C I V I L W A R P R E S E R V A T I O N T R U S T

CIVIL WAR PRESERVATION TRUST
2009
history
under
siege
TM
A Guide to America’s Most Endangered Civil War Battlefields
What is the value of land
that thousands of men
paid for with their lives?
ttlefield
sas National Ba
House at Manas
e
on
St
e
th
of
w
Late 1800’s vie
ry of Congress.)
sy of The Libra
(Image courte
Park.
We believe it is priceless!
History Under Siege is registered by the Civil War Preservation Trust, U.S. trademark pending.
2009
history under siege
TM
A Guide to America’s Most Endangered Civil War Battlefields
In your hands you hold the 2009 edition of History Under SiegeTM,
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 protecting these
tangible links to our history.
Although many battlefields are in danger of being lost forever, CWPT
is making significant progress toward ensuring their protection. In
2008, CWPT rescued hallowed ground in eight states, at legendary
battlefields like Morris Island, S.C., Shiloh, Tenn., and Appomattox
Court House, Va. Since CWPT was created more than two decades
ago, we have protected more than 25,000 acres of battlefield land in
19 states.
Despite such success, 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 SiegeTM 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 the two tiers —
instead, they are listed in alphabetical order.
The list is the result of a lengthy and difficult selection process.
Sites are nominated by our members, and final decisions are made
— with the assistance of historians, other preservation groups and
CWPT’s board of trustees — based on geographic location, military
significance and preservation status.
To analyze each site, CWPT consults 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 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).
1
October 19, 1864
CEDAR CREEK, VIRGINIA
In the autumn of 1864, Union Maj. Gen. Philip Sheridan inflicted
a series of punishing blows on his adversaries in the Shenandoah
Valley, a region known as “the breadbasket of the Confederacy.”
By mid-October, it seemed the end was near for his opponent, Lt.
Gen. Jubal Early. But the Confederate army was not ready to give
up and launched an audacious attack on isolated portions of
Sheridan’s force.
After a daring night march, Early’s Confederates burst out
of the foggy dawn near Cedar Creek and routed Sheridan’s
troops. Sheridan, however, arrived from his headquarters
in Winchester just in time to rally his troops and launch a
devastating counterattack. Not only did Sheridan’s destructive
assault win the battle, but it also shattered any hope of further
Confederate offensives in the Valley.
Threat: Limestone mining operations across portions of
the Cedar Creek Battlefield have long been one of the most
dramatic and visible threats facing any Civil War battlefield.
Heavy machinery and slag piles are already visible from
many battlefield locations, including Belle Grove Plantation.
Despite vehement public opposition and the local planning
department’s recommendation, in May 2008 the Frederick
County Board of Supervisors rezoned 394 acres for
extractive manufacturing, greatly increasing the size of
the mine and threatening to destroy significant sections of
the northern part of the battlefield. The Cedar Creek and
Belle Grove Coalition — made up of local, regional, state
and national preservation groups — continues to pursue all
available means to reverse this decision before mining can expand in earnest.
Cedar Creek is also one of approximately 15 battlefields across Maryland,
Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia threatened by a proposed network
of high-voltage electric transmission lines. These controversial power lines
would have a negative impact on
hundreds of acres of land across
the region under conservation
easement.
CWSAC has classified Cedar
Creek as a Priority I, Class
A battlefield — its highest
designation.
2
August 5-8, 1864
FORT GAINES, ALabama
Sitting on Dauphin Island at the entrance
to Mobile Bay, Fort Gaines occupies a
strategic site that had been the scene
of military conflict more than 150
years before the Civil War. The strong,
pentagonal fort was constructed in the
mid 1800s to deter naval attacks on
Mobile Bay.
On August 5, 1864, 800 Confederate
troops held Fort Gaines as Union
Adm. David Farragut’s fleet of 18 ships
began its attack. Despite Confederate
mines and intense fire from Fort Gaines and Fort Morgan, to its east,
Farragut overpowered Confederate naval resistance in the bay, allowing
Union troops to lay siege to Fort Gaines. Outnumbered and outgunned, Fort
Gaines surrendered on August 8; Fort Morgan fell 15 days later.
