438 acres. Seven battlefields. One urgent opportunity.

The Civil War was not fought in isolation. What happened in one place shaped what came next somewhere else. Victories opened doors. Defeats forced new strategies. Movements in one theater influenced outcomes in another.

  Today, you have a rare opportunity to help preserve pieces of that larger story.

  Right now, we are working to protect 438 acres across seven historic battlefields:

  • Richmond & Perryville, Kentucky

  • Glorieta Pass, New Mexico

  • Corinth, Mississippi

  • Hoover's Gap, Tennessee

  • Resaca, Georgia

  • Newtonia, Missouri

  These places may be miles apart, but they are tied together by consequence. Each played a role in shaping the course of the war — and the nation that followed. 

What your gift can do right now to preserve historic grounds:

  • Protect 438 acres across seven historic battlefields

  • Unlock a 10-to-1 match — multiplying your impact

  • Help secure land valued at nearly $3.9 million

  • Preserve key ground at Resaca, Hoover's Gap, Corinth, and more!

DONATE NOW

These tracts of historic land are at risk.

Without action, they could be lost to development — warehouses, subdivisions, and commercial projects that would permanently alter these historic landscapes and diminish our ability to fully understand what happened there.

 

The good news is: we are incredibly close to saving them.

  Thanks to strong partnerships and matching commitments, more than 90% of the funding is already secured. Now, we must raise just $374,900 to protect land valued at nearly $3.9 million.

 

Every $1 you give today will be multiplied in impact more than 10-to-1. Opportunities like this are rare — and they don't last long.

  At Resaca, hundreds of acres once stood on the brink of industrial development. At Hoover's Gap, Newtonia, and Glorieta Pass, land was on the market for sale to any interested developer. At places like Corinth and Richmond, even small tracts help complete a much larger historical picture.

 

Each acre is a piece of the story. This is now your chance to help protect that story in its fullest form.

Please make your gift today to help save these 438 acres.

 Thank you for standing with us in this important work.

 'Til the battle is won,

David N. Duncan

President

American Battlefield Trust

P.S. The battles at places like Resaca, Perryville, and Glorieta Pass were not isolated events — each helped shape what followed next. Protecting these acres helps preserve that chain of history, where one decision, one movement, changed everything.

DONATE NOW

Help Preserve At Risk Land at Gettysburg and Antietam

Right now, the Trust has a rare opportunity to protect three unprotected pieces of Civil War battlefield land — two at Antietam and one at Gettysburg — before they are lost to development. 

To save them, we must raise $349,938. Thanks to support from incredible donors, we are nearly 80% of the way to reaching our previous goal at Antietam, and to saving an additional remarkable property at Gettysburg for future generations.

With just a few weeks left to meet the total needed to save these Antietam tracts, we've been presented with another incredible opportunity: preservation of a small, but significant property at Gettysburg — only about 40 miles away!

Thanks to generous partners and federal grants, every dollar you give today is matched, nearly quadrupling your impact.

Hallowed Grounds at Antietam & Gettysburg are at risk!

Your support today helps ensure Antietam and Gettysburg remain places of reflection, learning, and honor.

Protect Three Tracts at Antietam & Gettysburg

What's currently at stake:

  • At Antietam, these fields witnessed the desperate Final Attack on September 17, 1862 — the costliest day in American history — when Union forces surged forward and the fate of the war hung in the balance. Just days later, the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation reshaped the nation's future. Preserving this land protects the place where freedom took a decisive step forward.

  • At Gettysburg, a single unprotected acre near the Baltimore Pike tells another critical story. Thousands of Union soldiers crossed this ground under fire as they rushed to defend Culp's Hill during three pivotal days of fighting. Today, that land remains vulnerable to development that would erase its connection to the past forever.

Time is not on our side. But with your help today, we can secure these sacred acres for future generations.

Please act now and help defend history at Antietam and Gettysburg.

Donate Now

'Til the battle is won,

 

David N. Duncan
President
American Battlefield Trust

P.S. Once historic land is lost, it cannot be reclaimed. Your support today helps secure these sacred places at Antietam & Gettysburg while we still can. Can we count on you to make a gift today?

Help Reauthorize the American Battlefield Protection Program

As a supporter of the American Battlefield Trust, you've almost certainly heard of the outstanding federal matching grant program that enables us and other battlefield partners to leverage our members' donations and purchase important historic properties. Over the past 25 years, the U.S. Congress has appropriated more than $250 million for the American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP) and the Battlefield Land Acquisition Grant Program (BLAG), which has been multiplied many times over by private donations and state and local monies, leading to the protection of more than 36,000 acres of battlefield land throughout the nation.

Today, the Trust is asking for your help to ensure that this remarkable vehicle for historic land conservation continues into the future.

Learn More & Sign the Support Now!

Recently, U.S. Senators Dave McCormick (R-PA) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) introduced legislation to reauthorize the BLAG program through 2035 and make minor refinements to BLAG’s sister programs: the Battlefield Interpretation Grant Program and the Battlefield Restoration Grant Program. The Trust is asking supporters like you to reach out to their Senators and Members of Congress, via a simple mechanism on our website and urge them to become cosponsors of this important and bipartisan legislation.

The ABPP Reauthorization Bill maintains funding for the program at $20 million per year. In addition, it decreases the private match requirement on interpretation and restoration grants to 25 percent, a reduced fundraising burden that will enable a wider variety of local battlefield organizations to apply. It also directs the National Park Service to study the feasibility of expanding eligibility for BLAG grants to sites from the French and Indian War and the Mexican-American War. Engagements of those conflicts on U.S. soil have already been mapped under the auspices of ABPP, establishing the historic boundaries that are a key prerequisite for evaluating all land acquisition projects.

