This Mighty Scourge

As many of you know, I have more than a passing interest in the Battle of Franklin.  I have visited the battlefield many times, and have always been in awe of the sacrifice made there by the soldiers on both sides.  The battle was ferocious and has often been called Pickett’s Charge of the West.  I would disagree – it was far more brutal.  The multiple charges that CSA Lieutenant General John Bell Hood’s Army of Tennessee made were over very open ground, made from a greater distance and repeated multiple times.  At one point CSA Major General Frank Cheatham’s Corps actually broke through the lines and were only repulsed because of the quick reactions of US Colonel Emerson Opdycke.  He would quickly send his brigade to the breach in the lines and through brutal fighting would repulse the Confederate forces – saving the day for US Major General John M. Schofield’s army.  Today, we have an opportunity to save 1.07 acres of this hallowed battlefield – the same ground Opdycke’s brigade fought to save.  At the bottom of this post, is the email I received yesterday from Jim Lighthizer, president of the Civil War Preservation Trust, announcing this new campaign.  Through matching grants, every $1 you donate is increased by over $6.  For those of you interested in learning more about the Battle of Franklin, I encourage you to check out the following two blog articles I recently wrote.

* The Battle of Franklin – John Bell Hood’s 1864 Franklin-Nashville Campaign
* Thomas Y. Cartwright Interview at the Famous Lotz House

You may also be interested in my photo essay on the Battle of Franklin.  It can be found on my Flickr website by clicking HERE.

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Help Save the Franklin Battlefield
Let’s Reclaim a Key Section of the Franklin Breakthrough

“The most desperate fighting imaginable.”

There were many horrifying scenes of carnage throughout the Civil War, but there are few that can compare to what was witnessed on November 30, 1864 at the Battle of Franklin.

In what became one of the largest and most precipitous charges of the Civil War, Confederates of Frank Cheatham’s corps hurled themselves against strong Union entrenchments. Despite facing enormous odds, these battle hardened Confederate forces did manage to break through the Union line at its center.

Facing the sudden prospect of total defeat, Colonel Emerson Opdycke and his brigade of veteran Midwestern soldiers – Opdycke’s Tigers – charged forth into the growing breach and drove back the Confederate attackers. After five hours of frenzied fighting more than 8,500 soldiers would lay dead on the field and John Bell Hood’s Army of Tennessee was left in shambles.

CWPT is partnering with Franklin’s Charge to preserve forever a 1.07 acre portion of the Franklin battlefield – ground which witnessed the Confederate breakthrough and Union counterattack. Join us in saving this hallowed ground.

Franklin 2010 Preservation Campaign
* Acres: 1.07 acres
* Total Cost: $950,000
* CWPT Fundraising Goal: $150,000
* Match: $6.33 to $1
* Match Sources: ABPP, Franklin’s Charge

It’s not every day that we get the chance to reclaim a battlefield that has been lost. As we did with the former Pizza Hut location, at the Carter House Garden, and on the Eastern Flank, we are slowly taking back what was lost at Franklin. Join us in adding another crucial part of the puzzle at the Franklin battlefield.

Very sincerely yours,

Jim Lighthizer
President, CWPT

Click HERE to make a donation!

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I received the following press release from the Civil War Preservation Trust yesterday.  This great organization had a spectacular year, in 2009, even with the country gripped in a terrible recession.  Congratulations to the Civil War Preservation Trust!  Thank you for all you have done in 2009 to protect Civil War battlefields.

Mike Noirot

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 7, 2010

For more information, contact:
Jim Campi, CWPT, (202) 367-1861 x7205
Mary Koik, CWPT, (202) 367-1861 x7231

CIVIL WAR PRESERVATION TRUST RESCUES 2,777 ACRES OF HALLOWED GROUND IN 2009

Despite difficult economic climate national nonprofit group protects historic landscapes at 20 battlefields.

(Washington, D.C.) – The Civil War Preservation Trust (CWPT), the nation’s largest nonprofit battlefield preservation group, has announced its land preservation accomplishments for 2009.  Despite the difficult economy and challenges facing all charitable organizations, CWPT helped to permanently protect 2,777 acres of hallowed ground at 20 different Civil War battlefields in five states during the last calendar year.  Overall, CWPT has protected more than 29,000 acres of battlefield land at 109 sites in 20 states.

