Civil War Preservation Trust Unveils Report On Most Endangered Battlefields

CIVIL WAR PRESERVATION TRUST ^ | 3/13/2007

[Condor 63]

(Washington, D.C.) - An historic West Virginia village where the scenic Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers meet, a once rural crossroads town in Pennsylvania where the blood of 50,000 Americans was shed and a Tennessee battleground where weary Confederates paid dearly for their slumber are some of the nation's most endangered Civil War battlefields.

At a news conference this morning, the Civil War Preservation Trust (CWPT) unveiled its annual report on the status of the nation's historic battlegrounds. The report, entitled History Under Siege: A Guide to America's Most Endangered Civil War Battlefields, identifies the most threatened Civil War sites in the United States and what can be done to rescue them.

"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 of slavery," said CWPT President James Lighthizer. "Nearly 20 percent of America's Civil War battlefields have already been destroyed—denied forever to future generations."

According to Lighthizer, the sites mentioned in the report range from the famous to the nearly forgotten. However, all have a critical feature in common — each one is in danger of being lost forever, either fully or in part. The battlefields were chosen based on geographic location, military significance, and the immediacy of current threats.

[Repeal The 17th]

Among the sites on this year's list is:
Harpers Ferry, W.Va.
In August 2006, a consortium of Jefferson County, W. Va. developers crossed onto National Park Service (NPS) property and dug two 1,900-foot-long trenches for water and sewer pipes. They did so without receiving a permit from NPS and, despite repeated requests to cease and desist, left nearly two acres of taxpayer-owned hallowed ground seriously compromised. Now, thanks to this illegal construction, the same developers are proposing a massive development along the ridgeline.

Gettysburg, Pa.,
According to The Gettysburg Times, the county estimates that 1,100 homes are either under construction or slated to begin shortly. Another 14,000 units have been proposed, and 6,500 more are foreseeable in the near future.

Spring Hill, Tenn.
Today, expansion of the Nashville and Franklin suburbs is eating away at large portions of the Spring Hill Battlefield. In January 2007, construction began on a massive commercial development – a 62-acre, 465,000-square-foot shopping center, which will contain a SuperTarget, Kohl's and 31 other retail units.

Cedar Creek, Va.
a rezoning application could allow the O-N Minerals Company to expand its current mining operations with five additional quarries across an area where at least 60 percent of the land is core battlefield.

Fort Morgan, Ala.
the once formidable Fort Morgan has fallen into significant disrepair. In 2006 the Alabama Historical Commission adopted a new plan to gradually increase staff and repair storm damage to the property. But full implementation of the management plan will require substantial state funding.

Iuka, Miss.
modern roadways penetrate the core battlefield and scene of the most significant fighting at Iuka. 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.

Marietta, Ga.
huge sections of trenches and fortifications remain unprotected, and, in some instances, earthworks have been intentionally bulldozed to avoid complications that could scare away potential developers.

New Orleans Forts, La.
In August 2005, all three were devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Eighteen months later, though the initial cleanup has been completed, important questions remain about the future of the forts that once defended New Orleans.

Northern Piedmont, Md., Pa. and Va.
energy giants Dominion Virginia Power and Allegheny Power have proposed 500-kilovolt power lines that would devastate environmental, cultural and historical resources throughout the region. The most controversial route, proposed in Northern Virginia, would affect some 48,000 acres of land protected under preservation easements, including seven Civil War battlefields.

Petersburg, Va.
The 2006 federal Base Realignment and Closure commission report call for a drastic increase in the size of Fort Lee, a U.S. Army installation located adjacent to the Petersburg National Battlefield. Estimates are that the on-base population will increase by 119 percent and that approximately $1 billion will be spent on building upgrades and new construction. Such incredible growth in such a short time will threaten the Park's historic buildings, landscape and archeological resources.

[StoneWall Brigade]

I'll be sure to give money we must protect our battlefields

[Past Your Eyes]

Well, I've been to a few of those places. The one I'm most familiar with is Gettysburg. Since we first started to go there about 10 years ago, a massive amount of money has been spent and work has been done and is ongoing to preserve that place. All kinds of homes and businesses have been bought and demolished in order to make the place look as much as possible like it was in July 1863. We have been regular contributors to that effort.
I seriously fail to see how the place is on the list of "most endangered" unless that means that they want to protect every spot where a soldier from either side ever set foot during the entire conflict. People have to live. I think the place is amazingly well preserved. If it wasn't for all the monuments everywhere, it would be even better preserved.

[GreyFriar]

What, spending money to save battlefields. They all should be turned into peace parks where kumbiya singalong togetherism and no fault with anyone but Americans is taught. (scarcasmism off)

[PAR35]

Ping?

[XRdsRev]

The loss of so many of America's battlefields dating back to before the American Revolution is disgraceful. I saw firsthand places like Monmouth Court House and Salem Church battlefields, where the blood of so many Americans was spilled, turned into shopping malls and housing developments with absolutely no concern for the events that transpired there so long ago. It's not a surprise to see that kids have very little understanding, appreciation and pride for American history when they see adults obliterating it for the sake of $$$$$ and convenience. Sad, very sad.

[StoneWall Brigade]

LOL

[pandoraou812]

I have not gone up by Monmouth battlefield in years...did they ruin it? I remember class trips to the towns where battles were fought. It was always very interesting. That church in Monmouth county where the wounded soldiers were taken was the last place I visited but I can not for the life of me remember its name.