In all of our past reauthorization pushes, the BLAG program has enjoyed deep bipartisan support in both houses of Congress, and we expect a similar scenario for this forward-looking program that marries historical literacy with land conservation goals. Our champions on Capitol Hill are excited to support the bill, but a wider array of lawmakers are likely to join us – if they hear from constituents like you, who care deeply about the issue.

Show Your Support – Sign the Letter Now!

Taking a few moments to use the simple form on our website will enable you to send a message to your Senators and Member of Congress, registering your support for battlefield preservation and the track record of the BLAG program over the years.

Please lend your voice to our outreach work – and share the link with your friends and relatives who share our passion for the power of place and believe that these hallowed landscapes should be protected.

 Sincerely,

Jim Campi

Director of Policy and Communications 
American Battlefield Trust

141 Acres to Preserve in NC, TN & MO

Across the country, the ground where history was made is disappearing at alarming rates. Quietly. Permanently. And often before anyone realizes what has been lost. 

 

Today, 141 acres of hallowed Civil War land at Wilson’s Creek, Shiloh, and Bentonville are at risk of being swallowed by development. These are not symbolic places — they are real landscapes where the course of the war turned, where commanders fell, and where soldiers fought and died. 

 

If this land is lost, it could be lost forever. 

 

We have a rare and powerful opportunity to protect 141 acres — land spanning three different years of the war and three pivotal moments in the Western Theater. Together, these sites tell a story of chaos, courage, sacrifice, and change that cannot be fully understood from books alone. 

 

What makes this moment extraordinary is how close we are to success: the total value of the land exceeds $3.2 million, but thanks to state and federal grants and committed preservation partners, only $170,500 remains to be raised. Even more remarkable: every dollar you give is matched $19 to $1, multiplying your impact far beyond a single gift.

 

That means a contribution today doesn’t just help — it moves the needle. It turns urgency into action and ensures we can act before developers do. 

This Western Theater land includes:

  • Ground at Wilson’s Creek, where Union General Nathaniel Lyon became the first Union general killed in battle.

  • Land at Shiloh, where the sudden death of Confederate General Albert Sidney Johnston changed the course of a fierce fight.

  • A critical area at Bentonville, where the Confederacy made its final major stand in the Western Theater just weeks before the war ended.

MATCH MY GIFT $19-TO-$1

Our battle today is not against armies, but against time and development pressure. With your help, we can ensure these fields remain places of learning, remembrance, and honor — not developed. 

 

Please consider making a gift today. With the match in place and the finish line so close, your support can help secure every remaining acre. 

MULTIPLY YOUR IMPACT »

'Til the battle is won, 

David N. Duncan, President

American Battlefield Trust

P.S. Once land like this is lost to developers, it can be nearly impossible to reclaim. But if we act now, we can protect these acres and ensure these stories remain teachable.

DONATE NOW

Save 127 Acres at Three Battlefields

Save 127 Acres at Kernstown

Friends,

If we act now, we can save 127 acres of core battlefield that saw heavy action in not one, not two, but THREE battles in three of the most pivotal campaigns of the war!

The property is situated along Sandy Ridge west of the Valley Turnpike and the famed Pritchard Farm. Historically the property was a part of the Rose Hill Farm and for generations has been part of the Glass family estate. Julian Glass gave the property to the Glass Glen Burnie Foundation, who, after many years, decided to put the property up for sale. Located between land that Glass Glen Burnie previously opened as a community park, and land preserved by the American Battlefield Trust and now owned by the Kernstown Battlefield Association, developing this property would have been a disaster. The neighborhood of single-family homes planned for the 127 acres would have permanently divided the previously preserved tracts, severed interpretive access and destroyed forever some of the most fought-over ground in the Shenandoah Valley.

Donate to Save 127 Acres at Kernstown

These parcels were the scene of significant fighting in three separate battles, but they are also extremely expensive with the final purchase price coming in at more than $2.7 million.

Even with the seller agreeing to finance part of the purchase and the extremely fair lending terms being offered by our partners at First Bank, the loans would do us no good if we couldn’t make the payments. Those payments include the interest – significant interest - more than $15,000 a month. Interest is not refundable through state or federal battlefield grants and is a significant burden on the overall project and the cash flow of the Foundation. That’s when the Ridgeway and the Wilkins families stepped in to help. Realizing that the cost of the financing would make the project impossible for us to tackle, they offered to provide the funding needed to cover the interest payments; buying us the time we need to pull together the funding that will preserve the property forever.

So, with their unbelievably generous support and a $25,000 down payment provided by the Kernstown Battlefield Association we signed the agreement and have already secured a $1.7 million grant from the Commonwealth of Virginia to put toward the purchase. That grant was the largest single grant ever awarded in the history of Virginia’s Battlefield Preservation Fund!

We still need to raise with $55,363 to complete this project and we already have a lead gift to get the ball rolling! Compadre, the beloved canine companion of our longtime friend and supporter Amy Kennedy, unfortunately passed away recently. He was a battlefield lover and had attended many of our conferences through the years. In April, Amy gifted us Compadre’s “estate”, making a legacy gift in his name for $6,000! Compadre loved walking the Kernstown Battlefield, so the decision was made to make his gift the first to be put toward the purchase of these 127 acres. He’s our first canine donor and the first to make a gift to this project!