Threat: Today, Fort Gaines faces a foe equal to Farragut’s fleet: the Gulf of
Mexico. Each year the waves reclaim an average of 10 feet of land — 400 feet
of historic battlefield have already been lost — complicating the continued
operation of Fort Gaines Historic Site. The loss of established dune systems
will turn the Dauphin Island’s freshwater lake and swamp into a salt-water
environment, requiring residents to find a new source of drinking water.
Eventually, the Gulf could bisect the island, stranding Fort Gaines and other
culturally important areas.
Erosion is a natural process, but a 2007 U.S. Geological Survey report
concluded that dredging practices in the Gulf have significantly hastened
the loss of the island. This finding prompted the Alabama Trust for Historic
Preservation to list Fort Gaines as one of
its “11 Places in Peril” for 2008. The Town
of Dauphin Island is seeking help from
Congress to undertake a comprehensive
feasibility and design study to determine if
constructing an engineered beach, which
has proven relatively successful in stabilizing
neighboring shorelines, would stabilize the
island and maintain it as a buffer for the
mainland.
CWSAC has classified Mobile Bay as
a Priority I, Class A battlefield — its
highest designation.
3
July 1-3, 1863
GETTYSBURG, Pennsylvania
Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s second invasion of the North
came to a halt at Gettysburg, Pa., when elements of his army met a
portion of Union Maj. Gen. George Meade’s force. The struggle over
the surrounding farmland erupted into the largest and bloodiest
battle of the Civil War. For three days 160,000 men punished each
other on the battlefield. Lee’s attacks carried the first day, but Meade
blunted Confederate assaults on the second. On July 3, 1863, Union
forces successfully repelled a massive Confederate frontal assault
known to history as Pickett’s Charge.
The Union claimed victory but at a horrific price — more than
50,000 men killed, wounded and missing. Four months later,
President Abraham Lincoln came to Gettysburg to help consecrate
the new national cemetery. There, he uttered “a few appropriate
remarks” to honor the fallen and give purpose to the ongoing
struggle, reinvigorating the nation with his vision of its “new birth
of freedom.”
Threat: Although Gettysburg is the best-known of all Civil
War battlefields, it nonetheless faces threats to its preservation
and interpretation. Many historically significant locations on
the battlefield lie outside the boundaries of Gettysburg National
Military Park and are vulnerable to residential or commercial
development. Currently, a Comfort Suites hotel is under construction on
Cemetery Hill, immediately adjacent to Evergreen Cemetery on Baltimore
Pike, the road to the newly built visitor center. Preservationists are following
all construction along this corridor carefully, hoping to thwart the type of
development that marred the previous visitor center’s location.
Another threatened property lies northwest of town along Route 30, the
Chambersburg Pike. The Gettysburg Country Club, scene of Confederate
attacks on McPherson Ridge, went bankrupt in the summer of 2008.
Although the National Park Service and other conservation
groups pursued the land, the astronomical
asking price has thus far prevented
a preservation-based solution.
A January 2009 sheriff’s auction
failed to sell the property and the
fate of the land remains uncertain.
CWSAC has classified
Gettysburg as a Priority I,
Class A battlefield — its highest
designation.
4
July 9, 1864
hunterstown
July 2,, 1863 , pa
MONOCACY Maryland
In the called
summer
of 1864,
the Field,” the
Often
“North
Cavalry
Confederate
Army of the
Valley,
fighting
at Hunterstown
was
one portion
under
Lt. Gen.
Jubalever
A. Early,
of
the largest
battle
foughtmarched
in the
down theHemisphere
Shenandoah
Valley
and
— the
three-day
Western
into Maryland.
An impromptu
force
struggle
in and around
Gettysburg.
of largely inexperienced Union
Late
on the
afternoon
of July 2,of
Union
soldiers
under
the command
Maj.
cavaliers
the command
of
Gen. Lewunder
Wallace
moved to block
Brig.
Gen. George
Armstrong
the Southern
invasion
forceCuster
before it
dismounted
andWashington,
took positionsD.C.
under
could threaten
or
cover
around the Felty Farm. Custer
Baltimore.
then personally led a small but daring
By the
the forces
on July
raid
on time
Brig. Gen.
