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