Because of supporters like you, the fight to protect Manassas and The Wilderness Battlefields didn’t end when developers pushed their plans forward to build data centers. Instead, the American Battlefield Trust took the battle to the courts.

Now those legal fights are entering a critical phase.

Developers behind massive projects near these historic landscapes are doing everything they can to wear us down — legally, financially, and strategically. They’re filing counterattacks, proposing legislation, and trying to delay the process.

But the growing public opposition — and the strength of our legal arguments — are putting real pressure on them.

We’re making progress. But the fight is far from over.
 

That’s why your support is so important right now. Two generous members have pledged to match every gift toward this advocacy work, up to $130,000.

That means your donation today will make twice the impact in helping us to continue defending Manassas and The Wilderness in court.

And if you haven’t already, please add your name to our new petition urging Virginia’s governor to prioritize protecting these irreplaceable historic landscapes.

Here’s how you can stand with us today:

  SIGN THE *NEW* PETITION urging the Governor of Virginia to protect our historic battlefields.
 DONATE TODAY to fuel our legal fight and advocacy efforts.
Thank you again for protecting the places where history happened.
With determination and gratitude,
David N. Duncan, President
American Battlefield Trust

P.S. Legal fights like these can take time, and our opponents are counting on that. Please help us keep the pressure on while your donation will be matched dollar-for-dollar.

SIGN THE PETITION

DONATE NOW

Trust Protects More than 400 Crucial Acres at the Petersburg Breakthrough!

Last year, I asked for your help as we embarked on one of the largest preservation projects in the American Battlefield Trust’s history. More than 400 acres at Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier have been enjoyed and appreciated by heritage tourists and countless school students for decades... but were not fully protected for future generations. Until now.

Our window of opportunity was brief, with just a few months to raise private funds to complete the massive transaction. But once again, the Trust’s extraordinary members rose to the occasion. Thanks to you, 417 acres at the Petersburg Breakthrough are now saved forever! This creates an 857-acre swath of protected land associated with one of the Civil War’s most significant battlefields.

This victory was made possible through the largest-ever matching grant from the federal American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP), dedicating more than $10 million to protect this critical land. America’s most successful heritage land conservation program, the ABPP has helped the Trust save more than 36,000 acres of land in 20 states.

But that’s not the only milestone this victory represents.

Last summer, we celebrated our 60,000th acre saved. Now, less than a year later, this victory at the Breakthrough brings our total tally of hallowed ground to more than 61,000 acres and pushes the amount saved across the Commonwealth of Virginia past 31,000. Such success in the Old Dominion is the result of more than its concentration of battlefields; the support of state government agencies – like the Virginia Department of Historic Resources – and officials are also necessary.   

This victory is a prime example of what we, with our state and federal partners, can accomplish together. But make no mistake: Trust members like you were the lynchpin. Without you, and your long-term commitment to preserving our nation’s irreplaceable historic landscapes, we would not be able to save a single acre. Time and again, you carry us to victory, and we could not be more thankful.

The Breakthrough: Past & Present

Following a nine-month siege, the Union Army of the Potomac launched a massive assault on the Southern defenses southwest of Petersburg, Virginia, on April 2, 1865, an attack remembered by history as “The Breakthrough” for piercing those lines clearing the road to the Confederate capital at Richmond. Within weeks, the Civil War was over.

Fighting at The Breakthrough was intense – sometimes hand-to-hand – and climactic, resulting in perhaps the greatest concentration of Medals of Honor ever awarded. Researchers at the Congressional Medal of Honor Society believe that 31 Medal of Honor citation actions occurred across the now-combined site.

Medal of Honor recipient Capt. Charles G. Gould leads the 5th Vermont Veteran Volunteers into the earthworks defended by the 37th North Carolina at Petersburg on April 2, 1865 | Don Troiani

Through a series of transactions over the course of 30 years, the Trust has acquired 439 acres associated with the Union advance and has been gradually restoring the land to its wartime appearance by removing modern buildings and other intrusions. Meanwhile, the contiguous Pamplin campus occupies a significant section of the Confederate line and includes two miles of pristine earthworks.