Wadeclashed
Hampton’s
9,
Wallace hadpositioned
received veteran
reinforcements
but remained
Confederates,
further south
on the Hunterstown
Road.outnumbered
The Rebels
took thethree
bait to
and
gave
chase
narrow,
enclosed
toward
unseen
nearly
one.
His
menback
tookup
upthe
strong
positions
atroad
bridges
andthe
fords
Federalthe
force.
When the
trapand
wasbraced
sprung,for
thebattle.
Confederates
were caughtattacked
in a
across
Monocacy
River
The Confederates
deadly
cross
fire, their
leadoutflanking
elements mowed
down by artillery
inside
all
along
Wallace’s
front,
and overpowering
theconcealed
Union troops.
the Feltys’
barn.
Hampton’s
force
wassuffering
prevented
fromthan
fulfilling
Union
forces
fellThus
backengaged,
in the late
afternoon
after
more
20 its
original casualties.
purpose in the
area: supporting
Lt. Gen. Richard
S. “Battle
Ewell’s
percent
Although
he was defeated,
Wallace’s
assault
on strategic
Culp’sbought
Hill. valuable time and enabled
that
Saved
Washington”
veteran troops to reinforce the Union capital just before Early
Threat:
Inoutskirts.
the fall of 2006, Hunterstown was officially recognized
arrived
at its
by the National Park Service as part of the Gettysburg Battlefield, an
important step
for kick-starting
preservation
efforts.
Located roughly
Threat:
Officials
in Frederick
County, Md.,
are weighing
the
five miles northeast
of downtown
Gettysburg
in Straban
Township,
possibility
of building
a “waste-to-energy
facility”
along
the
Hunterstown
is experiencing
rapid
endemic
throughout
banks
of the Monocacy
Riverthe
near
thegrowth
historic
Worthington
AdamsThe
County.
Farm.
$527 million facility would process trash from
Frederick and Carroll counties, burning up to 1,500 tons per
Though
than 350-foot
400 new smokestack
building permits
were
issued for
Adams
day.
Thefewer
proposed
would
dominate
the
County across
in 2007,
down from
about
700 in 2005,
the very
nature ofThe
skyline
virtually
all of
Monocacy
National
Battlefield.
development main
in the facility
region has
changed.
The
housing
developments
100-foot-tall
would
also be
visible
from
many key
now sought
are typically in excess of 200 houses, larger than they
vantage
points.
once were, and set against rural backdrops removed from U.S. Route
15, inproposed
areas likesite,
Hunterstown.
in Adamsyards
County
is expected
The
which liesDevelopment
only a few hundreds
from
the edgetoof the
get another
boost
the near
future
with Historic
the redevelopment
Fort Ritchie
national
park
andinwithin
the
National
Landmarkofboundary
of in
the
neighboringwas
Frederick
County, Md.
battlefield,
first discussed
in 2008 but was largely dismissed by officials
in favor of other sites in the county. However, in February 2009, it became
Additionally,
lies within had
the National
Interest Electric
apparent
thatthe
allentire
otherGettysburg
sites underarea
consideration
been abandoned.
Local
Transmission
Corridor. This
power the
companies
to trump
state
citizens
are concerned
that potentially
in additionallows
to affecting
battlefield,
building
and local ordinances and put power lines across preserved land.
the facility alongside the river could have serious ecological ramifications,
some of which may not become apparent for years. In late February, state
CWSAC classified Gettysburg as a Priority I, Class A battlefield — its highest
senators
Alex Mooney and Brian Frosh sponsored legislation that would bar
designation.
construction of any incinerator facilities within one mile of a National Park.
CWSAC has classified Monocacy as a Priority I, Class B battlefield.
5
5
September 29, 1864
NEW MARKET HEIGHTS, Virginia
Union Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler’s various attacks on Confederate Gen.
Robert E. Lee’s defenses north of the James River in September 1864 are
collectively known as the Battle of
Chaffin’s Farm. Among the participants
in the wide-ranging battle were 3,000
African American solders in Union blue
anxious to prove themselves.