With Compadre’s gift we are left with just $49,363 to raise! We’re asking you to join the Ridgeways and the Wilkins – we’re asking you to join Compadre and us – please join the fight to save 127 acres of core battlefield at Kernstown.

See you at the Front,

Keven Walker

Chief Executive Officer

The Nature of History: Volunteers Charge Brandy Station

For the fourth straight year, the American Battlefield Trust partnered with Capital One’s Salute Business Resource Group for a day of partnership and preservation. Around 50 volunteers joined Trust staff to help manage invasive weeds and overgrown vegetation encroaching on the historic Wiltshire House and stone wall on the Brandy Station Battlefield. 

"The collaborative spirit of Capital One’s dedicated volunteers, working shoulder-to-shoulder with organizations like the American Battlefield Trust, is an effective way to ensure the memory and integrity of these hallowed grounds endures for generations," said Daniel Canchola, a volunteer with Capital One.

Invasive species can suppress native plants and take over the composition of an ecosystem. Volunteers received training and supervision in several safe and effective methods for controlling invasives, including multiflora rose, autumn olive and Japanese honeysuckle, helping to keep the battlefield's ecosystem thriving. This includes teaching volunteers what herbicides are safe for the environment, allowing people to put their training into practice and be stewards of the environment beyond the volunteer event.

Part of Culpeper Battlefields State Park, the Brandy Station Battlefield is best known as the site of the largest cavalry clash ever fought in the Western Hemisphere. Decades of diligent effort by the American Battlefield Trust, the Brandy Station Foundation, the Commonwealth of Virginia and preservation advocates have saved more than 2,100 acres from development.  The work done by the Capital One volunteers helps keep the site a testament to the power of place offered by a battlefield.

“For all the great conversations and fun we had, we also got a tremendous amount of work done,” added Saielli. “Walking the property afterwards, I could not believe how much this group was able to accomplish.”

Capital One’s Salute group supports military associates as they continue their life of service outside of the military, providing community resources, volunteer opportunities and intersectional programming. Events in previous years have taken place on battlefields like Fredericksburg and Hatcher’s Run, and plans are already in the works for another volunteer event in 2026.

"It is a true privilege to work for a company that values giving back. I am honored to contribute to the preservation of our battlefields, ensuring that future generations can continue to learn about our history,” said Megan Wible, a Capital One volunteer.

The annual volunteer event with Capital One is just one example of the Trust’s Warrior Legacy program, which showcases the deep connections that today’s veterans and active-duty military retain to their historic forebearers. Through the initiative, the Trust has shared the stories of recipients of our nation’s highest military honor with the Medal of Honor Valor Trail, supported deeply impactful veterans’ archaeological work in partnership with American Veterans Archaeological Recovery (AVAR) and organized several volunteer events with veterans' groups, including for the Trust’s annual Park Day volunteer effort.

Preserve The Missing Piece at Appomattox Court House

Every so often, a preservation opportunity appears that is simply too important to ignore: the kind that allows us not only to protect the past, but to complete the story future generations will inherit.


Two profoundly significant pieces of battlefield land in Virginia, together just 2.4 acres, are urgently in need of saving. Though small in size, they represent pivotal moments in the course of our nation's history.

 

The first tract of land at Appomattox Court House is the one of the last at-risk pieces within the preserved landscape. This is the land that witnessed Lee's surrender on April 9, 1865, signaling the start of national reconciliation. Securing it would nearly complete decades of our preservation work and ensure that future generations can fully understand the story that began there.

 

The second parcel stands at the intersection of the Gaines' Mill and Cold Harbor battles. Troops marched, fought, and fell across this very ground. Cavalry charged through its intersection. Today, it remains vulnerable to commercial development, despite its immense historical significance.

 

Together, these lands are valued at $680,000. Yet, through a combination of state and federal grants and a deferred payment agreement, only $172,500 must be raised by the end of January. And during this time, every gift is multiplied $4-to-$1.

 

Each dollar you contribute protects four dollars' worth of historic land.

A missing corner at the crossroads that witnessed both Gaines' Mill and Cold Harbor. 

With your help, we can secure this tract and another at Appomattox before they're lost.

MATCH MY GIFT $4-TO-$1

Your support today will help complete the preserved landscape at Appomattox Court House, safeguard the crossroads at Cold Harbor from development, and protect ground walked by Grant, Lee, Custer, McClellan, Jackson, Stuart, and the thousands of soldiers whose footsteps left a permanent mark on our nation's history.

 

These acres may be small, but the stories they hold are immense. Your support while this opportunity still stands will ensure they are passed down for generations ahead.

DONATE NOW TO MULTIPLY YOUR IMPACT »

With gratitude, 

David N. Duncan

President

American Battlefield Trust

We Did It! Gaines Mill-Cold Harbor Saved Forever!

I write to you with incredibly exciting news, decades in the making: 

Some of the most important unprotected battlefield land in the United States, hundreds of critical acres at the site of both the Battle of Gaines’ Mill and the Battle of Cold Harbor, is saved forever.

One of the largest preservation efforts in our history, these 600+ acres more than double the amount of hallowed ground we have protected on these irreplaceable battlefields. 

In 1862, this land witnessed Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee launch one of the largest frontal assaults in the Civil War. In 1864, it saw Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant order one of the war’s bloodiest attacks. Across two battles, thousands of men made the ultimate sacrifice on these battlefields. This land is hallowed ground, and it is now forever protected because of you.

