ 11th Ohio Battery unlimbered and served its guns in the heart of the battlefield; the building’s foundation destroyed the hillside and valuable artifacts were lost. c Luckily, there have been some preservation successes in the last few years, most notably the preservation of 57 acres by the Iuka Battlefield Commission. This group is looking for additional properties to preserve and opportunities to add visitor services to the site. Priority CWSAC classified Iuka as a Priority IV, Class C battlefield. The fight began, and was waged with a severity I have never seen surpassed. c Maj. Gen. Sterling Price June 4-–July 3, 1864 Following intense fighting in Paulding County at the end of May 1864, action during the Atlanta Campaign shifted eastward into neighboring Cobb County. Beginning on June 4, Confederate forces occupied a long line of entrenchments from Lost Mountain to Brushy Mountain near Marietta. Union forces under Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman probed the center of the line several times, and skirmishing and cavalry action were nearly constant on the flanks. c Federal forces drove the Confederates from Lost Mountain back to Mud Creek and continued to threaten to outflank the southern end of the Confederate line. Over the night of June 18–19, Confederate commander Gen. Joseph E. Johnston withdrew his troops eastward to the Kennesaw Mountain Line. Threat Many of the earthworks occupied by Johnston’s Confederate forces toward the end of his Marietta operations are protected as part of Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield. However, huge sections of trenches and fortifications remain unprotected throughout Cobb County. The growth of suburban Atlanta has all but destroyed the possibility for preservation opportunities in the eastern half of the county, and time is running out for the extant properties in the west. c In the last year, preservationists have had some limited success protecting remnants of the Confederate and Federal lines near Dallas Highway and Brushy Mountain. Unfortunately, in some instances earthworks have been intentionally bulldozed to avoid complications that could scare away potential developers. The fate of several areas containing portions of the remaining trench line rest with the county government, as rezoning applications are considered. Development in the region shows no signs of slowing, with some land in the area selling for as much as $500,000 per acre. Priority CWSAC classified Marietta as a Priority IV, Class B site. On each of these peaks...the spurs were alive with men busy in felling trees, digging pits, and preparing for the grand struggle impending. The scene was enchanting; too beautiful to be disturbed by the harsh clamor of war. c Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman Georgia 7 4 Most Endangered Battlefields Marietta History Under Siege 4 8 Louisiana New Orleans April 16–28, 1862 In the spring of 1862, the Union navy launched an offensive to capture New Orleans, one of the South’s busiest seaports and a key to unlocking Confederate control of the Mississippi River. To prevent its capture, the historic town was protected by a series of forts. Two of the greatest obstacles to a naval assault were Forts Jackson and St. Philip, situated on opposing banks of the Mississippi River 70 miles south of New Orleans. c The two garrisons were able to hold Adm. David Farragut’s flotilla at bay for a week before the Union gunboats broke through. Although this major line of defense was broken, Confederate forces continued to harass the fleet as it progressed northward. But the capture of New Orleans was now inevitable. The city and forts surrendered separately on April 28. Threat In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina did immense damage to many historical treasures along the Gulf Coast. Eighteen months later, though the initial cleanup has been completed, important questions remain about the future of the forts that once defended New Orleans. c Thanks to its positioning between levees, Fort Jackson sat submerged in eight feet of water for six weeks, seriously undermining its structural integrity. The cost of repairs and improvements necessary for its long-term preservation are staggering—far higher than the devastated Plaquemines Parish government, which has maintained the site as a park since 1962, can afford. Fort Pike, just outside New Orleans, also suffered immense damage, with gaping cracks appearing in its outer walls and heavy items from inside the fort washing up as far away as Ship Island, Miss., some 40 miles east. Although both forts are eligible for federal funding to help with restoration efforts, it is unclear whether all necessary work can be completed before the damage is irreparable. Priority CWSAC classified the forts around New Orleans as Priority IV, Class A and Class B sites. It [ the conquest of New Orleans and its defenses] was a triumph won over formidable difficulties by a mobile force, skillfully directed and gallantly fought. c Capt. Alfred T. Mahan’s Admiral Farragut 1861-–1865 The Northern Piedmont, encompassing parts of Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia, was one of the most heavily contested areas of America during the Civil War. Although it was in Union hands throughout most of the conflict, Confederate forces twice took the war into the Maryland and Pennsylvania Piedmont regions, resulting in titanic battles at Antietam and Gettysburg. In addition, the area was a frequent hotbed for cavalry activity, witnessing the actions at Aldie, Middleburg and Upperville in June 1863 and Manassas Gap the following