These United States Colored Troops
(USCTs) were assigned responsibility
for the eastern half of Butler’s twopronged attack. The USCTs seized the
opportunity and charged their objective,
the entrenched Confederate position at
New Market Heights. They crossed the Confederate position and captured
the heights, but found most of the Southerners had fallen back to a new
line. Although Lee’s troops lost ground, they held firm, blocking the direct
Yankee path to Richmond. The USCT’s attack was bloody but valorous; they
lost more than 800 men in one hour. Of the 16 Medals of Honor awarded to
African American troops during the Civil War, 14 were earned by soldiers
fighting at New Market Heights.
Threat: Despite New Market Heights’ indisputable historic
significance, no portion of the battlefield has been protected
by any preservation organization, including the National
Park Service. Henrico County purchased land within the
core of the battlefield several years ago, but it is not open to
the public. Only one roadside marker acknowledges the
location of the battlefield.
Some significant portions of the battlefield close to
the area where Union troops crossed the James River
near Deep Bottom have already been destroyed by
a housing development. Additional residential
construction underway on the north side of
Virginia Route 5, the historic New Market Road,
will destroy key Confederate artillery positions.
Growing traffic congestion in the region will
ultimately necessitate the widening of Route 5,
threatening approximately 75 acres of stillpristine battlefield land fronting the road.
6
CWSAC has classified New Market
Heights as a Priority I, Class B
battlefield.
May 1, 1863
PORT GIBSON, Mississippi
Committed to capturing Vicksburg,
Miss., Union Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant
moved south through Louisiana from
his base camps at Milliken’s Bend
and Young’s Point and began crossing
the Mississippi River at Bruinsburg
on April 30, 1863. Marching inland,
his troops encountered Confederates
around midnight, near the historic
Shaifer House, and heavy skirmishing
ensued.
Early the next morning, May 1, battle erupted in earnest. Union brigades
forced the outmatched Rebels back again and again. Confederate soldiers
from Missouri launched a savage counterattack, but their efforts were in vain;
Grant’s 23,000 men forced the 8,000 Confederates to retire with nearly 800 of
their number killed, wounded and missing. Grant lost slightly more men but
secured his beachhead on Mississippi soil, which ultimately resulted in the
capture of Vicksburg.
Threat: Local lore has it that Union forces marching through Mississippi
spared the town of Port Gibson from the torch because it was too beautiful
to burn. Today the area retains its tree-lined streets and is home to a tourist
industry centered on its quaint small-town charm and history. However,
recent studies project that traffic along U.S. Highway 61 (Church Street)
through the heart of town will increase by 45 percent in the next 20 years,
prompting the Mississippi Department of Transportation to propose a major
road widening. Local officials, including the mayor, are lobbying for a bypass
to the east of town, which would skirt the battlefield more widely and avoid
historic neighborhoods.
Although some land has been protected in the
area of the initial Confederate line, including
the Shaifer House, the fall-back position on the
Confederate left has been partly obliterated.
Still, historians and preservationists are eager
to secure protection for the remaining parts of
the battlefield. In recent years, the inclusion of
land at Port Gibson and Champion Hill within
the umbrella of Vicksburg National Military
Park has been listed as one of the National Park
Service’s top expansion priorities.
CWSAC has classified Port Gibson as a Priority I, Class B battlefield.
7
7
September 8, 1863
SABINE PASS, TEXAS
Anxious to prevent a viable Confederate trade route
through Mexico, President Abraham Lincoln sent
a force to capture Sabine Pass, near the Louisiana
border, and begin the occupation of Texas. The only
Confederate line of defense at the pass was Fort
Griffin, with a few dozen artillerists manning six
cannons.
On the morning of September 8, 1863, four Union
gunboats, followed by transports carrying several
thousand Union soldiers, steamed into Sabine Pass.
Fort Griffin’s artillerymen — who held frequent target
practice to pass the time at this quiet post — pounded
the Union gunboats with deadly accuracy. So lethal
was their fire during the second battle of Sabine Pass
that the Union flotilla was forced to retire after losing
two gunboats and 200 men. The successful defense by
the outnumbered Texan defenders resulted in one of
the most lopsided victories of the Civil War.