“Despite the worst economy in recent memory, we pressed onward with our mission and achieved a level of success that surpassed all expectations,” noted CWPT President James Lighthizer. “We posted one of the most successful years in this organization’s history — including our second-highest-ever tally for acres preserved in a calendar year.”

With 30 acres of Civil War battlefield land lost to development each day, there has long been a pressing need to see these hallowed grounds protected, but many preservation projects in 2009 took on an added sense of urgency.  In 2008, the Commonwealth of Virginia approved $5.2 million in matching grants for battlefield preservation, specifying a limited time frame for use of the landmark allocation.

“At a critical time in the fight to preserve some of this nation’s most hallowed ground, Virginia’s landowners, citizens, organizations and the government leaders at all levels have led the way to secure these battlefield lands for future generations of Americans,” remarked Kathleen Kilpatrick, director of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.  “There is so much to celebrate in these remarkable accomplishments, even as we prepare for the hard work ahead.”

However, in order to secure these funds, CWPT and other preservation groups had to secure $2 from other sources for every dollar they requested from the state.  Understanding the once-in-a-lifetime nature of the opportunity, CWPT members responded, contributing to a “Virginia Legacy Fund” to meet the match requirements.

“CWPT’s members are the lynchpin of our success,” said Lighthizer.  “They are smart, savvy people who want to know exactly what they are contributing toward — they want to examine a map, see pictures, read a personal account of the fighting on that property before they write a check.  We respect our members and work hard to be responsible stewards of their generosity.”

In addition to land purchases, the year was also notable for the organization’s donation of 176 acres of the1862 battlefield to Harpers Ferry National Historical Park.  The land was purchased by CWPT several years ago with the express intention of being transferred to the National Park Service once it was able to incorporate the gift.  Incorporating newly protected land into existing parks is a perpetual goal for CWPT.  In 2009, the organization participated in the preservation of land at two sites — Davis Bridge, Tenn. and Cedar Creek, Va. — where the acreage was transferred to a state or national park.  In the case of Davis Bridge, the state of Tennessee contributed $864,000 toward acquisition of this key battlefield site.

Recognizing that the work of protecting historic landscapes is often beyond the scope of any single organization, CWPT strives to work in partnership with a wide variety of regional and local preservation groups to purchase significant pieces of land otherwise outside the reach of either independently.  For example, CWPT this year partnered with the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust, based in Fredericksburg, to protect 93 acres at the Wilderness Battlefield, lending technical expertise to the transaction process, as well as contributing financially.

Another hallmark of CWPT preservation strategy is working toward reaching a “critical mass” of preservation at individual battlefields and connecting previously protected parcels into unified entities.  In 2009, the joint effort between CWPT and the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation to protect 209 acres at Third Winchester, Va., created a 576-acre swath of protected battlefield land.  Recent preservation efforts added 11 acres at Glendale and 178 acres at Malvern Hill, both in eastern Henrico County, Va., — an area in which CWPT has now protected a total of 1650 contiguous acres, almost 900 of which have already been transferred to the National Park Service’s Richmond National Battlefield.

In addition to land purchases, CWPT remained actively engaged in education and advocacy programs designed to inform the public of the threats facing Civil War battlefields.  In 2009, two major news conferences with Academy Award-winning actors — Richard Dreyfuss unveiled CWPT’s annual History Under Siege report in March and Robert Duvall called attention to Walmart’s plans to build on Virginia’s  Wilderness Battlefield in May — raised the profile of historic preservation efforts and brought national attention to the cause.  Also last year, CWPT received national-level awards of excellence for the complete overhauls of its website and Hallowed Ground, its quarterly membership magazine.

