Saving History Saturday: Phase Two at Gaines Mill & Cold Harbor with American Battlefield Trust

Article adapted from news on American Battlefield Trust’s website

A year ago, the American Battlefield Trust announced a fundraising campaign to protect 108 acres of property where two significant Civil War battles were fought, and where men on both sides, Federal and Confederate, stood their ground, engaged in fierce firefights, and lost their lives. They called this project “Pickett’s Charge Five Times as Large.”  Thanks to generous support ABT is moving to the next phase of this landmark effort.

There are few opportunities to save the hallowed ground where two battles occurred. But given the support and generosity of Trust members, sufficient funds have been raised for the one-acre tract where fighting occurred two years apart. Now there’s the opportunity to secure 99 additional acres at what ABT calls “The Intersection,” around the site of the original McGhee farmhouse that will allow the unification of these properties. This is an unprecedented opportunity to preserve contiguous battlefield property for prosperity.

Because of the size of the property that encompasses these two battles, the Trust has divided up the project into a multi-year campaign called the Gaines’ Mill & Cold Harbor Saved Forever Campaign. The efforts to secure the 99 acres at the property amount to Phase Two. The Trust now needs to raise $529,429 to match the $1,192,430 that has already been committed by generous benefactors.

While engaging in Phase Two, ABT has also been alerted to the opportunity to secure 51 acres where Second Deep Bottom was fought southeast of Richmond. This purchase opportunity will help to unite already protected land  encompassing at this important battlefield site also known as Fussell’s Mill. The funds needed for Phase Two of the Saved Forever Campaign include the cost of the Second Deep Bottom site because the opportunity to get these properties at the same time is too enticing to miss.

The significance of the land where so many pertinent battles were fought north of Richmond cannot be understated. There is a race against time to ensure that America’s hallowed ground is preserved for current and future generations to enjoy.

Please learn more about this historic land consider making a donation here: https://www.battlefields.org/give/save-battlefields/save-99-endangered-acres-gaines-mill-and-cold-harbor