Threat: The 2005 hurricane season dealt the Gulf
Coast as devastating a barrage as any artillerist. Sabine
Pass Battleground State Historic Site received an
almost direct hit from Hurricane Rita, causing damage
so severe that the site was closed for years to the
public. Efforts at repair were further hampered when
Hurricane Ike made landfall in September 2008. The
site is currently closed again, but will re-open to the
public in April or May 2009.
On January 1, 2008, the 58-acre Sabine Pass State Historic Site and 17 other
sites across the state were transferred from the cash-strapped Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department to the Texas Historical Commission for management
and rehabilitation. Funding has been provided by the State of Texas through
a bond issue to improve the site’s
historic interpretation and facilities.
In February 2009, Texas history
lovers founded the Friends of
Sabine Pass Battleground to support
rehabilitation and interpretation of
the site.
8
CWSAC has classified Sabine
Pass as a Priority II, Class B
battlefield.
September 14, 1862
SOUTH MOUNTAIN, MARYLAND
During his first
invasion of the North,
Confederate Gen.
Robert E. Lee split
his army into several
pieces to pursue specific
objectives. However, a
copy of one of his orders,
detailing the vulnerable
disposition of his
forces, fell into Union
hands. His normally timid opponent, Maj. Gen. George McClellan, seized the
opportunity and moved toward South Mountain.
Although Lee sent what forces he could to defend the mountain passes, he
could not spare enough men. Hopelessly outnumbered Southerners fought
savagely at Crampton’s Gap, Fox’s Gap and Turner’s Gap, but they were
driven back from all three passes by dusk. The fighting was bloody: 2,600
Rebels and 2,300 Yankees were killed, wounded or missing. The next day,
however, McClellan’s typical meekness returned and he missed a golden
opportunity to destroy Lee’s army piecemeal, setting the stage for the Battle
of Antietam two days later.
Threat: Like numerous other battlefields in
Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia,
South Mountain stands to be adversely affected by
planned electric transmission corridors in the region. A
more immediate threat, however, comes from another
power industry proposal.
In late December, Dominion Power purchased a
135-acre site near Fox’s Tavern in Middletown, Md.,
as part of a plan to build a $55 million natural gas
compression station. A previous application for
a similar project drew more than 200 comments
from local citizens, most of them negative, and
was withdrawn. Dominion has not publicized a
timeframe for the project. When a formal application
is filed it will be subject to review by the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission.
CWSAC has classified South Mountain as a Priority I, Class B
battlefield.
9
9
November 29, 1864
SPRING HILL, TENNESSEE
On the night of November 28, 1864, Confederate
Gen. John Bell Hood’s troops advanced toward
Spring Hill to block the supply line of his
adversary, Union Maj. Gen. John M. Schofield.
The next day, Hood’s troops converged on Spring
Hill to find Union soldiers in strength at the
crossroads. Hood launched a poorly executed,
piecemeal attack which Schofield repulsed at
dusk.
Hood’s command structure was breaking
down and his reinforcements failed to press
the attack. As fighting ended, the Confederates,
despite being in a position to envelop the Union
force, failed to block Schofield’s route of retreat.
During the night, Schofield’s command retreated
to Franklin, where, the next day, they would
punish Hood’s Confederates for their failures at
Spring Hill.
Threat: The intense development pressures at play in the Nashville region
have posed major challenges for the Spring Hill Battlefield. Recent years have
witnessed massive developments and industrial giants purchasing large tracts
of historically sensitive land
Now, however, General Motors is seeking to
sell approximately 500 acres of unused land
surrounding the Rippavilla Plantation.
Although there is an interested buyer, the
sale has been delayed and a closing timetable
is uncertain. GM is stipulating that the
development firm buying the land donate
the 100 acres closest to Rippavilla to the
nonprofit foundation that runs the site,
and will itself contribute $1 million to
the cause over the next decade. However
initial plans for the remainder of the
land call for residential areas, apartments,
a hotel, a theater, restaurants, retail stores, office space
and other high-density development adjacent to the plantation and
battlefield.
CWSAC has classified Spring Hill as a Priority I, Class B battlefield.