month. c From epic charges across the open fields of Gettysburg to close combat fighting in Thoroughfare Gap, the Northern Piedmont is home to some of the most iconic battlefields of the entire war. The area is defined by the battles that raged across it, creating a unique cultural identity based on history. Threat In the summer of 2006, electric energy giants Dominion Virginia Power and Allegheny Power announced plans for a 500-kilovolt power line through portions of Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia. The proposed routes would devastate environmental, cultural and historical resources throughout the region. The most controversial route, in Northern Virginia, would affect some 48,000 acres of land protected under preservation easements, including 11 existing historic districts, one National Historic Landmark, 19 State and National Historic Sites and seven Civil War battlefields. Other proposals would impact Monocacy and South Mountain in Maryland and Gettysburg in Pennsylvania. c In some cases, the proposed towers would be visible for miles, standing up to 15 stories tall and requiring a 150–200foot-wide right-of-way. Currently, Allegheny Power is seeking federal eminent domain authority through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to ensure the power line’s construction. A coalition of environmental and preservation groups is urging the utility companies to seek alternatives, such as demand-side management and more robust energy efficiency and energy conservation programs. Priority The CWSAC classifications for the Northern Piedmont range from Priority I through Priority IV. Mid-Atlantic 9 4 Most Endangered Battlefields Northern Piedmont History Under Siege 4 10 Virginia Petersburg June 1864-–April 1865 For 10 months in 1864 and early 1865, the area around Petersburg, Va., was honeycombed with tunnels and earthworks as Union and Confederate forces created trenches extending as far as 30 miles from the city center. All told, the 18 major battles of the Petersburg Campaign raged over some 23,000 acres and included clashes at Ream’s Station, Deep Bottom, Globe Tavern, Peebles’ Farm and Hatcher’s Run. c The stalemate around Petersburg was finally broken when the vastly outnumbered Confederates, faced with threats to their supply lines, began withdrawing westward. The city of Petersburg fell on April 3, 1865, after the last Southern troops evacuated in the night. Gen. Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia surrendered six days later at Appomattox Court House. Threat The 2006 findings of the federal Base Realignment and Closure commission call for a drastic increase in the size of Fort Lee, a U.S. Army installation located adjacent to the Petersburg National Battlefield. Estimates indicate that the on-base population will increase by 119 percent by 2009 and that about $1 billion will be spent on building upgrades and new construction. c Such incredible growth in such a short time will complicate preservation efforts in Petersburg and Dinwiddie County. Until now, the area had been spared the development pressures facing other Richmond suburbs. Although much important battlefield land remains unprotected, skyrocketing land values could quickly turn property owners away from conservation-minded solutions. The base expansion may also create traffic problems in and around the Park, and threaten the Park’s historic buildings, landscape and archeological resources. Priority The CWSAC classifications for the Petersburg Campaign range from Priority I through Priority IV. November 29, 1864 The struggle for Spring Hill was the result of an attempt by Confederate Gen. John Bell Hood to prevent an isolated Union column from retreating to nearby Franklin. Fighting began in earnest around 4:00 p.m., with the Federals turning back several piecemeal and poorly coordinated Confederate attacks. As it grew dark, the Southerners finally gained a strategic position from which to cut off the Union retreat, but Hood’s order to attack never reached his subordinates, and they did not press their advantage. The Confederates bivouacked for the night, leaving open the road north to Franklin. c In what has been called “one of the most controversial non-fighting events of the war,” while Southern soldiers slept, the entire Union army passed them by. The result of this failure was the Battle of Franklin, an unmitigated disaster for the Confederacy, which cost them 6,200 casualties and six general officers. Threat Expansion of the Nashville and Franklin suburbs is eating away at large portions of the Spring Hill Battlefield. In the mid-1990s, CWPT and Maury County were able to preserve 110 acres, but the remainder is quickly and irreversibly being lost to booming residential and commercial development. c For example, in January 2007 construction began on a massive commercial development near where Maj. Gen. Patrick Cleburne’s lines stood on the afternoon of November 29, 1864. The 62-acre, 465,000-square-foot shopping center, called the Crossings of Spring Hill, will contain a SuperTarget, Kohl’s and 31 other retail units. Priority CWSAC classified Spring Hill as a Priority I, Class B battlefield. When we got to the turnpike near Spring Hill, lo! and behold; wonder of wonders! the whole Yankee army had passed during the night. c Sam Watkins, 1st Tennessee Infantry Tennessee 11 4 Most Endangered Battlefields Spring Hill History Under Siege 4 12 At Risk Sites Fifteen additional At Risk Sites Athens, Missouri Fort Monroe, Virginia August 5, 1861 This Missouri State Park is faced with the possibility of a very unpleasant new neighbor—the Athens Hog Factory. The battlefield, which played a pivotal role in keeping the “Show Me State” in the Union during the war, could see visitation fall sharply due to the smell. 