More than 25 years ago, the American Battlefield Trust set out to save the overlapping battlefields of Gaines’ Mill and Cold Harbor in Virginia. By 2020, 655 acres had already been preserved when a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity emerged: more than 600 additional acres of pristine battlefield land became available. With deep-pocketed developers closing in, swift action was essential.

Our friend and renowned historian Ed Bearss once said: “Even if you have to sell every other piece of battlefield land the Trust has ever saved in order to preserve this land, you should do it. It’s that important!” Thanks to your support, this land is now a part of the more than 1,200 acres saved at Gaines’ Mill and Cold Ha rbor, 30,000 acres saved throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, and 60,000 acres we have saved nationwide.

Now, generations to come will understand these two battles and appreciate history in a way only a battlefield can offer.

★ ★ ★

“If pressed to select the single most desirable [land] on any battlefield... Nowhere else does a single [area] of land offer so much relating to a pair of major battles.” – Historian Gary Gallagher

★ ★ ★

The Battle of Gaines’ Mill 

On June 27, 1862, just east of Richmond, Virginia, Union Gen. Fitz John Porter’s V Corps found itself alone and outnumbered. With their backs to the Chickahominy River, Porter’s 34,000 men dug in near a modest structure known as Gaines’ Mill. Facing them was a determined Confederate force of nearly 60,000 under the newly appointed Gen. Robert E. Lee. This clash would become the largest Confederate frontal assault of the Civil War and mark Lee’s first major victory as commander of the Army of Northern Virginia.

Despite being outnumbered, Porter’s troops held firm against repeated assaults throughout the day. But the arrival of Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson’s troops allowed Lee to launch a massive, coordinated twilight attack that ultimately overran the Union position. The cost was staggering: 15,000 casualties in just six hours. The bravery of those men – fighting in marshes, woods, and over open farmland – still echoes across the land today. 

The Battle of Cold Harbor

Fast forward to June 1, 1864. Nearly two years after Gaines’ Mill, Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant ordered his forces to engage once more on these blood-soaked fields during the Overland Campaign. The Battle of Cold Harbor, taking place just 10 miles northeast of Richmond and overlapping portions of the 1862 battleground, was characterized by entrenched lines, devastating frontal assaults and some of the highest casualty rates of the war.

Grant’s repeated attempts to break the Confederate defenses culminated in a massive but futile attack on June 3. Union forces suffered thousands of casualties in under an hour. It was a sobering moment for Grant and a grim reminder of the cost of war. Still, he did not retreat. Instead, he repositioned his army and crossed the James River, advancing toward Petersburg in what would become the beginning of the end for the Confederacy.

  As 2025 draws to a close and we enter the holiday season, I reflect on all that this year has meant to the American Battlefield Trust. Together, we began the 250th celebration of the American Revolution, took our digital education offerings to new heights, supported thousands of students on field trips, scored major victories in the courts to keep battlefields free of development, celebrated the milestone of our 60,000th acre saved, and now, the culmination of one of the most ambitious preservation campaigns in the nearly 40-year history of our organization.  

None of this would be possible without you. If not for your support, we could not save one acre of hallowed ground. Our work is far from over at Gaines’ Mill, Cold Harbor, and other battlefields across the country, but I could not be more proud or thankful for all we have accomplished together.  v

‘Til the battle is won,

David N. Duncan
President
American Battlefield Trust

A rare chance to nearly finish the story of Appomattox & Cold Harbor

Every so often, a preservation opportunity appears that is simply too important to ignore: the kind that allows us not only to protect the past, but to complete the story future generations will inherit.


Two profoundly significant pieces of battlefield land in Virginia, together just 2.4 acres, are urgently in need of saving. Though small in size, they represent pivotal moments in the course of our nation's history.

 

The first tract of land at Appomattox Court House is the one of the last at-risk pieces within the preserved landscape. This is the land that witnessed Lee's surrender on April 9, 1865, signaling the start of national reconciliation. Securing it would nearly complete decades of our preservation work and ensure that future generations can fully understand the story that began there.

 

The second parcel stands at the intersection of the Gaines' Mill and Cold Harbor battles. Troops marched, fought, and fell across this very ground. Cavalry charged through its intersection. Today, it remains vulnerable to commercial development, despite its immense historical significance.

 

Together, these lands are valued at $680,000. Yet, through a combination of state and federal grants and a deferred payment agreement, only $172,500 must be raised by the end of January. And during this time, every gift is multiplied $4-to-$1.

 

Each dollar you contribute protects four dollars' worth of historic land.

MATCH MY GIFT $4-TO-$1

Your support today will help complete the preserved landscape at Appomattox Court House, safeguard the crossroads at Cold Harbor from development, and protect ground walked by Grant, Lee, Custer, McClellan, Jackson, Stuart, and the thousands of soldiers whose footsteps left a permanent mark on our nation's history.

 

These acres may be small, but the stories they hold are immense. Your support while this opportunity still stands will ensure they are passed down for generations ahead.

DONATE NOW TO MULTIPLY YOUR IMPACT »

With gratitude, 

David N. Duncan

President

American Battlefield Trust

Help secure Fredericksburg and Stones River before it’s too late

A remarkable preservation opportunity is within reach — and your support is urgently needed to finish the job.

  We have the chance to save just over 45 acres of battlefield land at Fredericksburg and Stones River, two sites where American history was shaped through extraordinary courage and sacrifice.

