U.S. Department of the Interior 

National Park Service 

American Battlefield Protection Program 

Update to the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission 

Report on the Nation’s Civil War Battlefields 

District of Columbia

Washington, DC 

October 2009 
 

Update to the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission 

Report on the Nation’s Civil War Battlefields 

District of Columbia

U.S. Department of the Interior 

National Park Service 

American Battlefield Protection Program 

Washington, DC 

September 2009 

Authority 

The American Battlefield Protection Program Act of 1996, as amended by the Civil War 

Battlefield Preservation Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-359, 111 Stat. 3016, 17 December 

2002), directs the Secretary of the Interior to update the Civil War Sites Advisory 

Commission (CWSAC) Report on the Nation’s Civil War Battlefields. 

Acknowledgments 

NPS Project Team Paul Hawke, Project Leader; Kathleen Madigan, Survey Coordinator; 

Tanya Gossett and January Ruck, Reporting; Shannon Davis, Preservation Specialist; 

Matthew Borders, Historian; Renee S. Novak and Gweneth Langdon, Interns. 

Battlefield Surveyor(s) Lisa Rupple, American Battlefield Protection Program 

Respondents Adrienne Applewhaite-Coleman, Superintendent, and Simone Moffett, 

Cultural Resources Specialist, National Park Service – Rock Creek Park; and Ruth Trocolli, 

City Archeologist, District of Columbia Historic Preservation Office. 

Cover: In 1937, the Civilian Conservation Corps reconstructed Fort Stevens. Today, it is 

owned and managed by the National Park Service. Photograph by Elizabeth Ries, 2009.
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Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ......................................................................................... 1

INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 3

SYNOPSIS ............................................................................................................ 4

METHOD STATEMENT ......................................................................................... 5

RESEARCH AND FIELD SURVEY ........................................................................................... 5 

QUESTIONNAIRE .............................................................................................................. 8 

SUMMARY OF CONDITIONS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA’S CIVIL WAR 

BATTLEFIELD ..................................................................................................... 10

QUANTIFIED LAND AREAS ............................................................................................... 10 

CONDITION ASSESSMENT ................................................................................................ 10 

REGISTRATION............................................................................................................... 12 

STEWARDSHIP ............................................................................................................... 13 

PUBLIC ACCESS AND INTERPRETATION ............................................................................... 13 

LOCAL ADVOCACY ........................................................................................................ 14 

INDIVIDUAL BATTLEFIELD PROFILE .................................................................. 15

APPENDICES ...................................................................................................... 19

APPENDIX A. CIVIL WAR BATTLEFIELD PRESERVATION ACT OF 2002 .................................... 19 

APPENDIX B. BATTLEFIELD QUESTIONNAIRE ...................................................................... 22 

APPENDIX C. CIVIL WAR BATTLEFIELD LAND ACQUISITION GRANTS...................................... 25 

APPENDIX D. AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD PROTECTION PROGRAM PLANNING GRANTS ................ 26 
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Introduction 

The information in this report fulfills, in part, the purposes of the Civil War Battlefield 

Preservation Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-359, 111 Stat. 3016). Those purposes are: 

1) to act quickly and proactively to preserve and protect nationally significant Civil 

War battlefields through conservation easements and fee-simple purchases of those 

battlefields from willing sellers; and 

2) to create partnerships among state and local governments, regional entities, and 

the private sector to preserve, conserve, and enhance nationally significant Civil 

War battlefields. 

The Civil War Battlefield Preservation Act of 2002 directs the Secretary of the Interior, 

acting through the American Battlefield Protection Program of the National Park Service, 

to update the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission (CWSAC) Report on the Nation’s Civil 

War Battlefields. The CWSAC was established by Congress in 1991 and published its report 

in 1993. Congress provided funding for this update in FY2005 and FY2007. Congress 

asked that the updated report reflect the following: 

• Preservation activities carried out at the 384 battlefields identified by the 

CWSAC during the period between 1993 and the update; 

• Changes in the condition of the battlefields during that period; and 

• Any other relevant developments relating to the battlefields during that period. 

