The Case for Battlefield Preservation

Emerging Civil War welcomes William Miller of the Williamsburg Civil War Roundtable.

In great deeds, something abides,
On great fields something stays.
Forms change and pass; Bodies disappear;
But spirits linger to consecrate ground
for the vision place of souls.

So begins Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain’s “Reflection on the Battlefields of His Youth.” Invited to speak at the dedication of a monument at Gettysburg in 1888, Chamberlain’s “Reflection” served its intended purpose on that day and in that year to honor the memory of fallen heroes.

The full body of Chamberlain’s “Reflection” is a timeless message that invokes the mission to preserve the stories and the places where our nation faced its most severe test.

And perhaps it may be argued that Chamberlain’s evocative “Reflection” signifies the birth of battlefield preservation initiatives. The old veterans, Rebel and Yank, with the support of the ladies of course, initiated the movement with preservation of major battlefields and established monuments at towns and cities throughout our nation to honor the memories of local veterans. And those old vets left a written record of remembrances to add details to the ebb and flow of their service in the great conflict.

But there was a lull of sorts as the old vets marched into the sunset. And the events of our national evolution with modern developments, coupled with major wars beyond our shores, led to a pause in the preservation of the lands “…where great things were suffered and done for them…”

Fast forward now to the present. Battlefield preservation is alive and well, thanks to a handful of frustrated but forward thinkers back in the 80s. In 1987, a few Civil War historians founded the Association for the Preservation of Civil War Sites. With no money, but a vault full of determination, that small group nurtured the APCWS to evolve into the Civil War Trust in the 90s. The APCWS and the CWT evolved again into the American Battlefield Trust, and now we’re also preserving battlefields from the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. The ABT has built on a timeline of 37 or so years and is kicking at the door of preserving 60,000 acres of hallowed ground, which is pushing somewhat north of 90 square miles. As I compose this article, I’m noting that my most recent contribution will support the preservation of more hallowed ground at Gettysburg. We’ve become a juggernaut team of supporters from here, there, and everywhere, and we’re keeping the tide rising with regular contributions of all sizes.

But the preservation victories of the American Battlefield Trust don’t really tell the entire story of battlefield preservation successes. There are other organizations like the Civil War Trails, now operating in six states and maintaining over 1525 interpretive signs to commemorate the stories of local features and events. Both the Central Virginia Battlefield Trust and the Shenandoah Valley Battlefield Foundation focus on preservation initiatives in their local areas, and other Battlefield Foundations and/or Trusts have been established at Nashville, Franklin, Petersburg, Appomattox, Falling Waters, and here in our very own Williamsburg, just to name a few.

But not to be overlooked, and more importantly to be emphasized, are the hundreds of Civil War Round Tables that have been established throughout the land. The Round Tables serve as the local focal points for fellow Civil War travelers that number in the thousands. The Civil War Round Tables are the places where we gather to hear the stories and presentations that increase our knowledge and spike our enthusiasm to do more to preserve our heritage and our hallowed grounds.

In a sense, Civil War Round Tables and battlefield preservation are beneficiaries of a symbiotic relationship. Round Table members take inspiration from the educational presentations, and those experiences lead our fellow travelers to commit more treasure to preserve hallowed ground in support of acquisition opportunities as they occur.

“Shall come to this deathless field,
To ponder and dream.
And the power of the vision shall pass into their souls.”

But make no mistake, our battlefield preservation efforts face great challenges. Profit driven developers with no regard of history are seeking properties on or adjacent to hallowed grounds. At the local level, we must remain vigilant to the encroachment efforts. In a sense, our battlefield preservation organizations and Civil War Round Tables, along with our members need to assume the role of skirmishers and scouts to establish an early warning network to stem the advance of development threats.

William Miller, CWRT Congress, Williamsburg CWRT. In service as a scout here on the eastern flank.