America Battlefield Trust Preserve. Educate. Inspire.

Originally published September-October 2024 · pp. 71–72

Save 278 Acres of Civil War Hallowed Ground Governor Youngkin Unveils Culpeper Battlefields State Park In June, Governor Glenn Youngkin officially dedicated Virginia’s newest state park, Culpeper Battlefields State Park. The park, initially encompassing 263 acres around Fleetwood Hill at Brandy Station Battlefield, commemorates the site of the largest cavalry battle in North American history. The park is set to expand to 2,200 acres by 2027 through property transfers, preserving land from the four major Civil War battles fought in Culpeper County: Brandy Station, Cedar Mountain, Kelly’s Ford and Rappahannock Station. The newest Virginia state park was created from land donated to the state by the Trust and its partners who have been active acquiring battlefield land in Culpeper County since 1997. Legislation to establish the park was approved by the Virginia General Assembly in June 2022 and signed by the Governor. Further appropriations will allow the acquisition of up to 800 additional acres to expand and enhance the park. Much of the land has been open to the public and includes trails and interpretive signs maintained by the American Battlefield Trust, Brandy Station Foundation and the Cedar Mountain Battlefield. With portions of the property facing the threat of development, preservationists have fought for years to have a new state park established to save the hallowed ground. Culpeper Battlefields State Park will serve as a historical site and recreational space for visitors. The park offers interpretive walking and equestrian trails, with guided tours available through mobile apps. Future plans include additional recreational activities such as river access, camping, and public programming. Visitors are encouraged to check the park’s webpage for updates on parking and development progress at www. virginiastateparks.gov before planning a trip.

Trust Prize for History Inaugural Winner Announced The inaugural $50,000 American Battlefield Trust Prize for History has been awarded to historian Elizabeth Varon for Longstreet: The Confederate General Who Defied the South, a biography of the complicated Civil War leader and his post-war advocacy for reconciliation and deeper understanding of the Civil War’s origin. Varon’s work was selected among nearly 100 entries for the new prize that seeks to highlight irreplaceable and primary research value of preserving the battlefields on which our nation was forged. The selection committee winnowed the list of nominees from nearly 100 entries from 24 publishers to 11 finalists, who were then considered by this year’s panel of judges: McPherson, Dr. James Kirby Martin, professor emeritus at University of Houston, and Dr. Joan Waugh, professor emeritus at UCLA. The works of two other authors were also recognized with $2,500 honorable mentions: D. Scott Hartwig’s I Dread the Thought of the Place: The Battle of Antietam and the End of the Maryland Campaign and Friederike Baer’s Hessians: German Soldiers in the American Revolutionary War. Each of the three titles focuses on a key discipline within military history: a biography of a notable leader, an analysis on an iconic campaign and a thematic examination of a pivotal group. The inaugural awards will be presented in September, during the Trust’s annual Grand Review Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin dedicates the new Culpeper Battlefields weekend in Raleigh, N.C. State Park alongside representatives of the county, state and the The American Battlefield Trust American Battlefield rust. (Photo by Jamie Betts) Prize for History recognizes an outstanding published work focused on military history or a biography central to the nation’s formative conflicts, the Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and Civil War. For more information, visit www.battlefields.org/ bookprize. Opportunity to Save 15 Acres at Gettysburg Last fall, the Trust initiated a multi-year campaign to protect a 15-acre tract for Willoughby’s Run at Gettysburg. This hallowed ground, nestled between McPherson Ridge and Herr’s Ridge along Chambersburg Pike, witnessed intense combat during the opening phase of the July 1, 1863, battle. After securing the downpayment last year for “First Blood at Willoughby’s Run,” the Trust still had work to do. Originally, a local developer planned to cover this hallowed ground with more than 100 apartments spread through eight buildings. However, due to persistent efforts and appeals from preservationists, the developer agreed to sell the land to the Trust for $3 million. To meet this goal, a generous donor has pledged $1.5 million as a matching grant over the next few years. This leaves the Trust to raise another $375,000, which the donor will match, totaling $750,000. The 15-acre tract of Willoughby’s Run played a critical role during the chaotic initial phase of the battlefield, in one of the most important battles ever fought on American soil. On July 1, 1863, the battle began with Lieutenant Marcellus Jones firing the first shot near Chambersburg Pike, just west of Gettysburg. The Confederates gradually pushed the dismounted cavalry back towards Gettysburg. The 8th Illinois retreated down the incline from Herr Ridge, passing through a small cut by a stream called Willoughby’s Run, the tract the Trust aims to preserve. The retreating troopers crossed this piece of land in the face of the Confederate advance, with some soldiers halting in the shallow water of Willoughby’s Run. Ultimately, overwhelming Confederate numbers, coupled with the untimely death of Gen. Reynolds, took a heavy toll on the Union infantry. By the end of the day, both sides had suffered more than 17,000 casualties. To learn more about this preservation opportunity, visit w w w. b a t t l e f i e l d s . org/15AcresWilloughbysRun. Save of Civil War Hallowed Ground The Trust has an opportunity to preserve five parcels of hallowed ground totaling 278 acres across three states. These tracts include hallowed ground from four Civil War battlefields: Bentonville (N.C.),

Goldsborough Bridge (N.C.), Shepherdstown (W.Va.) and Nashville (Tenn.). Thanks to matched funds from generous partners, the Trust has already raised $2.9 million for the preservation of these critical landscapes, leaving $62,500 left to secure the properties. The Trust will match donations at a rate of $50-to-$1, multiplying the impact of every dollar donated fifty-fold. At Bentonville, site of the last full-scale battle of the Civil War, the Trust seeks to preserve two tracts totaling 71 acres. There, Confederate Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, tasked with delaying Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman’s march north, battled for three days, resulting in a Union victory with over 81,000 forces engaged just two weeks before Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Courthouse. At Goldsborough Bridge, the ground where Union Gen. John G. Foster battled to destroy a vital railroad bridge and cut off Confederate supply lines into Virginia, is under threat. The 56-acre tract is currently listed as “perfect for light industrial” and “zoned for trucks.” Foster and his men were successful in their mission, but urgent action is needed to ensure preservation of this hallowed ground for future generations. In West Virginia, the 150-acre tract at Shepherdstown is where Federal forces pursued their Confederate counterparts into Virginia after the Battle of Antietam. The final tract, encompassing an acre at Shy’s Hill in Nashville, marks the site of pivotal movements during the Battle of Nashville, where Federal troops decisively broke the Confederate line, effectively ending the war in Tennessee. To learn more about this preservation opportunity, visit www.battlefields.org/Preserve278Acres.

Fought from March 19 to March 21, 1865, the Battle of Bentonville is the largest battle fought in North Carolina during the Civil War. (Photo by M.O. Mihok)