In accordance with the legislation, this report presents information about the one CWSAC 

battlefield in the District of Columbia for use by Congress, federal, state, and local 

government agencies, landowners, and other interest groups. Other state reports will be 

issued as surveys and analyses are completed. 
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Synopsis 

In 1993, the CWSAC report identified the District of Columbia’s Fort Stevens battlefield as 

a site that could offer little more than opportunity for commemoration. During the Civil 

War, most of the battlefield landscape was rural. Today, most of the terrain has been 

altered beyond recognition by urban development. 

In 2005, ABPP surveyors revisited Fort Stevens and estimated that more than half of the 

battlefield landscape, or Study Area, had been lost to urbanization. In the battlefield Core 

Area, nearly all of the historic landscape has been destroyed. What little remains of the 

Fort Stevens battlefield is protected within the boundaries of the Rock Creek Park. The 

park includes several geographically discontiguous sites associated with the Fort Circle 

Parks (also known as the Civil War defenses of Washington). Within the battlefield Study 

Area, four of the Circle Fort Parks – Fort Stevens, Fort Totten, Fort DeRussy, Fort Bayard – 

retain integrity. Battlefield terrain at the other two sites – Fort Slocum and Fort Reno – is 

not intact. Apart from the Circle Fort Park sites and landscape protected by the National 

Park Service along the Rock Creek Valley, no other historic battlefield land has survived the 

growth of Washington, DC. 

The National Park Service continues its research, interpretation, and preservation activities 

at those sites within the Fort Stevens battlefield in its care. However, given the current 

condition of the battlefield landscape as a whole, areas outside national park land offer 

no battlefield terrain preservation opportunities. 

The CWSAC prioritized Fort Stevens as a Priority IV Fragmented/Destroyed battlefield in 

1993. The American Battlefield Protection Program will issue updated priorities after all of 

the CWSAC battlefields nationwide have been surveyed and all state reports have been 

completed. 

Figure 1. Fort Stevens, CWSAC Battlefield in the District of Columbia. 
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Method Statement 

Congress instructed the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the American Battlefield 

Protection Program (ABPP), to report on changes in the condition of the battlefields since 

1993 and on “preservation activities” and “other relevant developments” carried out at 

each battlefield since 1993. To fulfill those assignments, the ABPP 1) conducted site 

surveys of each battlefield and 2) prepared and sent out questionnaires to battlefield 

managers and advocacy organizations (see Appendix B). 

Research and Field Survey 

The ABPP conducted the field assessment of the District of Columbia’s battlefield in April 

2006. The survey entailed additional historical research, on-the-ground documentation 

and assessment of site conditions, identification of impending threats to each site, and site 

mapping. Surveyors used a Global Positioning System (GPS) to map historic features of the 

battlefield and used a Geographic Information System (GIS) to draw site boundaries. The 

ABPP retains all final survey materials. The battlefield survey file includes a survey form 

(field notes, list of defining features, list of documentary sources, and a photo log), 

photographs, spatial coordinates of significant features, and boundaries described on 

USGS topographic maps. The ABPP survey did not include archeological investigations for 

reasons of time and expense. However, this report does reflect the findings of a four-year 

archeological study completed for the National Park Service at Rock Creek Park in 2008.1

Study Areas and Core Areas 

The CWSAC identified a Study Area and a Core Area for each principal battlefield (see 

Figure 2). The CWSAC boundaries have proven invaluable as guides to local land and 

resource preservation efforts at Civil War battlefields. However, since 1993, the National 

Park Service has refined its battlefield survey techniques, which include research, working 

with site stewards, identifying and documenting lines of approach and withdrawal used by 

opposing forces, and applying the concepts of military terrain analysis to all battlefield 

landscapes. The ABPP’s Battlefield Survey Manual explains the field methods employed 

during this study.2

 The surveys also incorporate the concepts recommended in the 

National Register of Historic Places’ Guidelines for Identifying, Evaluating, and Registering 

America’s Historic Battlefields, which was published in 1992 after the CWSAC completed its 

original assessments of the battlefields. 