The full roster of sites protected by CWPT in 2009 includes:  55 acres at Natural Bridge in Florida; 60 acres at Wood Lake in Minnesota; 66 acres at Raymond and 12 acres at Tupelo in Mississippi; 643 acres at Davis Bridge and 5 acres at Parkers Crossroads in Tennessee; 68 acres at Aldie, 47 acres at Appomattox Station, 433 acres at Brandy Station, 85 acres at Chancellorsville, 11 acres at Glendale, 178 acres at Malvern Hill, 35 acres at Sailor’s Creek, 730 acres at five Shenandoah Valley battlefields, 253 acres at Trevilian Station and 94 acres at the Wilderness in Virginia.  The value of these transactions totals more than $38 million.

“Although it is incredibly satisfying for me to reminisce on the successes of the past year, our work is far from done.  The staff, trustees and members of the Civil War Preservation Trust will continue our efforts to protect these unique resources for future generations,” said Lighthizer.

With 55,000 members, CWPT is the largest nonprofit battlefield preservation organization in the United States.  Its mission is to preserve our nation’s endangered Civil War battlefields and to promote appreciation of these hallowed grounds.  CWPT has preserved more than 29,000 acres of battlefield land across the nation.  CWPT’s website is www.civilwar.org.

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Today, the Civil War Preservation Trust announced a new campaign to save 179 acres of endangered battlefield at The Wilderness and Chancellorsville battlefields.  As you have previously read, on This Mighty Scourge, The Wilderness Battlefield has continued to be lost to development – including Wal-Mart receiving a special use permit to build a Supercenter adjacent to the hallowed ground that was covered with the blood of our countrymen.  Using generous matching funds, the CWPT has committed over $1 million to save 85 acres of Chancellorsville battlefield and 94 acres of The Wilderness.  Following are the details as provided in their email earlier today.

“You Can Go Forward, Then”

A Historic Opportunity to Save Land at Both Chancellorsville and the Wilderness

“You can go forward, then” — With those very words, Stonewall Jackson unleashed his 30,000 hardened soldiers upon an unsuspecting Federal Eleventh Corps deep in the woods around Chancellorsville.

It has to be one of the most exciting and historically important preservation opportunities that we’ve ever presented.  CWPT is now in a position to save a critical section of the Chancellorsville battlefield – the very ground where Stonewall Jackson’s forces crashed into the Union Buschbeck Line during his famous Flank Attack on May 2, 1863.

In addition to this remarkable Chancellorsville opportunity, we are also partnering with the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust to save 94 acres of the Wilderness battlefield.

As you well know, this great 1864 battlefield, where Grant first met Lee in battle, continues to be threatened by nearby development efforts.  Now we can step forward and snatch back a portion of the battlefield before it’s too late.

View our Chancellorsville-Wilderness Appeal Online:
civilwar.org/chancellorsvillewilderness
Battle maps, history articles, photos, videos, and more

Chancellorsville

* Acreage: 85 Acres
* Location: Spotsylvania County, Virginia
* Total Cost: $2,125,000
* CWPT Commitment: $916,667
* CWPT Donation Match: $2.3 to $1

Wilderness

* Acreage: 94 Acres
* Location: Spotsylvania County, Virginia
* Total Cost: $950,000
* CWPT Commitment: $95,000
* CWPT Donation Match: $10 to $1

My friend, I will be the first one “over the top,” so to speak.  I have already written a personal check, made payable to CWPT, for $1,000.  I could not, in good conscience, ask you to contribute to an effort I was not willing to put my hard-earned cash into as well.

For your gift of $100 or more, I will do something that CWPT has done with great success at several other battlefields around the nation, such as The Slaughter Pen at Fredericksburg, the First Day of Chancellorsville, Harpers Ferry, Parker’s Crossroads and more:

For your donation of just $100 or more today, I will include your name on a permanent display that will stand on this hallowed ground.

You read that right; this offer is not just for those “heavy hitters” among us; everyone who gives $100 or more to this appeal will have his or her name included on this commemorative display!

CWPT is going to recognize – at Chancellorsville, on this ground – the thousands of CWPT members who will now make this historic victory possible.

Most Sincerely Yours,

Jim Lighthizer
President

Civil War Preservation Trust
1156 15th Street N.W., Suite 900, Washington, D.C. 20005 | Phone (202) 367-1861
www.civilwar.org

Please take some time today to learn more about this great opportunity to save this hallowed ground.  I will be making my donation this evening – I hope you will as well.

