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