Using its refined methodology, ABPP was able to validate or adjust the CWSAC’s Study 

Area and Core Area boundaries to reflect more accurately the full nature and original 

resources of these battlefields (see Table 2). At Fort Stevens, the refined methodology 

resulted in significant increases to the size of the Study Area and Core Area. However, it is 

important to note that the Study Area and Core Area boundaries are simply historical 

boundaries that describe where the battle took place; neither indicates the current 

integrity of the battlefield landscape, so neither can be used on its own to identify 

surviving portions of battlefield land that may merit protection and preservation. 

 

 

1

 S. Piedel, J. Bedell, C. LeeDecker, J. Shellenhamer, E. Griffitts, “Bold Rocky, and Picturesque, Archeological Overview and 

Assessment and Archeological Identification and Evaluation Study of Rock Creek Park,” (Washington, DC: The Louis Berger 

Group, Inc., 2008) 

2

 American Battlefield Protection Program, “Battlefield Survey Manual,” (Washington, DC: National Park Service, revised 2007), 

http://www.nps.gov/history/abpp/battlefieldsurveymanual.pdf, October 2008. 
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Figure 2: Boundary Definitions 

The Study Area represents the historic extent 

of the battle as it unfolded across the 

landscape. The Study Area contains resources 

known to relate to or contribute to the battle 

event: where troops maneuvered and 

deployed, immediately before and after 

combat, and where they fought during 

combat. Historic accounts, terrain analysis, 

and feature identification inform the 

delineation of the Study Area boundary. The 

Study Area indicates the extent to which 

historic and archeological resources associated 

with the battle (areas of combat, command, 

communications, logistics, medical services, 

etc.) may be found and protected. Surveyors 

delineated Study Area boundaries for every 

battle site that was positively identified 

through research and field survey, regardless 

of its present integrity. 

The Core Area represents the areas of 

fighting on the battlefield. Positions that 

delivered or received fire, and the intervening 

space and terrain between them, fall within 

the Core Area. Frequently described as 

“hallowed ground,” land within the Core 

Area is often the first to be targeted for 

protection. The Core Area lies within the 

Study Area. 

Unlike the Study and Core Areas, which are 

based only upon the interpretation of historic 

events, the Potential National Register 

(PotNR) boundary represents ABPP’s 

assessment of a Study Area’s current integrity 

(the surviving landscape and features that 

convey the site’s historic sense of place). The 

PotNR boundary may include all or some of 

the Study Area, and all or some of the Core 

Area. Lands within PotNR boundaries should 

be considered worthy of further attention, 

although future evaluations may reveal more 

or less integrity than indicated by the ABPP 

surveys.

Potential National Register Boundaries

To address the question of what part of 

the battlefield remains reasonably intact 

and warrants preservation, this study 

introduced a third boundary line that was 

not attempted by the CWSAC: the 

Potential National Register boundary (see 

Figure 2). 

Looking at each Study Area, the surveyors 

assigned PotNR boundaries where they 

judged that enough battlefield land 

remained to convey the significance of the 

engagement. In a few cases, the PotNR 

boundary encompasses the entire Study 

Area. In most cases, however, the PotNR 

boundary includes less land than identified 

in the full Study Area. 

In assigning PotNR boundaries, the ABPP 

followed National Register of Historic 

Places guidelines when identifying and 

mapping areas that retain integrity and 

cohesion within the Study Areas.3

 

However, because the ABPP focuses only 

on areas of battle, the ABPP did not 

evaluate lands adjacent to the Study Area 

that may contribute to a broader historical 

and chronological definition of “cultural 

landscape.” Lands outside of the Study 

Area associated with other historic events 

and cultural practices may need to be 

evaluated in preparation for a formal 

nomination of the cultural landscape. 

Most importantly, the PotNR boundary 

does not constitute a formal 

determination of eligibility by the 

Keeper of the National Register of 

Historic Places.

4

 The PotNR boundary is 

designed to be used as a planning tool for 

government agencies and the public. Like 

the Study and Core Area boundaries, the 

PotNR boundary places no restriction on 

private property use. 

