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 an email this afternoon from the Civil War Preservation Trust’s president, Jim Lighthizer.  It is an update on the campaign to save 47 acres at Appomattox Station – the site of a significant Federal victory on April 8, 1865.  The victory prevented Robert E. Lee’s Army of Virginia from receiving desperately needed supplies, including food to feed his army.  Below is the email from Mr. Lighthizer.

Congratulations to the CWPT for this outstanding achievement!

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Victory at Appomattox Station

47 Acres of this 1865 Battlefield Added to the Saved Column

We would like to share some great news with you today. CWPT would like to announce that we have met our fundraising goal for the 47 acres section of the Appomattox Station battlefield.

As most of you already know this new acquisition is important on three levels:

1. Appomattox Station is a historically significant battlefield. The events on this ground on April 8, 1865 led directly to Robert E. Lee’s decision to surrender his army the next day.
2. That we are saving 47 acres at the heart of this battlefield. In one fell swoop we have now saved almost all of the ground of this battlefield that can still be saved.
3. That we will be helping the Town of Appomattox and Appomattox County expand their heritage tourism opportunities.

Will Simmons, Director of Tourism for the Town of Appomattox stated that “[p]reserving the Appomattox Station battlefield site is an important step in telling the complete story of the final days of the Civil War in Virginia. This historic site links both the historic downtown Railroad Depot with the preserved village of Appomattox Court House and will enhance future visitor’s experience in learning about this significant chapter of American history.”

Of course none of this would have happened without your direct and generous support. Thanks to you we have now put another 46 acres of hallowed ground into the Saved Column.

Jim Lighthizer
President
Civil War Preservation Trust

CIVIL WAR PRESERVATION TRUST
1156 15th Street N.W., Suite 900, Washington D.C. 20005
Phone (202) 367-1861
www.civilwar.org

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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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As a follow up to my recent article, “Gettysburg National Military Park – A Study In Contrasts,” I received an update today on the ongoing battlefield rehabilitation efforts at Gettysburg National Military Park.  Sent to me by Katie Lawhon, of the Gettysburg National Park Service staff, it provides a glimpse into the goals of their extensive rehabilitation efforts.  The National Park Service should be commended for their efforts to restore the Gettysburg Battlefield to its wartime appearance.  Thank you Katie for providing this update to This Mighty Scourge.

The following is an outline of the goals of their rehabilitation project.

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GETTYSBURG NATIONAL MILITARY PARK
BATTLEFIELD REHABILITATION GOALS

One of the most important purposes of Gettysburg National Military Park is to preserve the topographic, landscape, and cultural features that were significant to the outcome of the Battle of Gettysburg.  However, many of these features have been obscured or changed over the years, as the natural processes have been allowed to take over.  As just one example, fields that have not been farmed over the past 65 years have become forests.  In many cases, the lack of an accurate understanding of these historic topographic features and their significance has led to their loss.  That loss, in turn, meant that neither visitors nor historians could fully understand the Battle of Gettysburg.

The National Park Service (NPS) is bringing back missing features that affected the fighting of the Battle of Gettysburg, a multi-year project with historical benefits and environmental benefits as well.  The goals of the project are:

Restoring Gettysburg’s historic integrity – Changes to the landscapes have occurred over time including the growth of trees, changing field sizes, and missing fences, orchards, and farm lanes.  These changes obscure the key terrain, avenues of approach, and fields of fire that affected the outcome of the battle.  As a result, some portions of the battlefield have changed physically.  They can no longer convey to people today what it was like for the soldiers who fought here.

The project is being phased and includes the replacement of historic fencelines, orchards, and farm lanes as well as the return of grasslands, farmlands, orchards and woodlands that played important roles in the battle.

Enhancing visitor opportunities and understanding – Restoring the integrity of key battle areas contributes to improved educational experiences, and an overall greater understanding of the events as they unfolded on July 1, 2, and 3, 1863.  Battlefield rehabilitation is allowing visitors to have a more accurate understanding of obstacles faced by those on the field as well as the command decisions made by both armies.  Over time, the project will offer new opportunities for visitors to see the battlefield through the soldiers’ eyes.