  This land is valued at more than $10.9 million and can now be preserved for just $172,323 thanks to previous donors and critical grant funding. Only one final payment remains.

  Your tax-deductible gift today will directly protect this ground at Fredericksburg and Stones River forever.

DONATE NOW

The 7.5 acres at Fredericksburg include the eastern slope of Lee's Hill, where Lee, Longstreet, Jackson, and McLaws directed the defense during the First and Second Battles of Fredericksburg.

  And the 38 acres at Stones River witnessed one of the bloodiest scenes of the entire Civil War, as Confederate brigades struck Union lines with a devastating force that threatened the entire Union army.

Save Fredericksburg & Stones River!

This land tells the story of critical moments in the Civil War...

At Fredericksburg, this land saw the first opposed river crossing in American history, intense urban fighting, and Lee's famous reflection: "It is well that war is so terrible..."


At Stones River, Union and Confederate soldiers clashed in brutal close combat, suffering staggering casualties in minutes. The Union victory that followed helped bolster support for the Emancipation Proclamation.


These are some of the last unprotected sections of each battlefield!

SAVE LAND AT FREDERICKSBURG & STONES RIVER

Both properties have faced development pressure for years. This may be the last opportunity to ensure they are saved permanently. 

  Your support today will help secure these sites so future generations can walk this hallowed ground, learn from it, and honor the Americans who fought there. 

'Til the battle is won, 

David N. Duncan, President

American Battlefield Trust

Save Two Acres at Antietam

In September 1862, Union troops surged across Burnside Bridge at Antietam, pushing a battered Confederate line toward the Potomac. Victory seemed certain.

  Then, A.P. Hill’s Light Division arrived — late, but not too late — charging into the Union flank after a grueling 17-mile march. Their final flank attack changed the course of the battle, and perhaps the war.

  The land where Hill’s men emerged still exists, just beyond Antietam National Battlefield. Two small properties — just over two acres — witnessed this pivotal moment.

  One was nearly lost before we secured a contract just in time. Now, we can save them both, if we raise the remaining funds before year’s end.

SAVE LAND AT ANTIETAM NOW

More than $510,000 is already committed from federal partners and the Save Historic Antietam Foundation. Just over $500,000 remains to complete the project and return this land to its rightful place in the story of our nation.

  Every dollar given will be matched, doubling the impact of your gift. Now is the moment to act — to ensure this sacred land is protected forever.

PRESERVE HISTORIC LAND AT ANTIETAM

The Battle of Antietam remains the single bloodiest day in all of American history. Some 23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded, or went missing. But it was also the day President Lincoln turned toward freedom — using the Union’s strategic advantage to issue the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation just days later.

  To preserve this place is to preserve that turning point — in stone and soil, not just in books.

  This opportunity will not come again. The land at Antietam must be purchased. The closing date is fast approaching. Please give today.

  History cannot be undone. But it can easily be forgotten — or remembered, honored, and protected. That choice is in front of us now.  

 

With gratitude, 

David N. Duncan, President

American Battlefield Trust

P.S. These two acres sit where history turned — where A.P. Hill’s exhausted troops poured onto the field to stop the Union advance and alter the course of the Civil War. Without protection, this land could still be developed. Don’t let that happen. Help raise the final funds needed to save these two properties at Antietam forever. 

DONATE NOW

Culpeper Battlefields State Park Just Got Bigger!

On October 21, I had the honor of joining Virginia’s First Lady, Suzanne S. Youngkin, to celebrate another incredible milestone in preserving the Cedar Mountain Battlefield: 172 acres of hallowed ground have now been transferred to the Commonwealth and added to Culpeper Battlefields State Park! This includes critical portions of the battlefield and structures that will be used for a park visitor center and staff housing.

And that’s not all! Another 131 acres are set to be transferred in 2026, adding to the more than 2,000 acres of hallowed ground saved forever across the four battlefields in the park.

None of this would be possible without your stalwart support, and you have our deepest thanks.

Piece by piece, private preservation efforts from the Trust and our partners have saved a critical mass of the endangered battlefields at Brandy Station, Cedar Mountain, Kelly's Ford and Rappahannock Station to create a critical mass worthy of formal and permanent park status as Culpeper Battlefields State Park. Our work does not stop at simply saving the land, as interpretive signage and amenities have been added to enhance the visitor experience, and help people fully understand the history and importance of the battlefields.

The Battle of Cedar Mountain was the first serious clash between the Army of Northern Virginia and Maj. Gen. John Pope's new Army of Virginia.  The close-run Confederate victory at Cedar Mountain was the springboard for the 1862 Northern Virginia campaign that brought the fighting back to the fields of Manassas in August of 1862.

Our work at Cedar Mountain and Culpeper Battlefields State Park is far from over, and you can learn more about the Trust’s efforts here. 

Again, thank you for your continued support in ensuring our nation’s hallowed grounds are saved forever. This invaluable work would not be possible without you.

‘Til the battle is won, 

David N. Duncan
President
American Battlefield Trust

23 Acres Saved at Cedar Creek!

MIDDLETOWN, Va. — The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation has officially paid the Town of Middletown $75,000 for a preservation easement that permanently protects 23 acres of the Cedar Creek Battlefield. The agreement ensures the land will remain open and preserved for future generations, safeguarding a key parcel in the center of one of the most significant battlefields of the Civil War.