 

3

 For general guidance about integrity issues and National Register properties, see National Park Service, How to Apply the National 

Register Criteria for Evaluation (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior, revised 1997). The survey evaluations described 

above do not meet the more stringent integrity standards for National Historic Landmark designation. See National Park Service, 

How to Prepare National Historic Landmark Nominations (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior, 1999), 36-37. 4

 See 36 CFR 60.1- 14 for regulations about nominating a property to the National Register and 36 CFR 63 for regulations concerning 

Determinations of Eligibility for inclusion in the National Register.
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The term integrity, as defined by the National Register of Historic Places, is “the ability of a 

property to convey its significance.”5

 While assessments of integrity are subjective, 

battlefields can have integrity only if they can be positively located through research and 

“ground-truthing,” and only if significant portions of the landscape’s historic terrain have 

not been substantially disturbed. Other conditions contribute to the degree of integrity a 

battlefield retains: 

• the quantity and quality of surviving battle-period resources (e.g., 

buildings, roads, fence lines, military structures, and archeological 

features); 

• the quantity and quality of the spatial relationships between and among 

those resources and the intervening terrain that connects them; 

• the extent to which current battlefield land use is similar to battle-period 

land use; and 

• the extent to which a battlefield’s physical features and overall character 

visually communicate an authentic sense of the sweep and setting of the 

battle. 

Natural changes in vegetation—woods growing out of historic farm fields, for example—

do not necessarily diminish the landscape’s integrity. Significant changes in land use since 

the Civil War do affect integrity; the degree to which post-war development has altered 

and fragmented the historic landscape and destroyed historic features is critical when 

assessing integrity. Still, some post-battle development is expected; slight or moderate 

change within the battlefield may not substantially diminish a battlefield’s integrity. 

Often these post-battle “non-contributing” elements are included in the PotNR boundary 

in accordance with National Register of Historic Places guidelines. 

The Potential National Register boundaries therefore indicate which battlefields are likely 

eligible for future listing in the National Register of Historic Places and likely deserving of 

future preservation efforts. If a surveyor determined that a battlefield was entirely 

compromised by land use incompatible with the preservation of historic features (i.e., it 

has little or no integrity), it did not receive a PotNR boundary. In cases where a battlefield 

was already listed in the National Register, surveyors reassessed the existing 

documentation based on current scholarship and resource integrity, and, when 

appropriate, provided new information and proposed new boundaries as part of the 

surveys. As a result, some PotNR boundaries will contain lands already listed in the 

National Register of Historic Places. In other cases, PotNR boundaries will exclude listed 

lands that have lost integrity.6

The data from which all three boundaries are drawn do not necessarily reflect the full 

research needed for a formal National Register nomination. Potential National Register 

boundaries are based on an assessment of aboveground historic features associated with 

the cultural and natural landscape. ABPP surveys did not include a professional 

 

5

 National Park Service, Guidelines for Identifying, Evaluating, and Registering America’s Historic Battlefields, 1992 (Washington, DC: 

U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Interagency Resources Division), 10. Archeological integrity was not 

examined during this study, but should be considered in future battlefield studies and formal nominations to the National Register. 6

 The ABPP’s survey and PotNR assessment of the Fort Stevens battlefield do not constitute formal action on behalf of the office of 

the National Register of Historic Places. The PotNR assessment is re intended for planning purposes only; it does not carry the

authority to add, change, or remove an official listing. 
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archeological inventory or assessment of subsurface features or indications. This report 

does reflect the findings of four-year archeological study completed for the National Park 

Service at Rock Creek Park in 2008. However, future archeological testing could help 

further determine whether additional subsurface features remain, whether these 

subsurface battle features convey important information about a battle or historic 

property, and whether that information may help to confirm, refine, or refute the 

boundaries previously determined by historic studies and terrain analysis. 

The ABPP survey information should be reassessed during future compliance processes 

such as the Section 106 process required by the National Historic Preservation Act7

 and 

Environmental Impact Statements/Environmental Assessments required by the National 

Environmental Policy Act.8

 Likewise, more detailed research and assessments should take 

place when any battlefield is formally nominated to the National Register or proposed for 

designation as a National Historic Landmark. New research and intensive-level surveys of 

these sites will enlighten future preservation and compliance work. Agencies should 

continue to consult local and state experts for up-to-date information about these 

battlefields. 

