Re-establishing the Past (Restoring Battlefields)

By Thomas Van Winkle · Originally published September 2021 · p. 35

Re-establishing the Past (Restoring Battlefields) by Thomas Van Winkle President Central Virginia Battlefields Trust

There are things in life that can be classified as rare. The IRS suddenly sending you a big check with a note, “We had a little extra, thought you might like it;” your refrigerator actually not breaking down the day after your warranty expires, or your boss not assigning you a huge project the day before your planned vacation. For the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust what has become extremely rare is the ability to purchase an endangered battlefield that does not include a 2,700 square foot house, detached garage, two wells, storage sheds, and a goat farm. Well, the goat farm is an embellishment, but the rest, not so much. This area of Central Virginia: Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness, and Spotsylvania Court House, witnessed a mass exodus of inhabitants during the Civil War and did not return to its prewar numbers until the 1940’s. When people came back, they needed houses, and as time went on, strip malls and the same big box store every five miles for some reason. What does that mean to CVBT and preserving these endangered battlefields? Well, of course, we always need to negotiate with commercial entities, but more often we then also deal with the occupied battlefield land we purchase.

Once the months of researching, negotiating, and obtaining the funds to procure the properties have concluded we all sit back and exhale? Not exactly. The purpose of preserving the ground is to allow us to traverse the landscape, imagine and study what occurred there. This is difficult to do when you need to peer around houses and other structures. When touring the properties, it is not very intriguing to say, “Stonewall Jackson first flanked the garage and then moved on to the enemy.” We correct this with battlefield reclamation; this is the next step, and it is an expensive one. One of the largest reclamation projects of our rescued battlefields occurred in 2012. This property, the Rodes-Doles tract, lies in the Chancellorsville Flank Attack area, south of the Orange Turnpike and just north of Orange Plank Road. Locals will remember this as the former “Stars & Bars” castle that housed a military relic shop. These thirteen acres required demolition of the “Castle” structure which seemed constructed to withstand a nuclear blast. This was a very time consuming and expensive undertaking, but the property appears today much as it did in 1863. Land directly associated with the Chancellorsville Flank Attack of May 2, 1863, has been a long time focus of Central Virginia Battlefields Trust. It’s the areas where Lt. Gen. T.J. Jackson directed his Confederate corps on a march, positioned his men, and launched his attack against the Federal XI Corps that was reported to be “hanging in the air.” The attack caught Union Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker by surprise; the retreat of the XI Corps altered his perceptions and plans for the Battle of Chancellorsville. Another tract in the Chancellorsville Flank Attack area, known as the Stonewall Brigade, currently has a large block and cement garage on the property. CVBT is planning for its removal in the near future to reclaim this property’s appearance as well. CVBT will be holding part of our annual conference and celebrating our 25th anniversary on this tract October 8-10, 2021. Visit https://www.cvbt. org/cvbt-annual-conference for details. In 2017, CVBT purchased what is known as the David B. Kinney tract at the Orange Turnpike/ Orange Plank Road Intersection. Part of the Chancellorsville campaign, and Jackson’s famous flank attack, this tract included an abandoned home that required demolition and full site cleanup. 2018 brought an opportunity to save a piece of the Spotsylvania Court House campaign. These 14.4 acres are known as the Fifth Corps Brock Road Tract. The Fifth Corps Tract was used extensively by the Union V Corps as a staging and rallying point during the initial May 8, 1864, attacks on Laurel Hill, as well as subsequent assaults on May 10 and 12. It continued to play a key role as an anchor for the Union right flank through May 14 and was later exploited by Confederate forces. The property was conveyed with a ramshackle abandoned house that needed dismantling and removal. CVBT is currently in various stages of negotiation on a number of endangered battlefield properties; of course, one of them has a large house, large outbuildings, and other assorted items needing removal. As you see, simply purchasing and saving the properties is only the first phase; restoring the land to its period appearance continues to be our second phase and requires attention and, of course, funding. As CVBT acquires endangered battlefield properties we continue working to make them accessible and the viewshed as close as possible to what it would have been during the War. Then there’s phase three; yes there is another phase. Interpretation means adding trails and wayside markers to educate those who visit. Battlefield preservation requires a comprehensive approach with the big picture in mind. It is a process. Tom Van Winkle serves as the President of Central Virginia Battlefields Trust. CVBT is dedicated to preserve hallowed ground at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, The Wilderness, and Spotsylvania Court House. To learn more about this grassroots preservation non-profit, visit: www.cvbt.org.