1861–1865 This important Union base, the scene of the battle between the Monitor and Merrimac and a refuge for freed slaves, is slated for closure as a result of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure report. Local preservationists are determined to save it from development. Brandy Station, Virginia GLENDALE, Virginia June 9, 1863 Culpeper County, home of the largest cavalry battle of the war, is the 18th fastest growing county in the nation, with its population increasing nearly six percent in 2005 alone. Between 2000 and 2005, population rose 24 percent. Housing developments are beginning to encroach on the battlefield. June 30, 1862 Three large developments, each incorporating the name of the battlefield as a selling point, have been built within the past two years. Four other developments in the immediate area are pending, including one within musket range of preserved land. Honey Springs, Oklahoma Defenses of Washington, D.C. 1861–1865 Over time, many of the 68 forts erected to protect Washington from Confederate attack during the Civil War have fallen into disrepair or been lost entirely. There is little attempt to interpret the rich history of those that remain. Falling Waters, Maryland AND WEST VIRGINIA July 6–16, 1863 Although both sides of the Potomac River at Falling Waters, where the Confederates made their crossing back into the South after the battle of Gettysburg, remain largely intact today, residential development is encroaching rapidly. July 17, 1863 Area residents recently petitioned to have the private road through this largest battlefield in Oklahoma opened to public traffic. Tourists participating in the driving tour would be forced to compete with speeding commuters, making visitation more difficult. Hunterstown, Pennsylvania July 2, 1863 Known by historians as “North Cavalry Field,” Hunterstown was recently recognized by the NPS as part of the Gettysburg Battlefield. Unfortunately, the site is extremely vulnerable to development. Last fall, several important historic structures on the battlefield were demolished. Mansfield, Louisiana June 27, 1864 As the Atlanta area has grown and overwhelmed existing transportation infrastructure, roads through this National Battlefield Park have become major commuter thoroughfares. Nearly all roads through the park, including those used for driving tours, are public use roads owned by Cobb County. April 8, 1864 Mansfield has long been the center of an unusual preservation struggle, as an active grassroots network faces off against a lignite mining operation. Preservationists remain ever vigilant as extraction work continues. Only 177 of the more than 6,000 acres at this site are currently protected. Little Blue River, Missouri Newtonia, Missouri October 21, 1864 This battlefield near Independence was named one of the state’s most endangered sites by the Missouri Alliance for Historic Preservation in 2005. Residential and commercial development are encroaching on central portions of the field. A fourlane divided highway is also proposed through crucial combat areas. September 30, 1862 & October 28, 1864 The long-term protection of this southwestern Missouri battlefield could be secured by its inclusion in the Wilson’s Creek unit of the National Park Service. Legislation to bring it under federal jurisdiction was introduced by Congressman Roy Blunt in January 2007. Wilderness, Virginia Lovejoy’s Station, Georgia August 20, 1864 Although Henry County, Ga. purchased 204 acres of land at this key battle of the Atlanta Campaign, crucial portions of the field remain unprotected in neighboring Clayton County. Like all of the burgeoning Atlanta suburbs, the area is highly vulnerable to development. May 5–7, 1864 In January 2007, the Orange County Board of Supervisors laudably voted against expanding State Route 20 through the heart of the battlefield to four lanes. Still, large areas of the battlefield along Route 20 remain extremely vulnerable to development pressures. At Risk Sites 13 4 Most Endangered Battlefields Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia Manassas, VirGinia July 21, 1861 & August 28–30, 1862 Continuing traffic nightmares along U.S. Route 29 make the National Military Park nearly impossible to visit during rush hour. Many preservationists fear an impending push to widen the highway to four lanes through the heart of the battlefield. Learn more These fifteen addi tional sites round out our ranking of the top 25 mos t endangered Civi l War battlefields in the nation. To di scover more abou t them, and how yo u can help with their preservatio n, be sure to visit our website at w w w. ci vi lw ar.o rg . History Under Siege 4 14 Progress report Preservation Successes Progress Report In partnership with several national and local preservation groups, CWPT has been working tirelessly to save historic properties at endangered sites identified in previous editions of History Under Siege. Listed below are a few of the successes achieved by CWPT in the past year. Bentonville, North Carolina In the late 1990s, only 244 acres of this March 1865 battlefield were protected from development, making it one of the most endangered sites in the nation. But thanks to a partnership between CWPT, the North Carolina Heritage Trust and the Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site, 773 acres have been preserved at the site in the last four years, nearly 300 acres in 2006 alone. Chancellorsville, Virginia In