Isolated sites within the Fort Stevens battlefield are included on the National Register of 

Historic Places as part of the “Civil War Fort Sites” (1974) and “Civil War Fort Sites 

Boundary Increase” (1978) listings. Together, the sites of Fort Stevens, Fort Totten, Fort 

DeRussy and Fort Bayard constitute approximately 26.00 acres of the “Civil War Fort Sites” 

listing.9

 The ABPP assigned a PotNR boundary to the Fort Stevens battlefield that 

includes the previously listed fort sites and, based on the findings of Rock Creek Park’s 

four-year archeological study, includes protected lands within Rock Creek Valley. 

Questionnaire 

While the ABPP maintains data about its own program activities at Civil War battlefields, 

most preservation work occurs at the local level. Therefore, to carry out the Congressional 

directive for information about activities at the battlefields, the ABPP sought input from 

local battlefield managers and advocacy organizations. The ABPP distributed 

questionnaires designed to gather information about the types of preservation activities 

that have taken place at the battlefields since 1993. The Questionnaire is reproduced in 

Appendix B. 

Responses were provided by representatives from the National Park Service administrative 

unit of Rock Creek Park, which manages park areas within the Fort Stevens battlefield 

Study Area boundaries. Input from this source, combined with the survey findings, 

allowed the ABPP to create a profile of conditions and activities at the battlefield. 

 

7

 16 USC 470f. 

8

 42 USC 4331-4332. 

9 Although the boundaries of this NRHP listing include 19 fort sites, collectively known as the “Fort Circle Parks” or “Civil 

War Defenses of Washington,” only four of the listed sites lie within the Fort Stevens battlefield Study Area. 
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Figure 3. Fort Totten earthworks, damaged by erosion and insensitive recreational uses. 

Photograph by Lisa Rupple, 2004. 
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Summary of Conditions of the District of Columbia’s Civil War 

Battlefield 

Quantified Land Areas 

Using a Geographic Information System (GIS), the ABPP calculated the amount of land 

historically associated with the battle (Study Area), the amount of land where forces were 

engaged (Core Area), and the amount of land that may retain enough integrity to be 

eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places and that remains to be 

protected (Potential National Register boundary). 

As Table 1 illustrates, the Study Area and Core Area of Fort Stevens have been revised. In 

particular, the original CWSAC surveys did not consistently include routes of approach and 

withdrawal or secondary actions that influenced the course or outcome of the battle. The 

revised boundaries take these movements and actions into account. In some instances, 

new or additional research has sharpened our understanding of battle events. Therefore, 

the ABPP determined that additional lands belonged appropriately in the Study and Core 

Areas because they lend additional understanding to the battle story. Please see the 

individual battlefield profile at the end of this report for more information about the 

extent of and reasons for any revisions to the CWSAC Study Area and Core Area 

boundaries. 

Table 1. Battlefield Area Statistics 

   Battlefield Boundary 

Type Established/Revised* Acres   

   Fort Stevens (DC001) Study Area 2009 9,103.32   

   Core Area 2009 2,765.73   

   PotNR 2009 1,166.01   

  

*If the CWSAC's 1993 Study and Core Area boundaries were confirmed during this update, they 

remain listed as established in 1993. If the ABPP adjusted the boundaries based on research or 

refined survey methods, the year in which the revision was made is given.   

Condition Assessment 

Using ABPP field survey data and research findings from the archeological study completed 

for the National Park Service at Rock Creek Park in 2008,10 the ABPP assessed the overall 

condition of the battlefield Study Area. At Fort Stevens, most of the aboveground 

landscape and terrain features have been altered beyond recognition over the past 150 

years. During the 1860s, this area was rural. Today, more than half of the aboveground 

battlefield features in the Study Area have been lost to urbanization. In the battlefield 

Core Area, nearly all of the historic landscape is gone. In areas of development, the 

battlefield terrain’s integrity has been destroyed by the District of Columbia’s residential, 

commercial, and transportation infrastructure. 