Creating a sustainable historic environment by improving wetlands, water quality and wildlife habitat – Since the time of the battle, non-native species, hardwood stands, and changing agricultural landscapes have had a negative effect on the historic terrain.  If left alone, the environment will continue to change and potentially obscure more historic lands.

The historical benefits of the battlefield rehabilitation are obvious to many but there are clear environmental benefits as well.  The project calls for reestablishing grasslands, restoring wetlands, and replanting orchards.  Long term improvements to the environment include restoration of up to 100 acres of wetlands; fencing cattle from streams to improve water quality; and increasing habitat for grassland species, ground nesting birds and native plants.  The plan is in compliance with the Clean Air Act, the Endangered Species Act, the Federal Water Pollution Act and Water Quality Act, floodplain management, protection of wetlands, and all other applicable laws and policies that protect the environment.

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The following table provides an update on the progress of the battlefield rehabilitation project at Gettysburg.

One of my readers sent me a link to this article this morning.  It makes you wonder –  what the guy was thinking??  The article was published in the New Orleans, Louisiana newspaper, The Times-Picayune.  I should no longer be surprised at the dumb things people do!

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Man tries to pawn Civil War-era cannon to Metairie scrap yard

By Brendan McCarthy, The Times-Picayune
October 29, 2009, 6:55AM

Stanley Hurlee has seen his share of odd sales through the years at his Metairie scrap yard.

Yet last week, something didn’t seem right when a man pulled up, eager to sell a hefty haul of brass and bronze.

The mountain of metal inside the man’s vehicle was 8 inches in diameter, a couple of feet long, and weighed in at about 225 pounds, Hurlee recalled. When he examined it closer, the veteran scrapman found a serial number and a nameplate too, noting its origins back in 1863.

Hurlee realized he was dealing with a certified Civil War cannon. Now, he has purchased airplanes and pontoon boats, air conditioners and aluminum motor homes, he said, but never a cannon.

“You know, you just don’t buy cannons,” Hurlee said Wednesday. “That right there was a piece of history.”

So Hurlee, who co-owns Airline Salvage in the 6900 block of Airline Drive, asked some questions of the vendor. Such as, how did you happen to come into possession of a Civil War cannon?

The man with the old artillery, Kevin Robinson, 30, of New Orleans, allegedly put on a hard sell: cash for cannon, simple as that. Hurlee didn’t like being sweated.

Enter: the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, acting on a call from Hurlee. Exit: Robinson, who didn’t wait around for the deputies to arrive.

Witnesses noted the license plate on the 2005 Ford Taurus that carried the ancient armament, according to the Sheriff’s Office. And burglary Detective Gary Greene set to work. Within a week, Greene nabbed Robinson at his home in the 4400 block of Dryades Street in New Orleans, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Robinson allegedly told the detective that he had stolen the Civil War weapon. He later led them to it. The cannon was returned to its owner, who did not return a call for comment Wednesday.

The detective handed Robinson over to the New Orleans Police Department, which booked him into Orleans Parish jail early Wednesday on a count of theft of more than $500 and illegal possession of stolen things worth more than $500. It’s unclear how much the cannon is worth.

The Sheriff’s Office also noted in a news release that Robinson will face a count of possession of stolen property in Jefferson Parish once he is released from the New Orleans jail.

The NOPD did not release details about the initial theft and did not return a call for comment Wednesday.

Robinson had not appeared in magistrate court as of Wednesday evening and an initial police report had yet to be entered into the court record. 

Meanwhile, Hurlee was back at work buying scraps. “Nothing surprises me anymore,” he said. “People will try to sell anything.”

He said he once had a woman show up in her underwear to make a sale, and another time, a woman appeared at his salvage shop with no clothes and no scraps.

“You know what she was trying to sell, huh?” Hurlee said.