The Pamplin campus was assembled in phases through purchases made by businessman and philanthropist Dr. Robert B. Pamplin, Jr., beginning in the early 1990s when the Association for the Preservation of Civil War Sites, a predecessor of the American Battlefield Trust, alerted him to the development threat to land once owned by his family. Pamplin went on to acquire adjacent parcels, including the Banks House, Ulysses S. Grant’s headquarters on April 2–3, 1865.

The 25,000-square-foot National Museum of the Civil War Soldier opened on Memorial Day 1999, and the park was named a National Historic Landmark in 2006. The museum will continue to welcome history seekers, managed by the newly formed Petersburg Battlefields Foundation, its perpetual operation endowed by the proceeds of the land’s sale to the Trust.

Without you, this hallowed ground would be at risk of being lost forever. Now, generations to come will know, understand, appreciate, and be inspired by the Petersburg Breakthrough.

Our victories are your victories.  Thank you for your continued support, and I look forward to celebrating even more victories with you soon.

‘Til the battle is won,

David N. Duncan, President

American Battlefield Trust

Beaver Pond at Gettysburg NHP Creates Controversy

Future uncertain for Gettysburg beaver dam

Conservationists are expressing concern after hearing the dam could be removed and say it could destroy a wetland habitat created by beavers over several years.

FOX 43 News Article

Author: Natalie Koranda
Published: 7:42 PM EDT March 9, 2026

GETTYSBURG, Pa. — A beaver-built pond inside Gettysburg National Military Park is drawing attention and concern from conservationists who say the wetland has become an important habitat for wildlife. 

This comes after a park biologist mentioned the possibility of the pond being "drawn down" at the end of a presentation with the South Mountain Audubon Society in February. 

"He went into good detail about what they do to make sure it doesn't flood the monuments and all the things that beavers do for the area," said Evan Vaeth, vice president of the South Mountain Audubon Society. "But at the end of it, he mentioned that, in a very short sentence, that orders came up from the Department of the Interior, which oversees the National Park Service, that the Beaver Pond had to get drawn down." 

Vaeth said it's all that was said, and the group is still searching for answers as to why this idea is being explored. 

“Most people don’t even know it’s there. It’s not affecting flooding or roads or monuments, and most people don’t even see it," said William Cantor, a professor at Penn State York and member of the Audubon Society.

The pond formed after beavers built a dam along a small stream named Plum Run in the park, gradually expanding it into a wetland ecosystem over several years. It's located off of Crawford Ave, in an area of the battlefield known as the "Valley of Death."

Experts say beavers naturally create ponds by building dams across waterways, changing the surrounding landscape and creating new habitats for plants and animals.  

Environmental groups say the pond is now supporting a variety of species, including birds that rely on wetlands to survive. Some of those animals are considered rare in Pennsylvania, like the least bittern, a small heron that depends on dense marshes and wetlands to nest and raise young and is listed as a state endangered species. 

"It's also an important stopover habitat for birds heading north and south in the spring and fall," Vaeth explains.

Conservationists worry that if the pond disappears, the wildlife that depends on it could lose an important breeding ground. 

"They're going to show up in the spring, and it's going to be gone, and if they show up just a little late, they might not have time to find another place and then that's just the end of the season," Vaeth said. 

The debate highlights a broader challenge at Gettysburg: balancing the preservation of the battlefield’s historic landscape with protecting the natural ecosystems that exist there today. 

Advocates say the wetland has become a thriving ecosystem created entirely by the beavers’ work. They argue wetlands like this are increasingly valuable as natural habitats disappear across the region. 

Vaeth and Cantor also praised National Park Service for their work with the ecosystem. 

"Park Service has done amazing job just making sure that the beavers are protected and they don’t encroach into other areas such as flooding roads and maybe affecting monuments,” said Cantor.

