Saving History Saturday: Current American Battlefield Trust Projects

The American Battlefield Trust (ABT) is currently fundraising for a handful of preservation projects across multiple battlefields and states.

At Bentonville, North Carolina, ABT and its partners are trying to preserve two tracts totaling 71 acres that were part of the fighting on the first day of the battle of Bentonville. This is where the armies under Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston and Union Major General William T. Sherman faced off for the final time in April 1865.

In December 1862, Union Gen. John G. Foster was planning on destroying the Wilmington & Weldon railroad bridge near Goldsborough, North Carolina. One of the forces attempting to prevent this was North Carolina infantry under the command of Thomas L. Clingman. Foster’s men succeeded in their mission, and the 56 acres that ABT is looking to save here is ground that bore witness to these efforts.

As Robert E. Lee’s Confederate forces were returning to Virginia after thebBattle of Antietam, Federal forces pursued. At Shepherdstown, Confederate Gen. A. P. Hill’s division inflicted heavy casualties on the Union troops as they attempted to cross the Potomac River. American Battlefield Trust is working to save 150 acres that were key to this battle.

As part of the concluding moments of the battle of Nashville in December 1864, Federal troops broke through the Confederate left flank. This battle effectively ended the war in Tennessee.

The opportunity to preserve this 1-acre tract of Shy’s Hill will help continue to tell the story of the final stages of this battle.

At Fredericksburg there is an opportunity to save 7.5 acres of twice-hallowed ground, surrounded by Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park.

The December 1862 battle included a first opposed river crossing in American military history and some of the deadliest urban fighting on the Civil War and was a decisive Confederate victory.

As part of the Chancellorsville Campaign, thebBattle of Second Fredericksburg took place on May 3, 1863. This time the Federal forces swept Lee’s rear guard from the field as they continued west towards Salem Church.

This land included Confederate artillery positions, observation area,s and command posts, as well as being a short walk from Robert E. Lee’s Headquarters.

To learn more about these, and other, preservation opportunities, you can visit ABT’s website.