The preserved property—just steps off Main Street and adjacent to the historic Wayside Inn—had once been eyed for potential residential or commercial development. Instead, the Town of Middletown and the Battlefields Foundation partnered to protect this vital piece of national history. The 23-acre tract, consisting of 20 acres purchased by the Town and 3 acres donated by a local developer, will remain open space with public access and interpretive opportunities for visitors.



Battlefields Foundation CEO Keven Walker praised the collaboration, noting that the Middletown partnership exemplifies how battlefield preservation can have a tangible, positive impact on local communities.



“Preserving this land honors the sacrifices made here 161 years ago,” Walker said. “And now, thanks to Middletown’s vision, that preservation will also help build something new—a destination that connects history, community, and education.”



“This is a win for both history and the future,” said Middletown Mayor Charles Harbaugh IV. “We’re proud to work with the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation to preserve this important land. Not only does it protect our heritage, but it also creates new opportunities to reinvest in our town’s future.”



The $75,000 from the easement will directly support the rebuilding of Middletown’s historic B&O Train Station, the future home of the Winchester & Middletown Model Railroad Association. The project marks a major milestone in Middletown’s effort to restore the town’s railroad heritage while creating an attraction that will educate and entertain residents and visitors alike.



Thanks to a $50,000 donation from former Valley Proteins President and CEO J.J. Smith, along with over $100,000 in contributions from Dave Holliday Construction and Project Manager Patrick Sowers, the project is now nearing its goal. The new train station will feature meeting space for the club, a museum, and a large-scale model train display.




“Every dollar from this easement is being used twice—once to preserve hallowed ground and again to bring life back to a beloved landmark,” Harbaugh added. “This partnership shows how historic preservation can fuel community revitalization.”




The Winchester & Middletown Model Railroad Association broke ground on the new station this month, with completion expected in spring 2026. The group signed a 25-year renewable lease with the Town, ensuring the building will be open to the public and serve as an educational resource for years to come.



To learn more about the Winchester & Middletown Model Railroad Association, visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/WinchesterModelRailroad.

Help Preserve 417 Acres at Pamplin Park Forever

Less than three months left to secure one of the largest preservation campaigns in our history!

417 acres are at stake!

We are working urgently to preserve 417 acres at Pamplin Park — where the decisive Breakthrough at Petersburg changed the course of the war. 

This hallowed ground holds rifle pits, entrenchments, and history written into the land itself. But we can’t save it without your help.  

Join us today and make history by protecting this battlefield forever.

Donate Now to Save Pamplin Park

By making a gift today, you will help: 

  • Protect 417 acres of core battlefield land from development to unite 857 acres of protected land 

  • Safeguard the site of 27 Medals of Honor actions

  • Preserve two miles of pristine original trench lines and intact Civil War-era buildings

And thanks to matching funds, your gift today will be matched $17-to-$1.

Yes, I’ll Help Protect Pamplin

Thank you for helping preserve the past so it may inspire the future. We hope you'll stand with us in this important work.

 

With gratitude, 

David N. Duncan

President

American Battlefield Trust

P.S. Donate $68 or more today and receive a hot-off-the-press copy of Dawn of Victory: Breakthrough at Petersburg, March 25—April 2, 1865 by Edward S. Alexander. Quantities are limited — don't wait!

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CVBT Makes First US Colored Troops Preservation Save

by Terry Rensel
Posted on October 11, 2025

The Central Virginia Battlefields Trust (CVBT) recently announced its first United States Colored Troops (USCT) preservation effort as part of the fighting during the Spotsylvania Court House campaign.

The parcel, which is part of the action between the 23rd USCT and Thomas Rosser’s Confederate Cavalry, is being referred to as the 23rd USCT tract is 3 acres and is and is at the intersection of Old Plank and Catharpin Roads.

On May 15, 1864, the 2nd Ohio Cavalry was bivouacking near Piney Branch Church on Catharpin Road when they were rousted by a Confederate cavalry reconnaissance force under the command of Brig. Gen. Thomas Rosser. The Ohioans retreated north toward the Alrich Farm, located on the southwest corner of the intersection of Catharpin and Orange Plank Road.

The USCT troops were from the Fourth Division of the Union IX Corps under the command of Brig. Gen. Edward Ferrero and were guarding the wagon train near the Chancellorsville intersection. A courier brought news of the action between the 2nd Ohio and Rosser’s men, and Ferrero marched the 23rd USCT to support the Ohioans.

The 23rd approached the fighting and advanced in line of battle and fired into the Confederates, who soon withdrew. Unable to pursue to cavalrymen themselves, the 2nd Ohio did and soon reoccupied their bivouac site near Piney Branch Church.

Although the fighting at the Alrich Farm was a minor affair compared to other battles in central Virginia, it was the first time that the USCTs fought against the Army of Northern Virginia.

In addition to the important USCT connection to this property, it was also part of the action on May 1, 1863, the first day of fighting at Chancellorsville. Major General Henry Slocum’s XII Corps advance was halted here, prior to falling back towards Chancellorsville.

CVBT is currently raising $100,000 to preserve the land and to begin preparing the land for interpretation and public access. To learn more, visit CVBT’s website.

50 Acres Saved at Tom's Brook, Virginia!

 TOM'S BROOK, Virginia — On the 161st anniversary of the Battle of Tom's Brook, the Battlefields Foundation is announcing the successful preservation of 50 acres at the battlefield, completing a dramatic effort to save a site once slated for residential development. This newly protected land was the scene of intense cavalry fighting between Lunsford Lomax’s Confederate horsemen and Wesley Merritt’s Federal Division in October 1864.

