American Battlefield Trust

Originally published October 2023 · pp. 18–19

Help Protect 29 Acres at Gettysburg and Second Deep Bottom

With its latest fundraising campaign, the Trust has set its sights on 29 acres of hallowed ground at Gettysburg and Deep Bottom. At Gettysburg, the possibility of 20 additional acres will contribute to the 1,243 acres already preserved at the legendary 1863 battlefield. Meanwhile, at Second Deep Bottom, the targeted nine acres are adjacent to lands previously saved by the Trust, therefore augmenting previous accomplishments. The total cost of this preservation opportunity is a staggering $1.2 million. However, with anticipated grants from key preservation partners, the Trust is left to raise only $43,650 to finalize the deal and secure these lands. All in all, each dollar contributed will be multiplied by $29.70. There are only a handful of battlefields that need as little introduction as Gettysburg, the 1863 battle that marked the turning point of the Civil War and the single bloodiest battle of the conflict. Here, the 20-acre tract is a few miles southwest of Gettysburg and was host to combat that pitted Union cavalry against Confederate cavalry and infantry during Pickett’s

Charge. The sought-after parcel is adjacent to two previously preserved Trust tracts and is a missing piece when telling the story of Gettysburg. At Second Deep Bottom, Va., the Trust is working alongside a generous preservationist to preserve a nine-acre parcel. The Confederate victory at Second Deep Bottom was a result of a Union thrust toward Richmond. This tract saw combat as the Confederate left flank and Union right engaged. It is likely where the 9th U.S. Colored Troops pushed for a fight. The Trust has previously saved 223 acres at the 1864 battlefield and can stave off development by permanently preserving these nine additional acres. To learn more about this, and other preservation opportunities, visit our website www.battlefields. org/29AcresGettysburgDeepBottom.

contract for the land and will also apply for matching grant funds to cover the remaining $9.25 million transaction cost. Preservation efforts will be especially impactful considering that in just the last five years, largescale mixed-use development and an arboretum connected to the neighboring Adventure Science Center were proposed on portions of the historic park property. Constructed in 1862, Fort Negley is all that remains of the Union defenses that once encircled the city. Much of the work on these fortifications was performed by African Americans pressed into service by the Union army, either still enslaved or self-emancipated who had fled bondage for contraband camps near Federal lines. “This acquisition is an investment in Nashville’s future by honoring our past and creating space for future generations to learn, remember, and come together as a community,” said Nashville Mayor John Cooper. Fort Negley is eligible for federal Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants, but the success of a project of this magnitude hinged on Metro Nashville’s involvement from the outset. All told, the Metro Council approved $18.5 million budget for Fort Negley, including funds to repair damaged masonry, begin implementation of Phase One of an ambitious master management plan and, work with groups like the Trust to acquire additional historic land to add to the park.

Ahead of State Park Opening, Cedar Mountain Secures Seven Additional Acres As preparations for the 161st anniversary of the Battle of Cedar Mountain took place in early August, the National Park Service announced a $429,372.50 matching grant toward

Nashville Metro Council Supports Trust at Fort Negley At the start of August, the Nashville Metro Council approved a $3 million contribution toward the Trust’s acquisition of 2.36 acres adjacent to Fort Negley Park, a critical step toward reintegrating this land into the city’s popular park and landmark. The organization has secured a purchase protecting seven additional acres at the Cedar Mountain Battlefield. Due to the availability of grant funds, the Trust took ownership of the seven-acre tract prior to the battle anniversary. Earlier in the year, the Trust launched a campaign to preserve a combined 104 acres of hallowed ground at Brandy Station and Cedar Mountain by using federal and state matching grants to leverage against member donations. The awarded property at Cedar Mountain is south of Confederate Gen. Stonewall Jackson’s command post near Crittenden’s Gate and other previously protected lands. The acquisition of these seven acres augments preparations for the upcoming Culpeper Battlefields State Park, which was confirmed last year after the Virginia General Assembly approved the Commonwealth’s budget. The park will be formed through a 1,700-acre donation of Trust-owned land at the Brandy Station, Cedar Mountain, Kelly’s Ford, and Rappahannock Station battlefields. While other steps remain before a full victory can be claimed on this seven-acre success, local battlefield partners and citizens shared the excitement of this new addition to the battlefield.

New Cohort of History-Loving High Schoolers Join the Trust’s 2023-24 Youth Leadership Team

Fort Negley Park in Nashville, Tenn. Photo by Melissa A. Winn.

The sun sets at the Gettysburg National Military Park. Photo by Noel Kline.

As fall settles in and students across the nation begin their back-toschool journey, the Trust is excited to announce this year’s 2023-2024 Youth Leadership Team cohort. Throughout the school year, these 10 high school students will serve as the youth face and voice of the nation’s leading battlefield land preservation and education nonprofit, promoting historic preservation, history education and historic site visitation in their local

Cedar Mountain Battlefield in Culpeper County, Va. Photo by Buddy Secor.

Member of 2022-23 Youth Leadership Team sports her team member t-shirt. Photo by Laurel Roots Photography. communities. Throughout their time in the program, each participant will be challenged to research, plan and immerse themselves in community projects that aim to energize these goals. Participants were selected through a competitive, national application process and underwent training in many aspects of the organization’s mission—from the mechanics of land transactions to the philosophies of place-based education—and in advocacy skills, like interacting with the media and petitioning support from public officials. YLT participant, Maurya Bonu, from Buffalo Grove, Ill., was drawn to the Trust due to her passion for history and is “motivated to make a real impact on protecting our history.” She sees the organization as a way to elevate her voice for the cause of historic preservation. The full roster of the 2023-24 Youth Leadership Team includes: Maurya Bonu, 17, from Illinois; Alex Chayriques, 16, from Massachusetts; Daniel Gleason, 17, from Connecticut; Isabella Hernandez, 15, from California; Nathan Mercer, 17, from Georgia; Wynton Nama, 17, from Texas; Tanisha Parikh, 16, from Texas; Lila Phipps, 15, from Arizona; Leo Tadikonda, 16, from New York; and Yujin Wu, 16, from New York. The Trust’s Youth Leadership Team is supported by the generous contributions of the Pipkin Charitable Foundation. To learn more about the Youth Leadership Team, visit https://www.battlefields.org/ youth-leadership-team.

Bring the Revolutionary War to Your Classroom A hit amongst educators, the Trust’s “Traveling Trunk” series is being expanded to include Revolutionary War iterations! The program, which provides a trunk full of reproduction artifacts, clothing, and documents, is completely free and provides a handson experience for students in the classroom. When applying for the trunks for the upcoming school year, teachers may choose between the Revolutionary War Traveling Trunk or the Civil War Traveling Trunk, which provide more than 30 items for students to delve into during the school week. As one of the Trust’s longest standing programs, the Traveling Trunks have been popular for more than a decade, bringing new life to history on a nationwide scale. Trust President David Duncan similarly has his own take on the program: “Their ongoing popularity is a testament to the very human desire to touch the past and find tangible connections to the generations that came before us.” To learn more about the Traveling Trunks, visit https://www.battlefields. org/learn/educators/resources/ traveling-trunks.