Posted on 09/16/2004 3:26:44 PM PDT by yonif
(AP) - A portion of the battlefield where Gen. Robert E. Lee's outnumbered Confederate forces defeated Union soldiers in 1863 will be spared from development under a proposed deal preservationists call a model for other Civil War sites.
The agreement to set aside 57 hectares of the "core" Chancellorsville battlefield marks a breakthrough in a long campaign to save part of the land.
The national Civil War Preservation Trust compared the deal to the successful effort to defeat Walt Disney Co.'s plans 10 years ago to build a theme park near Manassas National Battlefield.
"We see this as the beginning of a trend of battlefield preservationists working with developers," trust spokesman Jim Campi said Wednesday.
Under the agreement, the trust would pay developer Tricord Homes of Spotsylvania $3 million for 57 hectares near Fredericksburg. Tricord Homes would forfeit its right to build retail space on its remaining property along a heavily travelled road nearby and also would agree to set back homes 300 metres from the road.
In exchange, Spotsylvania officials would permit Tricord to build 294 homes for adults on three parcels - roughly 220 more homes than allowed under current zoning.
The deal is subject to approval by the Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors.
From May 1 to May 3, 1863, Lee's forces stopped the Union from wresting Fredericksburg from the Confederacy. Chancellorsville also was the last battle where Lee and Confederate Lt.-Gen. Thomas J. (Stonewall) Jackson fought together. Jackson was mortally wounded on the second day of the battle.
"Historians refer to it as one of the most important battles of the Civil War," Campi said.
"It's often referred to as Lee's greatest military victory."
Although the 57 hectares are outside the boundaries of Chancellorsville National Battlefield, preservationists said parts are nonetheless historically significant. The property to be preserved includes an area east of what is known as Lick Run, where Union and Confederate troops clashed on the first day of the three-day battle.
Russell Smith, the park's superintendent, said the land provides "a green gateway to the battlefield."
I don't have a son named Thomas Jackson for nothing :-). We take our heroic examples where we can find them, even when they're Winfield Scott Hancock or George Thomas. All good men are on our side, ultimately.
If said men lived - or died - honourably for a noble cause - what more could we possibly ask? Regardless of the side they fought for. Night. [You just missed a century post on the undead thread.]
Busy over here: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1218271/posts
Maybe I'll hit some '00's over the weekend.
A good evening to you!
And don't forget that ten years or so of pure hell called reconstruction..
Thank you for your most helpful remarks. I am mentally fanning myself with a handkerchief after dealing with the nastiness that man expressed. I just wish that the sort of thing he wrote represented a rare perspective, but after living in New York and Illinois I know that it's not rare at all.
But they tend to remember in different ways and express earned respect differently. For example, General Robert E. Lee is honored at the hallowed ground of Arlington in Virginia. And in New York City, General Ulysses S. Grant is honored, if that is the correct word, with a sometimes public urinal, drug emporium, and/or set for a rock concert. It seems to be a matter of taste and class, reflecting the possibility that there might still be some regional differences.
Beyonce's Grant's Tomb Dancing Criticized
Jul 12, 10:50 PM EST
The head of a private historical group says the government and NBC should have stopped a scantily clad Beyonce Knowles from dancing in a "patently inappropriate" way on the steps of the tomb of President Ulysses S. Grant.
Frank Scaturro, president of the Grant Monument Association, wrote letters Saturday to NBC, Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton and National Park Service director Fran Mainella over Beyonce's nationally televised July 4 performance.
Saying the former Destiny's Child singer used "lascivious choreography" and barely dressed backup dancers, Scaturro's letter to NBC complained: "At that location, a certain decorum should have been observed from which popular entertainers are not exempt."
Representatives of NBC and Beyonce didn't return calls seeking comment Saturday. National Park Service spokesman David Barna declined to comment because officials hadn't yet read the letter.
Ulysses Grant Dietz, the great-great-grandson of the Civil War hero and 18th president, said Saturday he didn't object as a rule to most live performances, as long as the tomb is carefully maintained. But he suggested organizers be more thoughtful.
"If they're doing a Fourth of July celebration and they're doing it at a grave of a president, maybe they should look a little more closely at what the performances are," Dietz said.
General Grant National Memorial
Riverside Drive at West 122nd Street
Manhattan
Why Go To Grant's Tomb?The best reason to go to Grant's Tomb is to say that you have been there and have seen it.
free dixie,sw
PLEASE encourage him/her to keep posting this HATEFILLED DRIVEL. that is in the BEST INTEREST of dixie.
read later bump
Hah! That would be as preposterous, and anachronistic, as Robert E. Lee holding an AK-47
Well, that's the thing about the Civil War......In every battle that was not a draw, some "Americans" won and some "Americans" lost.
As for the other point, do you really want to trade the Arizona Memorial for "a sign on a pole"?
Don't you mean MoveOn? ;-)
Both sides were Americans
Re. #22;
"They hate us with a passion."
Oh, don't y'all go jumpin' t' such conclusions quite so fast there, now!
My GGGF survived a nasty wounding at Cold Harbor with the 25th Mass. Vol. Inf., but had a profound respect for his Southern Countrymen at the time which continued for the rest of his life, and "hate" never had a thing to do with it.
One of the Officers of the 3rd Maine (which I reenact with) survived as a POW; after the war the Confederate Officer who had captured him at the Wilderness returned his sword with a letter of reconciliation, and the two remained fast friends for the rest of their lives.
Some of "us" indeed can't seem to get over it; but it seems that most of "Them" did, eventually.
But that is one part of American History that we damnsure do NOT want to have to repeat!
Alas; I tend to agree that the way things are going in this divided Country, it all too well may happen.
Confederates were all traitors ~ they gave up being Americans with secession.
Not all yankees hate us, just as we don't hate them. But there's one on this forum now that wished that every single Confederate man, woman and child had been exterminated.
sadly, i must tell you that i believe that day is coming & within our lifetime.
free dixie,sw
nice guy, huh??
free dixie,sw
Re your #44; Interesting take; could you cite who the author was and the context of his writing?
Thanks - UJ
PS / FWIW -
Back in the early 90s it seems (perhaps you have better insight) that Herr Klintoon got really randy about advancing his "gun control" agenda; but his advisors told him that he would have to send troops or a lot of Federal Marshalls down South particularly if he expected any significant "compliance" with registration or confiscation schemes.
And if he wanted to see the "South Rise again" and a lot of American blood spilled all over again, that would probably do it for him.
Klinton, being an arrogant ass but no fool, wisely backed off of his plan and picked away at the edges of the 2nd A. with import and AW bans, etc..
The South was one hornet's nest of independance that even he was smart enough not to mess with overly much.
Kerry, on the other hand, is not only an arrogant socialist ass, but a feckless f'in' fool as well.
If anyone were to foment another armed rebellion in this land, he might well pull it off, IMHO.
But first he has an election to steal.
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