The $2.8 million property was under imminent threat, with approved plans for 122 homes, multiple streets, cul-de-sacs, and water retention ponds. But thanks to the generosity of the landowners—lifelong Valley residents who valued the region’s history—and a coalition of donors and partners, the Foundation was able to intervene just in time.

The landowners donated $700,000 of the property’s value and offered to finance the purchase. The project’s turning point came when Battlefields Foundation Board of Trustees member Al Boxley stepped forward with a significant contribution allowing the Foundation to move forward with the project.

The preservation effort was further bolstered by $1,433,458 from the American Battlefield Protection Program and $650,000 from the Virginia Battlefield Preservation Fund, which together provided the critical funding needed to complete the acquisition.

“This is a tremendous victory for all who care about the Shenandoah Valley, its history, and its future,” said Keven Walker, CEO of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation. “We thought this land was lost. Now it will be protected forever.”

Jack Owens, the Battlefields Foundation's Land Preservation Projects Manager, added, “This project is a testament to what can happen when people come together to save something irreplaceable. The cavalrymen who fought here were willing to risk everything. Thanks to our supporters, this land will now stand as a lasting tribute to their sacrifice.”

“The Town of Toms Brook celebrates this news and supports the purchase by the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation,” said Mayor Lisa Currie. “Preserving the land in Shenandoah County from national developers should be a paramount concern for all residents,” Currie continued. “This purchase safeguards more than just the land from such development because the Battlefield's ownership protects the heritage of Shenandoah County—open spaces, green vistas, and natural countryside.” (For Mayor Lisa Currie’s full statement, see the end of the Press Release)

The 50-acres will be incorporated into the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation’s interpretation plans which create public access and understanding of the battlefield’s history.

The newly preserved parcel joins hundreds of other protected acres at Tom's Brook, expanding the Foundation’s efforts to protect, interpret, and share the Valley’s Civil War story with future generations.

 

Mayor Lisa Currie’s full Statement:

"The Town of Toms Brook celebrates this news and supports the purchase by the Shenandoah Valley Battlefield Foundation. Preserving the land in Shenandoah County from national developers should be a paramount concern for all residents, and this purchase safeguards more than just the land from such development because the Battlefield's ownership protects the heritage of Shenandoah County - open spaces, green vistas, unrestricted viewsheds, and natural countryside. 

As part of the safeguards, this purchase defends more than the immediate Shenandoah County land that is adjacent to the Town of Toms Brook because this purchase prohibits residential growth within the county and around the town of Toms Brook that might affect the immediate water and sewer stability and longevity that is imperative to the residents of the Toms Brook/Maurertown Sanitary District. 

In turn, this purchase promises economic networks within tourism's economic engine - financial benefits that provide support for county expenditures without costing county taxpayers because tourism does not require new extremely costly educational facilities, updated and mandated water and sewer facilities, required additional landfill sites, or other infrastructural costs. 

In conclusion, residents who own large agricultural areas should consider land tax credits with the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation as a means to protect their agricultural acres for perpetuity and as a financial means in retirement because this option provides a permanence for the natural and historical spaces in our county.”

To become a Member or to join the Legacy Corps and support projects like this, visit our website.

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American Battlefield Trust Declares Victory on Three Critical Properties

I write to you with exciting news about not one, not two, but three Civil War battlefields! I’m thrilled to announce that a critical tract of land has been saved at Peebles’ Farm as we mark the 161st anniversary of the battle, as well as crucial acreage at Corinth and Spotsylvania Court House. These properties, located on key parts of their respective battlefields, are in prime locations for interpretation, and would have been lost forever without your support. Now, future generations that visit this hallowed ground will be able to more fully experience the power of place, thanks to you.

Peebles’ Farm & The Breakthrough

  On September 30, 1864, Col. John I. Curtin’s brigade advanced across this tract toward the R. H. Jones House, where they clashed with Confederate infantry under Gen. Henry Heth and cavalry under Gen. W. H. F. Lee. Confederate forces outflanked Union brigades, collapsing them into Curtin’s men in what he described as “a confused mass.” Though Union troops later rallied near the Peebles’ house, Confederates prevented them from seizing Boydton Plank Road and advancing toward the South Side Railroad. Union troops later rallied near the Peebles’ house, but the Confederates blocked their advance toward the Boydton Plank Road and the South Side Railroad. Even so, the Federals secured the ground they had gained and extended their siege lines southwestward from Peebles’ Farm.

  On April 2, 1865, part of Gen. Joseph E. Hamblin’s brigade again crossed this parcel in the final push against Confederate defenders of Boydton Plank Road, supported by Battery H, 1st RI Light Artillery firing nearby.

  Continued development has threatened to majorly limit and detract from the understanding of the battlefield, but this nearly two-acre tract, contiguous with land already saved by NPS, is now protected forever.

 Siege of Corinth

 More than two-and-a-half newly saved acres at Corinth directly played a role in the 1862 Siege of Corinth. Following the capture of Forts Henry and Donelson, along with Nashville, in early 1862, the Union high command in the west turned to its next objective: Corinth, Mississippi. There, the Confederacy’s only east-west rail line, the Memphis and Charleston intersected with the Mobile and Ohio that connected the Gulf Coast with the Southern interior. The town was a major piece of the Confederate logistical infrastructure.