10
May 5-7, 1864
WILDERNESS, VIRGINIA
The Battle of the Wilderness
was the first action in Union
Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s
monumentally bloody Overland
Campaign. On May 5, 1864,
elements of Grant’s army
attacked parts of Confederate
Gen. Robert E. Lee’s troops on
the Orange Turnpike and on the
Plank Road. In the thick growth
of the Wilderness, fighting was
confusing, difficult and deadly.
At dawn the next day Grant launched a savage attack on the Plank Road and
drove the Confederates back until Southern reinforcements stemmed the
tide. Other Union attacks were repulsed with devastating loss to both sides.
The result of the battle was inconclusive but the large human toll was not in
doubt: more than 25,000 combined casualties, including 13 general officers
killed, wounded or captured.
Threat: After several major victories in recent years, preservationists
in Orange County, Va., are facing an uphill battle to stop Walmart from
building a supercenter less than a quarter mile from the Wilderness National
Battlefield, but within the historic boundaries of that battlefield. If built, the
store would be the fifth Walmart within a 20-mile
radius and would increase pressure for additional
development in the battlefield gateway area.
A coalition of local, regional, state and national
preservation groups working to protect the
battlefield has offered to fund a comprehensive
planning study of how best to balance preservation
priorities and local economic development goals.
Some proponents of the plan argue that the area has
already been compromised by limited development
at the intersection of Routes 3 and 20. However, the
138,000-square-foot store would dwarf the minimal
amount of development currently existing at the
site.
CWSAC has classified the Wilderness as a
Priority I, Class A battlefield — its highest
designation.
11
11
Fifteen Additional
AT RISK SITES
Averasboro, NORTH CAROLINA – March 16, 1865
Located just 20 miles from Fayetteville, one of North Carolina’s fastest-growing cities,
Averasboro is poised to see an immense uptick in population and infrastructure as the 2005
Base Realignment and Closure decision to expand Fort Bragg takes effect. The military
installation is expected to experience an influx of 40,000 new military and civilian
personnel.
Bayou Fourche, ARKANSAS – September 10, 1863
The growth of Little Rock, Ark., has obscured many of the sites associated with the battle
and subsequent evacuation of the city. Today, several markers and monuments are located
inside Pratt Remmel Park, near Interstate 440, but further expansion of Little Rock
National Airport threatens to consume additional battlefield land.
Camp Alleghany, WEST VIRGINIA – December 13, 1861
Plans for a wind energy development in far western Highland County, Va., could have
serious negative effects on this mountaintop battlefield and encampment site just one
mile away, across the state border in West Virginia. The Virginia Department of Historic
Resources’ attempts to evaluate the project, which could include a score of 400-foot-tall
turbines, have been hampered by a lack of cooperation from the developer.
Defenses of Washington – 1861–1865
Although interest in the 68 forts that once defended the Union capital appears to be
growing, there is still a great lack of public education about these historic resources. The
National Capital Planning Commission and others are studying strategies for integration of
the various forts into education programs and community initiatives.
Fort Monroe, VIRGINIA – 1861–1865
As the deadline for the Army’s departure approaches, the Commonwealth of Virginia,
preservation groups and local citizens continue to grapple with how best to balance
protecting the site’s historic character with allowing for economic development. The
proposed reuse plan under review by the Department of Defense has won praise from many
quarters, but it does not specify which state or federal agency would oversee the site.
Hoke’s Run, WEST VIRGINIA –
July 2, 1861
Despite the recent preservation of two small
land parcels and the installation of several
interpretive signs, the first battlefield in the
Shenandoah is threatened by its proximity
to Interstate 81 and burgeoning commercial
development in the area. The historic
Porterfield House, built by Davey Crockett’s
grandfather and a major landmark of the
battle, has been on and off the market several
times.
Honey Springs, OKLAHOMA – July 17, 1863
The combatants at Honey Springs included Native Americans and African Americans,
making it one of the most diverse engagements of the war. Despite early and frequent
calls for preservation at this unique site, still only about one third of the total battlefield is
permanently protected.