Click here to listen to my June 2009 interview with CWPT president, Jim Lighthizer

As reported on the Civil War Preservation Trust’s website today, opponents of the Wilderness Wal-Mart are vowing not to concede defeat.  On Monday, August 24, the Orange County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1  to grant a special use permit to Wal-Mart.  This special use permit would allow Wal-Mart to build a new Supercenter within 1/4 mile of The Wilderness battlefield – all within easy sight lines of one of the most hallowed Civil War battlefields in Virginia.  This was Wal-Mart’s last hurdle to building their new location.

Civil War Preservation Trust president, Jim Lighthizer, was quoted as saying, “The ball is now in Wal-Mart’s court.  Wal-Mart better understands the nationwide anger generated by its proposal to build on the doorstep of a National Park.  It is in the corporation’s best interests to work with the preservation community to find an alternative site.  We are optimistic that company officials will see the wisdom of moving elsewhere.”  Coalition leaders asked if legal action is now likely, declined to comment.

For more information on the most recent news, check out the following two articles.

For the Fredericksburg.com article click HERE.
For the Washington Post article click HERE.

Please consider becoming a member of the Civil War Preservation Trust by clicking HERE.

I received an email from Jim Campi, of the CWPT, this afternoon.  The text of the letter is below.  The short version is that the Orange County Planning Commission voted 4–4 against recommending approval of the of Wal-Mart’s special use permit.  As it is not a majority in favor of the special use permit, it is the same as a “NO.”

Get involved!

Mike Noirot

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August 21, 2009 – 4:30 PM EST

Planning Commission Recommends Against Special Use Permit, But Threat to Battlefield Remains

Last night, the Orange County Planning Commission voted 4-4 against recommending approval of Walmart’s special use permit at its rescheduled public hearing. Although a tie, the vote is functionally the same as a denial, since it was not approved by a majority of the commissioners.  The vote is a reversal of what occurred in July, when the commission prematurely approved the application 5-4.

It is now more critical than ever for supporters of the Wilderness and historic preservation to attend Monday’s Board of Supervisors hearing, as it is important to remember that the Planning Commission is a non-binding advisory organization. The Board of Supervisors has final authority in this matter and Monday’s hearing represents the last opportunity to tell them that the Wilderness Battlefield is no place for big box sprawl. If you live within driving distance, please attend this final hearing and urge the county to find another location further from this hallowed battleground.

The hearing starts at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, August 24, 2009, in the Orange County High School Auditorium, 201 Selma Road, Orange, Va.  CWPT will have an information table set-up one hour before the hearing, and we encourage all who attend to arrive early. Click here for directions and a map of the school.

I hope we can count on your continued support in this fight to protect the Wilderness Battlefield. If you have any questions about the upcoming hearing please feel free to contact me personally at 202-367-1861 ext. 7205.

Thank you,
Jim Campi

P.S.  For the latest information on the hearings, please visit CWPT’s Wilderness Walmart homepage.

 
www.civilwar.org

Today, I received an email from the Civil War Preservation Trust regarding upcoming public hearings on the proposed Wal-Mart Supercenter adjacent to the battlefield.  This is the last opportunity for public input.  Please review the email below for more information.

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 From the Civil War Preservation Trust – August 19, 2009

Final Public Hearings on Wilderness Walmart August 20 and 24

As you may have already heard, the final public hearings on the Wilderness Walmart proposal have now been rescheduled for Thursday, August 20, and Monday, August 24. 

These hearings represent the last opportunity to tell Orange County that the Wilderness Battlefield is no place for big box sprawl.  If you live within driving distance of Orange County, please attend the hearings and urge the county to find another location for Walmart’s superstore away from this hallowed battleground.

Planning Commission: August 20 at 7:00 p.m.
Board of Supervisors: August 24 at 6:00 p.m.

CWPT will have an information table set-up one hour before the hearings, and we encourage all who attend to arrive early.  Both public hearings will be held in the Orange County High School Auditorium, 201 Selma Road, Orange, Va.  Click here for directions and a map of the school.