On April 3, Confederate Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston marched out of Corinth to strike Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s Union army at Pittsburg Landing. The two-day engagement that resulted, the Battle of Shiloh, witnessed the death of Johnston and the Confederate withdrawal to Corinth. Johnston’s replacement, Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard constructed entrenchments and awaited the Union advance. The Federals, now under Gen. Henry Halleck moved from Pittsburg Landing to capture Corinth.

  During the ensuing siege, Confederates from the Reserve Corps under Gen. John C. Breckinridge occupied the tract. Unwilling to sustain a prolonged operation, Beauregard decided to abandon Corinth and began to evacuate on May 29.

  The two-and-a-half acre tract is directly adjacent to land already saved by the National Park Service, further expanding the boundary of hallowed ground saved forever.

 Battle of Spotsylvania Court House

  After the Wilderness stalemate, Grant moved toward Spotsylvania Court House using the Brock Road. On May 8, 1864, Union forces advanced over this tract after fighting at Todd’s Tavern. Confederate cavalry under Gen. Fitzhugh Lee delayed the Federals before falling back, and Union infantry assaults against Laurel Hill were repulsed throughout the day. That evening, Col. Henry Brown’s New Jersey brigade also failed to break Gen. Richard H. Anderson’s line.

  The next morning, Union VI Corps commander Gen. John Sedgwick was killed nearby, a turning point of the battle. On May 12, attacks by Col. Jacob Sweitzer and Gen. Romeyn Ayres crossed the tract to pin Confederates at Laurel Hill while fighting raged at the Mule Shoe, but they, too, failed. Union forces occupied the area until May 14, when Grant shifted operations east of Spotsylvania.

  The two acres saved is a critical acquisition as residential developments threaten this historic land.

  This hallowed ground would be lost forever without your support. Battlefield preservation is truly a team effort, and you have our sincerest thanks. Our victories are your victories.  

 ‘Til the battle is won, 

David N. Duncan, President

American Battlefield Trust

New Opportunity at Manassas, Bull Run, and Williamsburg

From Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson's stand to Winfield Scott Hancock's superb leadership, the battles of Manassas, Bull Run, and Williamsburg shaped the course of the Civil War.

Today, these hallowed grounds face an urgent threat of development — and developers are already moving their equipment into place.

Right now, we have an unprecedented opportunity to protect 27.5 acres of battlefield land forever.

These tracts are valued at over $5 million, but thanks to federal and state grants and a generous donor's $25,000 gift, we're nearly across the finish line.

To complete this effort, we need to raise just $155,295. And here's the extraordinary part: every gift is multiplied $34-to-$1.

That means:

  • $50 saves $1,700 worth of battlefield land.

  • $100 saves $3,400.

  • $500 saves $17,000.

An Urgent Chance to Save Hallowed Ground

Developers are already moving equipment onto the very fields where the Battles of Manassas, Bull Run, and Williamsburg once raged.

Williamsburg, photo by Brian Callan

But right now you can help lock 27.5 acres of this irreplaceable history into permanent protection.

Only $155,295 stands between bulldozers and victory.

Please join us to keep this sacred soil safe forever.

Protect These 27.5 Acres Today

Time is short. Developers are moving forward with plans for data centers, gas stations, and new housing on these sacred fields.

Please help defend this ground. Your gift today will be matched $34-to-$1 to preserve this history forever.

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History was forged here. Let's make sure it endures.

With gratitude,

David N. Duncan, President

American Battlefield Trust

Preservation Victory at New Market

 NEW MARKET, Virginia — The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation has announced the preservation of two historically significant parcels at the New Market Battlefield, securing 6.8 acres of hallowed ground that played a vital role in the Battle of New Market on May 15, 1864. This acquisition marks the latest milestone in the Foundation’s efforts to protect and interpret Civil War battlefields throughout the Shenandoah Valley.

The two parcels are located about a mile apart, underscoring the size of the battlefield, which encompasses more than 4,000 acres. Parcel 1, situated on the north slope of Shirley’s Hill, was the site of Confederate General Gabriel Wharton’s initial assault and where the Virginia Military Institute Corps of Cadets suffered their first casualties. Parcel 2, located along the Valley Pike north of town, witnessed the charge of the 62nd and 22nd Virginia Infantry regiments against Union forces defending around the Rice house.

“These parcels are a part of an ongoing effort to preserve New Market’s historic battlefield landscapes and open as much battlefield land as possible to the public,” said Keven Walker, CEO of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation.

The preservation of these parcels was made possible through a combination of generous contributions and strategic partnerships. The members of the Battlefields Foundation raised $63,000. Together, Mark and Karen Perreault of Norfolk, Virginia, and the Graves family of Luray, Virginia, owners of the Luray Caverns Corporation, donated $165,000, the American Battlefield Trust provided a grant of $180,000, and the Commonwealth of Virginia contributed another $290,000. These gifts secured the funds needed for the acquisition.

“This is a tremendous victory for all who care about the Shenandoah Valley, its history, and maintaining its sense of place,” said Jack Owens, the Battlefields Foundation’s Land Preservation Projects Manager.

Building on decades of stewardship by the Virginia Military Institute, the Battlefields Foundation has in recent years opened more than 100 acres of preserved land to the public, with another 50 acres to follow. Enhancements include trails, interpretive signage, historic fencing, cannons, a monument, brochures, a tour app, and a renovated visitor experience at the New Market Battlefield Visitor Center & Museum.

“Tens of thousands of visitors come to the Town of New Market every year because of its Civil War history,” Walker added, “making the preservation of these parcels more about the town’s future than its past.”

To become a Member or to join the Legacy Corps and support projects like this, visit our website.

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