12
Lone Jack, MISSOURI – August 16, 1862
This small battlefield southeast of Kansas City is quickly being hemmed in by
development. The final phase of a housing development is going up to the east, while a new
high school has eaten up land to the south. A fast food restaurant on the northern portion
of the field will soon be joined by a strip mall. The approximately 30 acres on the western
side of the battlefield that remain empty are zoned commercial and are currently on the
market.
Lovejoy’s Station, GEORGIA – August 20, 1864
The Clayton County Water Authority is contemplating shifting several hundred acres
northwest of preserved battlefield land from use as a wastewater spray field to an artificial
wetland. The remains of federal campsites and entrenchments dug by both armies would
be inundated, as would the site of the McVickers House, from which Union Maj. Gen.
William T. Sherman famously sent a dispatch proclaiming, “Atlanta is ours, and fairly won.”
Morrisville, NORTH CAROLINA –April 14, 1865
Morrisville saw the last assault by Sherman’s army in North Carolina in 1865. In the last
eight years, the population of this small town in North Carolina’s Research Triangle has
tripled. The Land Use and Transportation Plan currently under revision has residents
asking critical questions about what continued growth can be accommodated without
overwhelming their existing infrastructure.
Picacho Pass, ARIZONA - April 15, 1862
A six-mile-long, 913-acre railroad switching yard has been proposed for land just outside
Picacho Pass State Park. Although the county has already approved the project, state
legislation passed in the summer of 2008 will require environmental impact studies to be
performed before construction can begin on the westernmost battlefield of the Civil War.
Reed’s Bridge, ARKANSAS – August 26, 1863
Several parcels are for sale in the core area of this battlefield northeast of Little Rock.
Despite ongoing efforts to link the various Civil War sites in the capital region, the
Jacksonville City Council declined to buy a half-acre portion of the battlefield in
November 2008, citing the land’s $56,000 price tag.
Shepherdstown, WEST VIRGINIA – September 19–20, 1862
Although local county officials initially blocked a housing development slated for the
most critical portion of the battlefield, court decisions have overturned that ruling. Despite
this setback, federal legislation currently under consideration would study the feasibility
of making the site part of Harpers Ferry National Historical Park or Antietam National
Battlefield.
Vicksburg, MISSISSIPPI – May 18–July 4, 1863
A recent “State of the Parks” report issued by the National Parks Conservation Association
found that only five less-than-full-time interpretive staff serve the park’s approximately
600,000 visitors each year. Poor archival conditions for cultural resources — particularly
the USS Cairo, which is exposed to the elements outdoors under a canvass tarpaulin — also
provide considerable challenges for this underfunded battlefield park.
Yadkin River Bridge, NORTH CAROLINA – April 12, 1865
Despite earlier stop-work orders from the local government for unauthorized construction,
developers of a planned automobile racing track anticipate work to begin in earnest this
year. Moreover, Duke Energy is considering new power plant nearby, in an area also rich
with Revolutionary War history.
13
13
Preservation Successes
PROGRESS REPORT
Although this report is meant to highlight the variety of threats facing Civil
War battlefields, not all news for America’s historic sites is dire. By working
in partnership with other national and local preservation groups, CWPT has
tirelessly pursued preservation strategies to save historic properties across
the country. Below are a few of the success stories achieved by CWPT and
its partners in the last year. Each site had appeared in a previous edition of
History Under SiegeTM. These battlefields and others like them are proof
that endangered does not mean lost, and that hope remains for all of our
endangered Civil War battlefields.
Morris
Island, SOUTH
CAROLINA
For many years the fate of the
battlefield depicted in the Academy
Award winning movie Glory hung
in a precarious balance. Despite
protests from a broad coalition of
individuals and organizations —
ranging from the Audubon Society
and land trusts to history-focused groups and even local surfers — developers
were poised to build first luxury homes and then an upscale resort on the
island. After much careful negotiation, the land will now be owned by the
City of Charleston and available for passive, respectful recreation. In 2008
CWPT completed its financial contribution toward the purchase of the
battlefield.
