High School Students Help Rehabilitate Part of Chancellorsville Battlefield

Originally published January 2019 · p. 25

Nathan Alexander Lee and Noah Howell, students at Riverbend High School, scrub graffiti from an interpretive sign at Anderson Ridge on the Chancellorsville battlefield. They were among more than a dozen students and faculty from Riverbend to participate in Youth Community Service Day sponsored by Central Virginia Battlefields Trust.

High School Students Help Rehabilitate Part of Chancellorsville Battlefield CHANCELLORSVILLE, Va.—Central Virginia Battlefields Trust (CVBT) held is fifth annual Youth Community Service Day. On Saturday, Nov. 10, more than two dozen students and teachers from Riverbend High School and members of the community collaborated on a project to clean up Anderson’s Ridge on the Chancellorsville Battlefield. The students, members of the Roe Kappa National Social Studies Honor Society, were joined by teachers Jessica Sollohub and Brooke Eby. Anderson’s Ridge sits on the east edge of Riverbend High School property between the school and Harrison’s Crossing shopping area. In late April 1863, Confederates under Maj. Gen. Richard Anderson built earthworks on the ridge as a defensive position to protect the Army of Northern Virginia, which was then occupying ground around Fredericksburg. When the Federal Army of the Potomac tried to outflank them by approaching through

Chancellorsville, Confederates abandoned Anderson’s Ridge and took the offensive to meet the threat. “The area has become a cutthrough for students traveling back and forth between the high school and the shopping center,” explained CVBT Education Director Eric Powell. “As a result, a lot of litter has accumulated up there and the area has fallen into disrepair. Unfortunately, there’s also been a lot of vandalism.” To rehabilitate the area, students helped pick up trash, repair and extend a split rail fence, install erosion control, seed grass, and remove graffiti from signage, a bench, and the walkway. “By getting students involved in the clean-up effort, we hope they’ll take some ownership for this little part of the battlefield going forward,” Powell said. “Their school is on the battlefield, and Anderson’s Ridge is literally in the school’s backyard.” Joining the students were a number of community members, including nine members of the 47th Virginia Infantry reenacting unit. “By working alongside members of the community, students have the chance to learn about the importance of community involvement and civic engagement,” said CVBT President Tom Van Winkle. “We also hope they learned a bit about the history that took place all around them.” Following the morning clean up, the group had lunch and then heard from Spotsylvania County Historian Terry Daugherty. The group then toured the First Day at Chancellorsville Battlefield with historian Chris Mackowski. Visit our website at www.cvbt. org for information about the CVBT.

Riverbend High School students rebuild split rail fence on Anderson Ridge.

Heidi Dargal, Alexis Amos, and Makayla Foust, seniors at Riverbend High School, reseed a portion of Anderson Ridge as part of a Youth Community Service Day.