 If you have not already done so, there is also still time to send a letter to Walmart CEO Michael Duke encouraging the company to select an alternate location in Orange County for the proposed store.  Let Walmart know in the strongest possible terms that the Wilderness Battlefield is no place for a superstore.

I hope we can count on your continued support in this fight to protect the Wilderness Battlefield.  If you have any questions about the upcoming hearings please feel free to contact me personally at 202-367-1861 ext. 7220.

Thank you,
Brent Laurenz

P.S.  For the latest information on the hearings, please visit CWPT’s Wilderness Walmart homepage.

www.civilwar.org

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Friend, and fellow blogger, Eric Wittenberg posted an update on the Wilderness Wal-Mart yesterday.  Check it out on his blog, Rantings of a Civil War Historian.  Get involved with the Civil War Preservation Trust and help save the Wilderness Battlefield!

Here is a link to Eric’s article: More on the Wilderness Wal-Mart.

Thanks for supporting our Civil War battlefields – part of our Country’s heritage!

Mike Noirot

Dear Fellow Civil War Enthusiasts,

I write to you this evening with further confirmation that Wal-Mart’s plans to locate a Supercenter adjacent to The Wilderness Battlefield can be averted.  Today, the Civil War Preservation Trust sent an email to its members asking for their support.  This call-to-action requests you to send an email to Wal-Mart CEO Michael Duke.  This can be done easily by using a form on their website.  If you live in the Orange County, Virginia area you are encouraged to attend the Orange County Board of Supervisors board meeting on Monday, July 27.  Hopefully many local residents, preservationists and Civil War buffs will be in attendance.  The CWPT has created a blog to follow their “No Wilderness Wal-Mart” campaign, which can be reached by clicking here.

Best Regards,
Mike Noirot

Printed below, is the Civil War Preservation Trust’s email.

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The Wilderness Walmart controversy is drawing to a close, but it’s not too late to save this irreplaceable national treasure.  Orange County will hold a public hearing next week, and we need your help once again to prevent Walmart from building a Supercenter on the Wilderness Battlefield.

Virginia Governor Tim Kaine and House Speaker Bill Howell recently wrote the Orange County Board of Supervisors, urging them to find a location for Walmart that doesn’t infringe on the Wilderness Battlefield.  Kaine and Howell’s call for a compromise solution was echoed a few days later by Senator Jim Webb of Virginia.  They join an overwhelming number of local residents and concerned preservationists who agree that the Wilderness Battlefield is no place for big box retail.

How long can Walmart and Orange County ignore these calls to move Walmart away from the Wilderness Battlefield?

Building a Walmart, plus an additional three “baby box” stores, at the proposed site would have a dramatic impact on the battlefield and National Park, and would open up the region for even more incompatible development.  All of this would completely undermine the visitor experience at the battlefield for generations to come.

The Board of Supervisors is set to weigh in on the proposed Walmart in the coming weeks, which is why we need your help today.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Write to Walmart CEO Michael Duke:  Please write a letter to the CEO of Walmart, Michael Duke, and ask him to respect the Wilderness Battlefield and find an alternate location in Orange County for their Supercenter.  There are many places to build a Walmart, but there is only one Wilderness Battlefield.

Attend the public hearing:  If you live in or near Orange County, please consider attending the public hearing.  The Board of Supervisors public hearing is Monday, July 27, at 7:00 p.m., at Orange County High School, 201 Selma Road, Orange, VA 22960.  Make your voice heard and urge the Supervisors to find a better site for Walmart. 

Click here for resources to stop the Wilderness Walmart.

Click here for a map of the public hearing location.

Throughout this struggle, the preservation community has consistently sought a reasonable compromise.  It’s not too late.  We need your help now, more than ever, to let Walmart know that 240,000 square feet of big-box development does not belong on the Wilderness Battlefield.

Please help us protect the Wilderness Battlefield.  If you have any questions please feel free to contact us (202-367-1861 ext. 220).  I hope we can count on your continued support to save the Wilderness Battlefield!

Thank you.

Best,
Brent Laurenz

As reported by the Civil War Preservation Trust (CWPT), on July 15, there is still hope that Wal-Mart may reconsider their plans to build a Wal-Mart adjacent to The Wilderness National Battlefield.(i)  Several high ranking state officials, including Governor Tim Kaine (D), and Virginia House of Delegates Speaker William Howell (R), have sent a bipartisan letter to the Orange County Board of Supervisors urging the group to reconsider its recent approval of Wal-Mart’s zoning request.  