November 2006, CWPT and its partners celebrated the end of a fouryear struggle to protect the First Day at Chancellorsville Battlefield. The site of the May 1, 1863, fighting had once been targeted for a massive residential and commercial development, but cooperation between preservationists, developers and local elected officials has now saved the property. CWPT acquired 140 acres of the battlefield in 2004 and is now negotiating to buy the remaining 74 acres. facing Gettysburg continue to increase, 2006 also saw several significant victories for preservationists in the area. On December 20, 2006, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board rejected a proposal to build a 5,000-slot gambling facility near the battlefield, which would have exacerbated development pressures on the battlefield. Earlier in the year, CWPT partnered with the Land Conservancy of Adams County to acquire a conservation easement on the Cunningham Farm, bringing CWPT’s total protected acres at Gettysburg to 697. Glendale, Virginia The area surrounding this Seven Days Campaign battlefield is a hotbed for development. Three large developments, each incorporating the name of the battlefield as a selling point, have been built within the past two years and more are pending. Last year, however, CWPT was able to secure a vital 40-acre tract along the Darbytown and Long Bridge Roads. All told, CWPT has protect 247 acres at Glendale. Wilson’s Creek, Missouri In 2005, CWPT and the Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield Foundation were able to broker a “win-win” deal with a regional developer to save 142 acres inside the National Park boundary. CWPT and the Battlefield Foundation followed up on this success by saving an additional 70 acres at Wilson’s Creek in September 2006. Progress report 15 4 Most Endangered Battlefields Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Although the development pressures History Under Siege 4 16 Museum in peril Museum in Peril MuseuM &White House of the Confederacy During the Civil War, Confederate President Jefferson Davis lived and worked in a gray neoclassical mansion on East Clay Street in Richmond. The structure survived the evacuation fires when the city fell in April 1865, and was occupied by Federal troops until 1870. The building was nearly torn down in 1889, but was saved by the Confederate Memorial Literary Society. The “Confederate White House” was the site of the Confederate Museum from 1896–1976, until a larger facility was opened on an adjacent lot. The White House was then renovated to its 1860s appearance, opening to the public in 1988. c Today, the Museum and White House of the Confederacy are the repository for the world’s most extensive collection of artifacts, photographs and flags relating to both the civilian and military aspects of the Civil War. Threat Although not a battlefield, the Museum and White House are as endangered as any battleground in the U.S. They are literally being strangled by their immediate neighbor, the sprawling campus of Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center. As they are difficult to find among the highrise buildings and parking garages of VCU, visitation to the museum and White House has dwindled in the past decade. c In response to ongoing problems, both the museum and White House have been forced to cut their hours drastically; the White House even closed for two months in the winter. Currently the Museum’s management is seriously considering moving their collections to a site outside Richmond, even as far away as Lexington, Va. Initial discussions included the possibility of moving the White House itself, but that plan has been abandoned. About CWPT The Civil War was the most tragic conflict in American history. For four long years, North and South clashed in hundreds of battles and skirmishes that sounded the death knell for slavery and defined us as a nation. More than 625,000 soldiers and 50,000 civilians perished as a result of the war. CWPT is committed to protecting the last tangible links to this tumultuous period in American history—the fields where the conflict was decided. We strive to preserve our nation’s endangered Civil War battlefields through outright purchases, conservation easements, and partnerships with federal, state and local governments. With 70,000 members, CWPT is the largest nonprofit battlefield preservation organization in the United States. CWPT celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2007. To date we have protected forever 23,500 acres of hallowed ground in 18 states. Among the sites rescued by CWPT in recent months are key parcels at Gettysburg in Pennsylvania, Fort Donelson in Tennessee and Fredericksburg in Virginia. To support our battlefield preservation efforts and to promote appreciation of these hallowed grounds, CWPT also maintains several outreach programs. In addition to the battlefield report you hold in your hands, CWPT produces Hallowed Ground, our award winning quarterly magazine; oversees the Civil War Discovery Trail, a National Millennium Trail linking more than 600 sites in 32 states and three foreign countries; and offers numerous education programs to classrooms, including school curricula and our online Civil War Explorer program. More information is available at the civil War Preservation Trust’s website 4 www.civilwar.org CIVIL WAR PRESERVATION TRUST Standing Guard Over History Headquarters Membership Center 1331 H Street NW, Suite 1001 Washington, DC 20005 (202) 367-1861 11 Public Square, Suite 200 Hagerstown, MD 21740 (301) 665-1400
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