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.
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.
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With gratitude,
David N. Duncan
President
American Battlefield Trust