[RebelBanker]

They all should be turned into peace parks where kumbiya singalong togetherism and no fault with anyone but Americans is taught.

Dr. Latschar, is that you?

[vetvetdoug]

At the Battle of Iuka, the 11th Ohio Battery lost more men in one hour of battle than did any artillery battery (cumulative loss) during the entire Civil War. The 11th stood their ground and the Confederate Army under Sterling Price ran over them, wounding or killing every man of the battery. Every horse of the battery (about 80) were killed. Today, that hotel sits right on the very spot this occurred along Mississippi Highway 25.

[Fairview]

It's heartbreaking to realize that so much of the historic land of Northern Virginia is already under concrete and that there is such a greed-crazed attitude toward the remaining acres. These are among the most beautiful parts of America, as precious in their way as Yosemite, Bryce Canyon, or Big Sur, and just as irreplaceable. These are the places where America was forged, for this country was not just established in Philadelphia but also on the battlefields of the War Between the States. Too much has already been lost, and it's no accident that the National Trust for Historic Preservation identifies the Crooked Run Valley (the area along VA Rt 17 from Delaplane to Ashby's Gap through the Blue Ridge) as among the most endangered in America.

[billl]

went with my son's scout troop about 7 years ago.
that piece of the battlefield is still preserved.
the church is still quite a thing to see.
a lot of the historic hike was along roads that had a lot more traffic than i would have liked.
if we had cut out about 3 miles at the beginning to get from the scout camp to the beginning of the battlefield, it might have been a better trip.

[pandoraou812]

I like Batsto Village too. I went there last summer and it was a really nice place to go. Nobody really was there and the park rangers even let us take our dog while we checked out the village.Wharton State Forest is quite beautiful and I like Bass River too. ~P~

[Repeal The 17th]

As the stars faded, Dickinson stood on a hill overlooking the road to Monmouth Court House, with the Tennent Church at his back. In front of him, a wooden bridge crossed the marshy West Ravine, which carried the north branch of Wemrock Creek into the south branch. Beyond it, to the south and right, was Comb's Hill.

---

Stolen from here

[pandoraou812]

Tennent Church ...Thank you very much. I was so upset I couldn't remember the name. I should take my daughter there as its not too far from my house. I remember being so moved by seeing that church when I was in school. I also enjoy the Twin lights in the Highlands. When 9/11 happened we went there and watched NYC. That is something I will never forget. ~P~

[jws3sticks]

Major Peter Vredenburg, Freehold, New Jersey. On September 19, 1864, under Major Vredenburgh's command, the 14th Regiment of the New Jersey Volunteers, participated in the Battle of Opequan, near Winchester, Virginia, where he was fatally wounded.

About a year ago, I was in Winchester and took a trip to Opequan, about 4.5 miles from my hotel in Winchester. It is literally a fork in the road. I was most disappointed that there was no reference to the battle that took my Grandfather's Grand Uncle's life.

The other thing, which has disturbed me for years 'til now, is that my grandfather's younger sister, in her later years, actually sold the beautiful penned condolences letter to Peter's mother from Abraham Lincoln. It was beautifully framed. She never consulted other members of the family to see if anyone would match the offered price for the letter.

Long story. Thanks for reading.

[jws3sticks]

Thought I added the link to the Monmouth Historical listing:

http://www.monmouth.com/~mcha3/coll1.html

[SmoothTalker]

"
In August 2006, a consortium of Jefferson County, W. Va. developers crossed onto National Park Service (NPS) property and dug two 1,900-foot-long trenches for water and sewer pipes. They did so without receiving a permit from NPS and, despite repeated requests to cease and desist, left nearly two acres of taxpayer-owned hallowed ground seriously compromised. Now, thanks to this illegal construction, the same developers are proposing a massive development along the ridgeline. "

They should be charged with something then.

[AnalogReigns]

As a native of Leesburg, I agree that the overdevelopment of Northern Virginia is saddening, however, many in the historic preservation/anti-development groups are left wing, aging ex-hippie, capitalism-haters; arch-typical upper middle class liberals--folks very well off, who could care less about free-enterprise, poor farmers or other people trying to make an honest living.

I remember the national outcry generated when Disney bought a lot of land some 15 miles outside of Manassas. SAVE THE BATTLEFIELD was the PR campaign (and bumper stickers) all the while downtown Manassas is nothing but endless strip-malls already--with new ones going up all the time. The proposed development compromised no conceivable battlefield--Lee only rode by (like he did anywhere in N. Va.).

The real story is that the development would have brought traffic to some of the main roads (strangely all paved, in that part of the county....hmmmm) leading into Middleburg, heart of the hourse country and the country estates of Washington, DC's very (very) rich. Not that Disney wouldn't have spent millions on new roads and improvements on old to ameliorate any problems, but the very rich just didn't want any change within a day's horse ride of their thoroughbred stud farms.

The whole "Save the Battlefield" cry to keep Disney away was a huge lie, perpetrated by the preservationist and anti-development crowd--liberals one-and-all. Conservatives too then jumped on the bandwagon--ostensively not wanting a Disney PC version of history around (it was to be a history themed park), but willingly helping to raise money nationally to "Save the Battlefield!" where no battlefield at all is or ever was to be found.

Today expensive houses on 1/10 acre lots fill the same land, as eeeeevil Disney was chased out hat in hand--all by a lie.

So, frankly, I don't have a lot of respect for much of the preservation crowd--and even some of the conservatives who went along with them (in that instance).