27th Annual Gettysburg Section Inside
Vol. 47, No. 7
$3.50
America’s Monthly Newspaper For Civil War Enthusiasts
48 Pages, July 2021
Three Cheers for the American Battlefield Trust’s First-Ever “Victory Week” When the American Battlefield Trust announces “victory,” the term signals the completion of a long series of actions taken to save sacred battlefield acreage. The process begins with research to document the historic actions that took place on the land, proceeds through the determination of legal underpinnings, and detailed negotiations with landowners. It includes consultation with local groups and decision-makers, complex applications for matching grants, and a public campaign to solicit private donations. It doesn’t conclude until all necessary funds, including awarded grants, are received and the land is fully paid for. In recognition of National Historic Preservation Month, the Trust declared the period following May 10 it’s first-ever Victory Week. Through a series of emails and live video sessions with members, we shared behind-thescenes glimpses of that long process and revealed a diverse roundup of recent preservation victories, some 633 acres at ten battlefields in six states. This mighty roster included Averasboro, N.C.; Brice’s Cross Roads, Miss.; Cedar Creek, Va.; Parker’s Cross Roads, Tenn.; Parker’s Ferry, S.C.; Port
Royal, S.C.; Sailor’s Creek, Va.; Wilson’s Creek, Mo.; and White Oak Road, Va. To cap off the week, the organization reminded its members that claiming “victory” on a property does not simply equate to saying goodbye. At times, it’s just the beginning of enacting a new vision for the property through stewardship operations. This can include ongoing maintenance and interpretation, either with physical onsite signs or digital products or in some cases, restoration to transport the land back in time to its historic appearance. To receive clarity on “What Goes into an American Battlefield Trust Land Preservation Victory?” and learn more about these recent victories, visit www. battlefields.org.
The Trust Lauds Inclusion of USCT Sites on Annual Preservation Virginia ‘Endangered’ List Highlighting history’s under-told stories, Preservation Virginia included a listing of Civil War Battlefields at which United States Colored Troops (USCT) fought within its 2021
Brices Cross Roads. Photo by Mike Talplacido. 1, 14 G – American Battlefield Trust 28 G – Central Virginia Battlefield
Trust 4 – Black Powder, White Smoke 14 – Emerging Civil War
Victory Week collage some of the latest American Battlefield Trust accomplishments. report on the Commonwealth’s Most Endangered Historic Places. Released on May 11, this 10-part annual listing is connected to a program stretching across two decades. The report specifically cites New Market Heights, a battlefield the Trust is steadily working to protect and subsequently examining for interpretive opportunities, as well as St. Mary’s/ Samaria Church Battlefield, which is threatened by expansion of an existing landfill. It rightly notes that: “Educating the public about these battlefields and the contributions of the USCT, and investments at the federal, state and local levels is necessary to help illuminate these diverse stories of resilience, bravery, and empowerment that have been excluded from the traditional Civil War narrative.” “The story of New Market Heights is remarkable, and yet too few Americans know about the day on which 14 Black soldiers received the Medal of Honor,” said Trust president David Duncan. “Nor is it the only example of such bravery that we can elevate
and spotlight through preservation. The American Battlefield Trust is committed to uplifting the memory of the 200,000 Black soldiers who fought to create a more perfect to Union during this nation’s first century.”
34 G – Events 12 – The Graphic War 18 G – Inspection, ARMS!
10 – The Source 6 – The Unfinished Fight 8 – This And That
Discover “How We Became America” with the Trust’s Latest YouthFocused Civics & History Video Series An attempt to go beyond the typical American history textbook and achieve a fuller narrative of how this nation was established as a grand experiment in representative democracy, freedoms hard-won on the battlefield and enshrined in our founding documents and civic infrastructure, is the subject of How We Became America: The Untold History. The new, 15-part video series created by the Trust in partnership with the Driving Force Institute for Public Engagement (DFI), will have episodes debuting weekly through Independence Day. “History is full of elements
woven together and intrinsically linked, making long ago events like the Revolutionary War and Constitutional Convention relevant today,” said Trust President David Duncan. “This series is designed to show how those threads connect in a compelling narrative, allowing new generations to see their lives and experiences reflected in events of the past.” Filled with eye-catching animation based on iconic period images, How We Became America: The Untold History is a 15-part project included within DFI’s larger Untold initiative, produced and distributed by Makematic and the University of Southern California’s Center for Engagement-Driven Global Education (EDGE). “The philosophy behind Untold is that not everything worth knowing exists inside the cover of our history textbooks,” said Patrick Riccards, founder and chief executive officer of DFI.
H Victory Week
. . . . . . . . . . . see page 2 10 G – Through the Lens 5 – Trivia