He’s only interested in sales of a legal nature. Hurlee said men like him get bad raps — people tend to think everything in a salvage yard is stolen. That’s why he called deputies.

“I don’t like to deal with a thief,” he said.

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I just received the attached press release from the Civil War Preservation Trust.  It appears our U.S. Congress has allocated a significant amount of money for our Civil War battlefields.  This is good news as the money is set aside as matching grant funds that will spur states, counties, local governments and our Civil War Preservation Trust to add more money to what actually is used to purchase threatened battlefield ground.

Cheers to the senators and representatives who pushed this through.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 28, 2009

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

CONGRESS ALLOCATES $9 MILLION TO PRESERVE AMERICA’S ENDANGERED CIVIL WAR BATTLEFIELDS

CWPT praises Congress for its unprecedented commitment to protecting America’s hallowed grounds

(Washington, D.C.) – The Civil War Preservation Trust (CWPT) today applauded members of the U.S. House and Senate for including the largest ever single-year allocation for the federal Civil War Battlefield Preservation Program in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 Interior Appropriations Act Conference Report (H Rept 111-316).

The conference report, scheduled for a final vote in both chambers later this week, includes $9 million for the Civil War Battlefield Preservation Program, a mechanism that utilizes government matching grants and private funds to permanently protect historic Civil War battlefields throughout the nation.

“This is tremendous news that could not come at a more critical time,” said CWPT President James Lighthizer. Each day 30 acres of hallowed Civil War battlefield ground are paved over and lost forever. This money will allow us to preserve historic land that would otherwise be lost to development and urban sprawl.” 

The Civil War Battlefield Preservation Program targets priority unprotected Civil War sites outside National Park Service boundaries. The program’s matching grants formula encourages state and private sector investment in historic land preservation. For example, in 2008 the Virginia General Assembly set aside $5.2 million to match federal Civil War Battlefield Preservation Program monies. Grants from the program are competitively awarded by the American Battlefield Protection Program, an arm of the National Park Service.

Since its creation in 1999, the Civil War Battlefield Preservation Program has been used to protect more than 15,000 acres of hallowed ground at 60 battlefields in 14 states. Among the sites saved as a result of this program are historic properties at Antietam and South Mountain, Md.; Champion Hill, Miss.; Chancellorsville, Fredericksburg, and Manassas, Va.; Chattanooga and Fort Donelson, Tenn.; and Harpers Ferry, W.Va. The program is funded through the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund.

Although numerous members of the House and Senate have played important roles in ensuring the program’s continued success, the following individuals were pivotal in securing this year’s unprecedented federal commitment to battlefield preservation: Interior Appropriations Subcommittee Chairs Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Norm Dicks (D-WA); Senators Jim Webb (D-VA), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), and Jeff Sessions (R-AL); and Congressmen, Bart Gordon (D-TN), Steve Israel (D-NY), Gary Miller (R-CA) and C.A. “Dutch” Ruppersberger (D-MD). In addition, 16 Senators and 29 Member of Congress signed letters of support for the program earlier this year.

“It is welcome news that our $9 million funding request for battlefield preservation was accepted in the Interior Appropriations bill,” said Senator Webb. “As America prepares for the 150th anniversary commemoration of the Civil War, it is more important than ever that we preserve these landmarks for future generations to learn about the history of our nation.”

Senator Alexander concurred, saying, “The Civil War was a heartbreaking time in our history that we should never forget. Protecting our Civil War battlefields and historic sites is important both to honor the thousands who fought and to allow future generations to learn their heritage by visiting sites like Shiloh, Lookout Mountain, Fort Donelson and Parker’s Crossroads. I’m glad to see that this funding was included to support this important program.”

“America’s Civil War battlefields are part of our nation’s rich heritage, but sadly thousands of acres of battlefields are being lost every year. It is incumbent upon all of us to ensure our children and grandchildren have the opportunity to visit these sacred grounds and experience part of history,” remarked Congressman Ruppersberger.