For now, the future of the beaver pond remains uncertain, but conservationists say the conversation is drawing attention to the ecological role beavers can play in restoring wetlands and supporting biodiversity. 

"Leave the beavers," Vaeth said. "Where else in 150-500 miles can you go and drive your car down a road without even getting out [and] see a beaver pond, a beaver lodge, a beaver dam and an entire ecosystem that would not be there otherwise?"

Vaeth says the best time to possibly see a beaver in Plum Run is at dusk or dawn. 

FOX43 reached out to the Department of Interior and National Park Service and is waiting on a statement.

High Res Images of USS Monitor Revealed

The USS “Monitor” was the U.S. Navy’s first ironclad warship. The vessel, which sank off of North Carolina in 1862, revolutionized naval warfare

From the Smithsonian

Sarah Kuta - Daily Correspondent

March 11, 2026

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The vessel is submerged 240 feet deep off the coast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Northrop Grumman

On December 31, 1862, the USS Monitor—the U.S. Navy’s first ironclad warship—sailed into a storm and sank off the coast of North Carolina. Now, more than 160 years later, experts have produced the first high-resolution sonar images of the Monitor, offering an unprecedented look at the pioneering Civil War vessel as it rests on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.

In September 2025, scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Stantec and Northrop Grumman surveyed the Monitor shipwreck using an autonomous underwater vehicle equipped with specialized sonar mapping technology.

The scan produced highly detailed images that scientists are now using to study features that were previously obscured by the murky water, including the vessel’s internal framework, reports WVEC-TV’s Jordie Clark.

Researchers were also surprised to see the wreck was still in “fantastic shape,” Tane Casserley, a maritime archaeologist with the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, tells the Virginian-Pilot’s Emma Rose Brown.

Moving forward, the team plans to use the technology to keep an eye on the protected site and track changes to the vessel over time, such as corrosion or damage from storms and currents.

“It’s a great baseline to see what the heck is happening at the shipwreck,” Casserley tells WAVY-TV’s Angela Bohon. “It’s difficult to visit. It’s very deep. There’s only so much we can do as scuba divers. But now we got this.”

The data is also being used to develop educational tools that will give members of the public a chance to explore the wreck virtually. “When you talk to kids about history, it’s not just a static drawing or an old photograph or a painting,” Casserley adds. “Now we have a 3D model that comes alive, and it’s making those connections.”

In late 1861, after learning that the Confederate Navy was building an armored warship, President Abraham Lincoln called for the construction of an ironclad vessel to lead the Union Navy. John Ericsson, a Swedish-American engineer and inventor, put forth a plan for a new ship with thick armor and a gun turret that rotated nearly 360 degrees.

On February 25, 1862, the Monitor was officially commissioned in New York City, according to Naval History and Heritage Command. The ship was met with skepticism.

In 1975, NOAA designated the Monitor wreck site as the first national marine sanctuary in the country.

“Resembling a 173-foot-long black lozenge, it looked more like a submarine than a surface warship,” wrote Wendy Mitman Clarke for Smithsonian magazine in 2002. “The flat deck cleared the water by only 14 inches when the ship was loaded. In the middle sat the gigantic and ungainly turret, shaped like a pillbox.”

Strange appearance or not, the vessel had a job to do: protect the Union Navy’s wooden fleet. In early March 1862, the Monitor clashed with the CSS Virginia during the Battle of Hampton Roads, the first Civil War scuffle between ironclad warships. After four hours of fighting, the battle ended in a stalemate, with each ship’s armor stronger than its opponent’s firepower. Though neither side prevailed, the clash ushered in a new era of naval warfare.

Later that same year, the Monitor was called in to support Union operations elsewhere. Being towed by the USS Rhode Island, the Monitor departed Hampton Roads on December 29, 1862. Everything was going as planned until a storm struck off the coast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, on New Year’s Eve.