As I had reported previously, the primary obstacle to Wal-Mart’s plans was the Orange County Board of Supervisors, which recently approved Wal-Mart’s request to build adjacent to one of the most threatened Civil War battlefields in the United States (click here for to read my article).  As one of the leading groups of The Wilderness Battlefield Coalition, the CWPT has been very vocal in their opposition to Wal-Mart building so close to this hallowed ground.  Jim Lighthizer, president of the Civil War Preservation Trust, was recently interviewed on This Mighty Scourge and stated that he was not opposed to Wal-Mart building a new Supercenter, just that they were building it so close to The Wilderness Battlefield, when other prime locations were available (click here to listen to my interview with Mr. Lighthizer).

The press release, from the Civil War Preservation Trust, is printed in its entirety, below.

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CWPT
For Immediate Release: 07/15/09

Governor Kaine and Speaker Howell Urge Orange County to Move WalMart Superstore Away from Battlefield

IN A BIPARTISAN LETTER TO THE ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, VIRGINIA’S TOP OFFICIALS URGE COUNTY TO RECONSIDER PROPOSAL TO LOCATE A WAL-MART SUPERCENTER ON THE WILDERNESS  BATTLEFIELD

(Richmond, VA) – In a bipartisan letter to the Orange County Board of Supervisors, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine (D) and House of Delegates Speaker William Howell (R) jointly urged the county to reconsider plans to locate a Walmart Supercenter on the Wilderness Battlefield.

The letter, addressed to Orange County Board Chairman Lee Frame and dated July 13, 2009, emphasizes the Commonwealth’s commitment to historic preservation and the need to bring all interests together to resolve the controversy.

The heart of the message states, “[We] strongly encourage your Board to work closely with Wal-Mart to find an appropriate alternative site for the proposed retail center in the vicinity of the proposed site yet situated outside the boundaries of Wilderness Battlefield and out of view of the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park.”

Further, the Governor and Speaker offer the services of the state to help forge a compromise, writing: “[W]e stand ready to offer the technical service of any of the state agencies that could be of help to the County and Wal-Mart….”  The letter goes on to reference those agencies: the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the Department of Transportation, the Virginia Department of Health, the Department of Environmental Quality, the Department of Conservation and Recreation, and the Department of Historic Resources.

The letter acknowledges that the ultimate decision to build the Wal-Mart at this location rests with the county board of supervisors.  However, the letter also notes:  “[E]very acre of battlefield land that is destroyed means a loss of open space and missed tourism opportunities, and it closes one more window for future generations to better understand our national story.”

The Wilderness Battlefield Coalition, an organization of national, regional and local preservation groups, indicated support for the announcement by the Governor and Speaker, noting that the Coalition first proposed a similar solution in January of this year.  “We firmly believe that encouraging Wal-Mart to move to an alternative location is in the best interests of both the National Park and Orange County residents.  We are prepared to work with the Commonwealth, the county, Wal-Mart and local citizens to find an alternative that benefits all.”

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Those of you that follow my blog know that I am a strong advocate of the Civil War Preservation Trust (CWPT).  This wonderful organization’s primary mission is the preservation of Civil War battlefields – ground that can be lost forever to urban sprawl.  They have been very successful over the past decade in saving land, with over 25,000 acres saved, to date.  However, there is still plenty of work to be done.  According to the CWPT website, only 20% of hallowed Civil War ground has been saved.  Additionally, we are losing approximately one acre of hallowed ground per hour.(i)  So what exactly does the Civil War Preservation Trust do?  Their mission statement, as written on their website, really sums it up.

Our Mission: The Civil War Preservation Trust is America’s largest non-profit organization (501–C3) devoted to the preservation of our nation’s endangered Civil War battlefields.  The Trust also promotes educational programs and heritage tourism initiatives to inform the public of the war’s history and the fundamental conflicts that sparked it.(ii)

Based in Washington D.C., the Civil War Preservation trust has a professional staff that specializes in the many functions of land preservation: real estate, grants and government relations.  Additionally the Trust employs a staff of professionals that manage their website, databases, communications, membership development, events and educational programs.

