On the Preservation Front By Jack Minnich
Orange County Va. – The Civil War Trust announced in Nov that it has purchased Grant’s Headquarters site at the Wilderness. Purchased for $205,000 on July 25 the current house built in 1969 will be vacated by the end of the year. The Trust plans to begin restoring the property immediately, with removal of the structures on the property by the battle’s 148th anniversary in May. The 1.393-acre tract along state Route 20 was Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s daytime headquarters during the Battle of the Wilderness May 5-7, 1864 which was the first battle of his Overland Campaign.
Gettysburg Pa- Pennsylvania has released $4 mil from the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program for the Adams County Historical Society and Lutheran Theological Seminary rehabilitation of Schmucker Hall on Seminary Ridge. The Society and Seminary are collaborating on the ‘Voices of History’ project that will convert Schmucker Hall into a state of the art museum. The four-story 1832 building known as the Old Dorm, houses the cupola where U S Gen John Buford followed the progress of the advancing Confederates on July 1 1863. The project is expected to be completed by the 150th anniversary of that battle. The building will interpret the first days battle, the buildings role as the largest field hospital, and it’s role in the Underground Railroad and faith and moral issue’s.
Washington D.C. – In an effort to save what the Civil War Trust’s president James Lighthizer calls one of the three most important pieces of hallowed ground the Trust has ever tried to save, the Trust is attempting to raise $1.2 million to complete the $3.2 million purchase of 285 acres at Gaines’ Mill. Gaines’ Mill is currently one of the most unprotected battlefields. Out of more than 2,000-plus battlefield acres, the National Park Service owns 60 acres and the Richmond Battlefield’s Association recently acquired 4 acres and the Trust owns 1.8 acres. The target property includes the entire western flank of the battlefield, which is most of the land covered by five brigades of Gen James Longstreet’s Confederate right wing when they attacked on June 27, 1862. The battle of Gaines’ Mill was the third fight of the Seven Days’ Campaign. Robert E. Lee’s attack by some 32,000 men along a 2- mile front is said to be the largest Confederate attack of the Civil War. While Gaines’ Mill was Lee’s first major victory, the action was extremely costly for Longstreet’s men. NPS historian Robert E.L. Krick recently stated that ‘Although the poor state of preservation at Gaines’ Mill is the bad news, the really encouraging thing is that most of the battlefield is intact. We have not lost it. Nearly all of the battlefield survives in nearly better than average condition, and the potential truly is enormous.’ Battle history, photos, video and maps of the site can be seen at www.civilwar.org. Donations may be mailed to P.O. box 17686, Baltimore, MD. 21298-8333 or made online at www.civilwar.org. Donors of $100 or more will be listed on a roll of honor at the site.
Winchester Va. – A three year plan by the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation has recently been announced that will restore the 575-acre Third Winchester Battlefield. The goal is to raise $1.47 million, $420,000 to pay off the purchase price of the Huntsberry Farm acquired in 2009, $750,000 to restore the battlefield properties and install interpretive markers and trails, and $300,000 for a perpetual maintenance fund. The Battle of Third Winchester was the largest of the Shenandoah Valley battles. 8600 men out of 54,000 who fought died. Future presidents Rutherford B Hayes and William McKinley saw action at Third Winchester. Fifteen Medals of Honor were awarded for service there. The union victory gave Federal troops control of the lower valley. According to the foundation, the battle was the turning point and led ‘to the eventual demise of Early’s Army of the Valley and the destruction of the Shenandoah Valley as the breadbasket of the Confederacy.’ In its 10 years of existence, the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation has protected 3,000 acres by purchase of land or development rights. Its goal is to save another 3000 acres at the 10 battlefields within the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District by the end of the Civil War Sesquicentennial. For information contact (888)689-4545 or www.shenandoahatwar.org. Donations may be sent to P.O. Box 897, New Market, Va 22844.
The organizations mentioned in this article and many others across the country are doing there part to protect and save Civil War property. Please do your part as well. Remember, save it today because it may not be there tomorrow.
** Articles from the Civil War News- December 2011