While being lashed about by the wind and the waves, the Monitor began to leak and fill with water. Though the Rhode Island tried to rescue as many of the Monitor’s 62 crew members as possible, 16 men perished as the ship slipped into the Atlantic.

The shipwreck was located in 1973, resting upside down roughly 240 feet beneath the surface. Experts have since recovered more than 200 tons of artifacts from the wreck, including the Monitor’s pioneering gun turret.

Individual Arrested for Little Round Top Monument Vandalism

GETTYSBURG, Pa.—On March 6, 2026, National Park Service law enforcement rangers, with assistance from the Carlisle (PA) Police Department, arrested Lucas J. Reisinger, 36, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on two felony counts of destruction of veterans’ memorials in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1369. Reisinger is accused of carving his initials into two monuments at Little Round Top in Gettysburg National Military Park in September 2025. Reisinger is scheduled to make his initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg.

On Sept. 14, 2025, National Park Service rangers received a report of an adult male using a knife to carve his initials into a monument on Little Round Top. An investigation determined that the initials “LJR” were carved into the plaque of the 44th New York Infantry Monument and into the face of Colonel Patrick O’Rorke on the 140th New York Infantry Monument.

Through investigative work, rangers developed evidence that led to a federal grand jury indictment and the issuance of an arrest warrant by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Each violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1369 carries a maximum penalty of $250,000 and up to 10 years in federal prison. The National Park Service will also seek full restitution, estimated at more than $11,000, for the damaged monuments.

The National Park Service thanks the following agencies for their assistance during the investigation: the Carlisle Police Department, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, National Park Service Investigative Services Branch, U.S. Marshal’s Service and the Adams County Department of Emergency Services.

Deer Test Positive for Chronic Wasting Disease at Gettysburg NMP

White-tailed Deer Test Positive for Chronic Wasting Disease at Gettysburg National Military Park 

GETTYSBURG, PA—During recent white-tailed deer reduction operations and subsequent disease sampling at Gettysburg National Military Park (NMP) and Eisenhower National Historic Site (NHS), two deer tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). This marks the first confirmed case of CWD at Gettysburg NMP.

Park staff are coordinating their response with the Pennsylvania Game Commission and the National Park Service (NPS) Biological Resources Division to ensure a consistent, science-based approach to monitoring and limiting the spread of the disease. CWD has been present in Pennsylvania since it was first detected in 2012 and has since spread among deer populations in the state.

In 2024, three nearby national parks in Maryland – Antietam National Battlefield, Monocacy National Battlefield, and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park – reported their first CWD-positive test results.

Gettysburg NMP has managed deer populations since 1995 to protect native vegetation, support healthy and diverse forests, and preserve historic landscapes. Herd reduction is also a recognized management tool used to help limit the prevalence and spread of CWD in affected areas. Deer management operations will continue at the park with appropriate CWD mitigations in place to reduce the risk of continued spread of the disease.

Guidance to park visitors:  

If you see sick or dead wildlife, avoid contact with the animal and notify park staff as soon as possible.Keep pets on a leash and away from any sick or dead animals where pets are allowed. (Pets are prohibited in certain locations).Always keep a safe distance from wildlife and never touch or handle dead or sick wild animals.Do not eat any part of an animal suspected or confirmed to have CWD.

While hunting is not permitted in Gettysburg NMP, additional information about CWD and what precautions hunters in the surrounding areas should know can be found on the Pennsylvania Game Commission website at https://www.pa.gov/agencies/pgc/wildlife/wildlife-health/wildlife-diseases/chronic-wasting-disease. 

Venison donation:   

Consistent with NPS guidelines, during deer reduction actions, deer are tested for CWD. All venison collected from animals testing positive for CWD is destroyed.  

There is currently no evidence that CWD can infect humans. However, consistent with CDC guidelines, it is recommended that people not eat tissues from CWD-infected animals. 