While so many of us enjoy visiting major battlefields, managed by the National Park Service, many of the most pivotal fields of battle are not protected by Federal or state governments.  They are privately owned lands that are vulnerable to development.  This is where the Civil War Preservation Trust really shines.  Working with local and state governments, and other organizations, they can quickly organize an acquisition strategy to save valuable lands – lands that might end up housing a strip mall, lumber yard or parking lot.  Obviously their is a cost associated with land preservation.  Members of the CWPT are quickly alerted to time sensitive Civil War battlefield preservation opportunities.  In most cases the Trust has already secured matching funds that help the member’s donation double, triple or quadruple.  These matching grants are critical in acquiring large tracts of lands that can cost millions of dollars.

When an individual becomes a member of the Civil War Preservation Trust they immediately receive benefits: the wonderful quarterly magazine, Hallowed Ground, high quality battlefield maps, monthly e-Newsletter, invitation to the Annual CWPT Conference and rental car discounts.  But most importantly you become involved in saving battlefields that future generations of Civil War enthusiasts will enjoy.  Your gifts to the Trust are tax deductible.

I encourage each of you to consider becoming a member of this important organization.  If you are already a member, please consider increasing your membership level – perhaps to a Color Bearer level.  You can be confident that your membership dues, and battlefield campaign donations, will be put to use saving battlefields.  While there are fixed costs that the organization incurs to sustain its activities the CWPT operates very efficiently with most of their members’ money being used to save land.

Recently I wrote an article about the Wilderness Wal-Mart, and the negative impact it will have on the Wilderness Battlefield, if it’s built where they are planning to build it.  This is an immediate threat that can be alleviated.  Please read my blog article on Wilderness Wal-Mart for more information: Help The Civil War Preservation Trust Save the Wilderness Battlefield.

On Monday, June 22, 2009, I had the distinct honor to speak with Mr. James Lighthizer, president of the Civil War Preservation Trust.  The eight part audio interview can be listened to by clicking on the following links.

Interview with Jim Lighthizer, President of the Civil War Preservation Trust
Total Time: 51 minutes 29 seconds

Part 1: 

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Time: 8:14
Contents:  Opening and welcome | History of the Civil War Preservation Trust | Mission of the Civil War Preservation Trust | Battlefield preservation priorities | How the Trust decides what property to target | Race against time | “200 Year Rule” | Mr. Lighthizer’s interest in the Civil War | How Mr. Lighthizer became involved in the CWPT

Part 2: 

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Time: 7:14
Contents:  What the Civil War Preservation trust means to me | CWPT members are part of a large family | The Trust is as strong as its individual members | Success stories of the CWPT

Part 3: 

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Time: 6:57
Contents:  Glendale and Malvern Hill success story | Matching funds and grants | The Civil War Preservation Trust always has “skin-in-the-game” | Fixed costs of running the Trust | Reaching potential members through technology

Part 4: 

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Time: 6:47
Contents:  Update on the Wilderness Wal-Mart | Other current preservation opportunities

Part 5: 

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Time: 6:50
Contents:  Preservation opportunities in the Shenandoah Valley | Working with local groups | Cedar Creek battlefield risk | Membership goals | Color Bearer membership

Part 6: 

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Time: 6:00
Contents:  Key staff additions have created value | CWPT’s commitment to its fiduciary responsibilities | Celebrity spokespeople | CWPT’s new website | Animated battlefield maps

Part 7: 

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Time: 5:10
Contents:  CWPT Teacher’s Institute | The battlefield as an outdoor classroom | Proper teaching sow the seeds of the future

Part 8: 

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Time: 4:17
Contents:  New and exciting things going on at the CWPT | Success at Richmond and Mill Springs, Kentucky | A saved battlefield is a legacy that lasts forever | Wrap up and closing

(i) For additional information refer to the Civil War Preservation Trust’s website by clicking here.
(ii)  Refer to the “About Us” page of the Civil War Preservation Trust’s website by clicking here.