This vision was also shared by Congressman Miller, who first introduced legislation authorizing the program in 2002. Miller noted, “I have been a long time advocate for preservation of our nation’s historic battlefields. These battlefields offer a porthole to the past. The vivid imagery of an epic conflict can remind visitors of the struggles our country has gone through to preserve the banner of liberty and justice for all.”

Like Senator Webb, Lighthizer also stressed that the upcoming 150th anniversary of the Civil War presents an ideal time to redouble efforts to protect this hallowed ground. “I can think of no more fitting – and lasting – tribute during this sesquicentennial commemoration than to preserve the places where these brave soldiers fought and bled.”

The Civil War Battlefield Preservation Program was reauthorized in March 2009 as part of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (PL 111-11). The legislation, introduced in the Senate by Senators Webb and Sessions and in the House by Congressmen Miller, Israel and Gordon, reauthorized the program for $10 million a year for five years. The popular bill enjoyed considerable bipartisan support, earning 33 cosponsors in the Senate and 108 cosponsors in the House.

With 55,000 members, CWPT is the largest nonprofit battlefield preservation organization in the United States. Its mission is to preserve our nation’s remaining Civil War battlefields and to promote appreciation of these hallowed grounds through education and heritage tourism. The CWPT website is located at www.civilwar.org.

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For more information about the program’s congressional supporters, visit CWPT online at www.civilwar.org/aboutus/news/news-releases/2009-news/congress-allocates-9-million.html.

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

I know I have many new readers on This Mighty Scourge -the Civil War blog.  Currently This Mighty Scourge is reaching 5,000–6,000 unique readers per month.  I assume many of you have found out about my blog through Facebook advertising and some may have found out because you are part of my Facebook Group, “American Civil War Battlefields.”  I am sure others have found my blog through search engines such as Google, Bing and Yahoo.  Regardless of how you have found me – thank you for taking time to read my blog.

I thought it might be helpful, for new and veteran readers alike, to give a listing of my top ten articles for the last three months.  I have left out updates on the Wilderness Wal-Mart as they are news stories and pick up huge amounts of readers.  I have included author interviews, battle narratives, soldier biographies and regimental/brigade histories.  These are articles and essays that I’ve written.  Please take time to read the articles you have not read.  Also, please leave comments about my blog articles.  Make sure to leave these on my blog, so they can be read by all of my readers.  Remember, we love to hear from you.  You will have to register for a free WordPress account to leave comments.  I have included instructions on my blog.

This Mighty Scourge – Top 10 Articles (June-August 2009)

10.  Test Drive: The Complete Gettysburg Guide by J. David Petruzzi

9.   Second Manassas – Again the Fields Turned Red

8.  Wilson’s Creek – the Civil War breaks out in the West

7.  Interview with Scott L. Mingus, Sr. – author of Flames Beyond Gettysburg

6.  The Battle of the Crater

5.  The Fighting 69th New York Infantry Regiment and the Irish Brigade

4.  Interview with James A. Hessler, author of Sickles at Gettysburg

3.  Interview with J. David Petruzzi Author of The Complete Gettysburg Guide

2.  Interview with Earl J. Hess, Author of In The Trenches of Petersburg

And for the most popular article over the past 90 days…..

1.  Interview with Jim Lighthizer, President of the Civil War Preservation Trust

At 12:50 a.m., this morning, the Orange County Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 in favor of granting Wal-Mart a special use permit.  This permit will allow them to build a Wal-Mart Supercenter adjacent to The Wilderness Battlefield.  Historians have proven that the Supercenter’s location will be on the actual battlefield, but not within the Fredericksburg Spotsylvania National Military Park’s boundaries.  I for one, am concerned that a proud American company, like Wal-Mart, would desecrate the sacred ground of The Wilderness – all in an effort to increase sales.  I know many Civil War buffs, including myself, who will think twice about supporting Wal-Mart by purchasing their products.

Watch for more news as it becomes available.

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