Trail shines light on Gettysburg’s overlooked Black history

From the Gettysburg Times Feb 18

By Liz Caples Times Staff Writer

The Gettysburg Black History Trail invites visitors to see a familiar town through a different lens by tracing stories of African Americans whose experiences are essential to understanding Gettysburg and Adams County, especially during Black History Month.

The trail includes 13 locations that “paint a picture of Gettysburg’s diverse people, places and stories,” according to Mary Grace Kauffman, media relations manager at Destination Gettysburg.

The trail blends major Black history sites with key interpretive stops, highlighting how the experiences and contributions of the Black community are an integral part of Gettysburg’s story, according to Kauffman.

“Black history is often overlooked, but it is history. You can’t tell the story of Gettysburg without its Black history,” Kauffman said.

Trail followers can download a free digital “passport” to their mobile devices at http://www.BlackHistoryTrail.com, which guides them from site to site and shares background on local figures such as Basil Biggs, Abraham Brian, and Margaret “Mag” Palm.

“The tour is entirely self-guided, and there is no specific order users have to follow. They can go at their own pace and start at any location,” Kauffman said.

Although exploring the trail is free, some museums charge an admission fee. Visitors who use the passport will receive a 15% discount on admission to participating museums along the trail, she said.

After visiting one of the museums, users can pick up a reflective journal with thought-provoking prompts for each stop on the trail, Kauffman added.

In 2025, new audio components were added to the digital passport to improve accessibility and deepen storytelling, she said.

Once someone visits all 13 locations on the trail, they are eligible for a guided tour of Lincoln Cemetery, Gettysburg’s only surviving Black cemetery, with Jean Howard-Green, president of the Lincoln Cemetery Project Association, Kauffman said.

“We hope this trail will encourage people to explore and learn more about Black history in Adams County and Gettysburg,” Kauffman said.

The trail combines museums, churches, historic homes, and outdoor sites within the borough and surrounding countryside. The 13 locations are:

• Abraham Brian Farm, Hancock Avenue (Abraham Brian Farm, located in Gettysburg National Military Park).

• Gettysburg Beyond the Battle Museum, 625 Biglerville Road.

• Gettysburg Lincoln Railroad Station: Ticket to the Past – Unforgettable Journeys, 35 Carlisle St.

• Gettysburg National Military Park Museum & Visitor Center, 1195 Baltimore Pike.

• Gettysburg National Cemetery, 97 Taneytown Road (located in Gettysburg National Military Park).

• The Jack & Julia Hopkins House, 219 South Washington St.

• Lincoln Cemetery, intersection of Lincoln and Long lanes.

• Seminary Ridge Museum and Education Center, 111 Seminary Ridge.

• St. Paul AME Zion Church, 269 South Washington St.

• Thad’s Place: Home of the Thaddeus Stevens Museum, 46 Chambersburg St.

• James Warfield House, 60–114 Millerstown Road (located in Gettysburg National Military Park).

• Agricultural Hall, intersection of West High Street and Franklin Street.

• Franklin Street Colored School, intersection of West High Street and Franklin Street.

Launched in 2024, the Gettysburg Black History Trail was created through a collaborative partnership between several local organizations, including Gettysburg History, the former Gettysburg Black History Museum (now Gettysburg History’s Gettysburg Black History Committee), Gettysburg Foundation, Gettysburg National Military Park, the Lincoln Cemetery Project Association, Seminary Ridge Historic Preservation Foundation, Thaddeus Stevens Society, and Destination Gettysburg, according to the Destination Gettysburg website.

Readers may contact Liz Caples at ecaples@gettysburgtimes.com.

Tickets are Now on Sale for the Gettysburg Film Festival April 2-4

Tickets are now on sale for the Gettysburg Film Festival — cosponsored by the American Battlefield Trust and hosted in one of the most historic towns in the nation.

Join us from April 2–4, 2026 for a dynamic lineup of films, speakers and conversations exploring the American Revolution, the nation’s founding and the ties between 1776 and 1863.