Natural
Bridge,
FLORIDA
As part of its Florida Forever
program, the state of Florida
recently purchased the
threatened 55-acre parcel
that landed Natural Bridge,
located near Tallahassee,
14
in History Under SiegeTM 2008. The land will be added to the seven-acre
state park already at the site, increasing the size of the battlefield preserve
eightfold. The historically and ecologically sensitive land carried a hefty $3.4
million price tag, but this outstanding state grant program has ensured that
the land will be protected forever. CWPT is proud to participate financially in
this landmark preservation success.
Perryville,
KENTUCKY
In 2008, Perryville earned
a place in this report as
local officials contemplated
designating the last
agriculturally zoned land
within city limits for
development. Once
publicized, the controversial
proposal caused a national
outcry. Hundreds of history
lovers from around the country petitioned for the land
to be spared, inundating the Perryville City Council with phone calls and
emails. State and local officials responded to the outpouring of support for
the battlefield and acted to permanently protect the land. In February 2009,
the Commonwealth of Kentucky purchased the 75-acre property and intends
to construct a walking and biking trail that will follow the route of a wartime
wagon road. The new addition brings the total size of Perryville Battlefield
State Historic Site up to 758 acres.
RICHMOND,
KENTUCKY
The future is looking bright for
this 1862 battlefield southeast
of Lexington. Local government
officials have greatly increased
the site’s profile both locally and
around the country. In 2008,
Judge Executive Kent Clark won
a CWPT leadership award for his
work promoting the Richmond
Battlefield and leading the charge
for additional land preservation.
Last September saw the opening
of a visitor center at the park
featuring exhibits, artifacts and an interpretive film. Yet more improvements
are on the horizon. The Texas Historical Commission has picked Richmond
as the site of its next monument installation. The trademark red granite
obelisk will be funded through private donations and unveiled in May.
15
15
ABOUT CWPT
What is the value of land
that thousands of men
paid for with their lives?
The Civil War is the most tragic
conflict in American history. For four
long years, brother fought brother
as North and South clashed in some
10,000 battles and skirmishes.
When the smoke cleared, more
than 625,000 soldiers and 50,000
civilians had perished, along
with the institution of slavery. As
Abraham Lincoln said, America
was redefined with a “new birth
of freedom,” one that continues to
guide us to this day.
CWPT is committed to
protecting the last tangible links to
this tumultuous period in American history – the fields
where the conflict was decided. With 60,000 members, CWPT is the largest
nonprofit battlefield preservation organization in the United States.
We strive to preserve our nation’s endangered Civil War battlefields through
outright purchases, conservation easements, and partnerships with federal, state
and local governments. Among the sites rescued by CWPT in recent months are
key parcels at Tupelo in Mississippi, Shiloh in Tennessee and Cedar Creek and
Third Winchester in Virginia. Over the years, CWPT is proud to have protected
forever more than 25,000 acres of hallowed ground at nearly 100 sites in 19 states.
Park.
Battlefield appreciation
To support our battlefield preservation
efforts
tol promote
of
ationa
assas Nand
an
M
at
se
ou
H
e
on
these hallowed
grounds
education
and
heritage tourism, CWPT also
of the Stthrough
s.)
es
gr
on
C
Late 1800’s view
of
Library In addition to the report you hold in
maintains several
sy of The programs.
courteoutreach
(Image CWPT:
your hands,
produces Hallowed Ground, our award winning quarterly
magazine; administrates 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 the online Civil War Explorer program.
more
information
available
We believe
it isispriceless!
at the Civil War Preservation Trust’s Website
www.civilwar.org
16
Thirty acres of Civil War
battlefield land are
destroyed every day.
Modern view
of the Ston
e House at
(Image co
M
urtesy of
Michael M anassas National Ba
ttlefield P
elford.)
ark.
Special thanks to History for its continued
support of History Under SiegeTM and the Civil
War Preservation Trust.
CIVIL WAR PRESERVA TION TRUS T
Saving America’s Civil War Battlefields
MEMBERSHIP CENTER
11 Public Square
Suite 200
Hagerstown, Maryland 21740
301-665-1400
301-665-1416 fax
HEADQUARTERS
1331 H Street, NW
Suite 1001
Washington, DC 20005
202-367-1861
202-367-1865 fax