Renowned filmmaker Ken Burns, Chair of the Festival, will headline special screenings and programs. Guests include Phillipa Soo and Christopher Jackson from the original Broadway cast of Hamilton – made possible with generous support from the Ray & Vera Conniff Foundation – along with Sam Waterston, Rick Atkinson, Annette Gordon-Reed, Susan Eisenhower, Jeff Shaara and more, including the Trust’s own Kris White and me!

See the Full Schedule & Order Tickets Today

Now in its fourth year, the festival drew more than 8,000 attendees in 2025 and continues to grow as a national gathering for those who love history, film and meaningful conversation.

We hope you’ll join us this April for an unforgettable celebration of America’s story.

See you at the movies,

Garry Adelman
Chief Historian
American Battlefield Trust

Free Zoom Program March 1 on “The Life and Struggles of Mary Edwards Walker"

THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC (G.A.R.) 

CIVIL WARMUSEUM & ARCHIVE

 Presents a Free Zoom Program

Sunday, March 1, 2026 at 1:00 p.m.

“The Life and Struggles of Mary Edwards Walker:

Doctor, Feminist, Medal of Honor Recipient’

by Walt Lafty

 Many people know that Mary E. Walker served as a doctor during the Civil War. Some are also aware she was the recipient of the Medal of Honor. This presentation will focus on her early family life, and her struggle to attain recognition as a doctor, prior to the war, as well as during and after the war. It will also cover her lifelong commitment to fighting for the right to vote for women and many other issues regarding feminism. She has been described as unconventional and eccentric, but she was also graceful, understanding, compassionate, and committed. Mary was above all else, a patriot who was loyal to the flag of the United States. Her sacrifices throughout her life to remain true to herself were difficult but inspiring.

 Walt Lafty is a historian with a focus on the American Civil War (1861-1865), but also World War 2, as well as the history of Ireland. He has been active in various Civil War groups for many years. Those include the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Museum where he serves as the research administrator and volunteer. He is also active in the Delaware Valley CWRT where he is a board member as well as a member of the preservation committee. Walt is also an active member of Baker-Fisher Camp 101 Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War in Hatboro and currently serves as the camp secretary. In addition, he is a member of the Old Baldy CWRT and the General Meade

To reserve a virtual seat for this outstanding presentation, reply by e-mail to garmuslib1866@gmail.com

You will be sent a link with a password that will enable you to access the program within 24 hours of the start of the presentation. 

Deadline for signing-up is Noon, Saturday,

February 28, 2026

 As a lover of history, you know how critical it is to keep history alive, especially today.  We very much appreciate your continued support for the GAR Civil War Museum & Archive. 

GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC MUSEUM & ARCHIVE
8110 Frankford Ave. (Holmesburg - N.E. Philadelphia), 19136
 www.garmuslib.org

America's 250th Photo Contest is Now Open

This year, we celebrate 250 years of American independence, sacrifice, and shared story. And now, we’re inviting you to help tell that story — through your lens.

The 250th Anniversary Photo Contest is officially open!

Whether you’ve stood on a battlefield at sunrise, captured a powerful reenactment, or watched your dog roam where history was made — your photos matter. They connect us to the past and inspire preservation for the future.

Submit your best photos in four categories:

• Best Battlefield Landscape – Evoke awe with sweeping, sacred terrain.

• People & History – Reenactments, living history, kids exploring, and everyday moments where the past comes alive.

• Preservation in Action – Show the hands and hearts working to protect these spaces.

• Pets on the Battlefield – Because heritage is better with four legs.

Top finalists will be featured across our website, social media, and more!

After submissions close on December 15, judges will review all eligible entries and curate a shortlist of finalists in each of the four categories. In addition, the judging panel will select one overall Judges’ Choice winner to have their image featured in the American Battlefield Trust’s online store.

ENTER NOW

'Til the battle is won,

David N. Duncan
President
American Battlefield Trust