Terrain features protected within Rock Creek Park are the only aboveground portions of 

the Fort Stevens battlefield to retain any historic integrity, and some of these areas are 

 

10 John Bedell, Eric Griffitts, Charles LeeDecker, Stuart Piedel, and Jason Shellenhamer, “Bold Rocky, and Picturesque, Archeological 

Overview and Assessment and Archeological Identification and Evaluation Study of Rock Creek Park,” (Washington, DC: The Louis 

Berger Group, Inc., 2008). 
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compromised as well. The forts at Fort Reno and Fort Slocum are entirely lost, while the 

landscape of Fort Bayard, although still used as a recreational park, retains limited, 

identifiable terrain features to associate it with the battle. The outline of this fort only 

protrudes a few inches above grade. 

Topographical features that informed the military siting decisions at forts Reno, Bayard, 

Slocum, Totten, and DeRussy are still identifiable. These forts sit on the high ground, and, 

at some locations, still offer a limited view of the surrounding area. However, views from 

each of these sites are impeded by adjacent buildings, trees, and radio towers. 

Of the six forts within the Fort Stevens battlefield Study Area, Fort DeRussy is in the best 

state of preservation. In the early 1920s, this site, along with Fort Totten, was revegetated to prevent earthworks erosion. Since 2000, new earthwork management 

guidelines have been adopted in response to overgrowth of vegetation. Today, the 

outline of the parapet, which consists of high earthen mounds with embrasures, and the 

deep ditch (dry moat) around the parapet wall, remain distinct. There is visible evidence 

of the location of powder magazines inside the fort. Beyond the dry moat, well-defined 

rifle trenches extend in each direction. 

In 1937, the Civilian Conservation Corps reconstructed portions of Fort Stevens using 

policies and materials that were best practice at the time. Today, the National Park Service 

plans to restore the reconstruction. Its concrete materials are deteriorating, threatening to 

damage what original earthen features remain beneath. 

At Fort Totten, the integrity of authentic earthworks is threatened by neighborhood 

residents who use the “obstacles” for dirt bike and motorbike stunts. Erosion of the 

earthworks is clearly visible where bikers wear new paths and use existing paths on and 

inside of the fort. Dense vegetation has overgrown the historic earthworks, making them 

susceptible to damage from falling trees. Given these conditions, efforts to stabilize Fort 

Totten are planned. The National Park Service is monitoring vegetation growth in order to 

identify immediate hazards and remove them. 

Within the Rock Creek Valley portion of the NPS’ Rock Creek Park administration area, 

terrain features used by Confederates to mask their approach on the left flank of Fort 

Stevens are still present. According to the previously cited four-year archeological study 

undertaken in Rock Creek Park, artifacts dating to the Battle of Fort Stevens have also 

been found in Rock Creek Valley north of Fort DeRussy.11 Together, these terrain features 

and archeological findings help characterize Rock Creek Valley as the largest, most intact 

portion of Fort Stevens battlefield. 

 

11 Ibid., 220. 
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Table 2. Condition Summary 

 Condition Battlefield 

 Land use is little changed (0) NA 

 

 

Portions of landscape have been altered, but most 

essential features remain (0) NA 

 

 

Much of the landscape has been altered and fragmented, 

leaving some essential features (0) Fort Stevens 

 

 

Landscape and terrain have been altered beyond 

recognition (0) NA 

 

 Battlefields that were not assessed (0) NA 

Registration 

The nation’s official method for recognizing historic properties worthy of preservation is 

listing in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Registered battlefields meet 

national standards for documentation, physical integrity, and demonstrable significance to 

the history of our nation. Federal, state, and local agencies use information from the 

National Register as a planning tool to identify and make decisions about cultural 

resources. Federal and state laws, most notably Section 106 of the National Historic 

Preservation Act of 1966, require agencies to account for the effects their projects (roads, 

wetland permits, quarrying, cell towers, etc.) may have on listed and eligible historic 

properties, such as battlefields. Listing allows project designers to quickly identify the 

battlefield and avoid or minimize impacts to the landscape. 

Properties listed in the National Register are also eligible for numerous federal and state 

historic preservation grant programs. Recognition as a registered battlefield may also 

advance public understanding of and appreciation for the battlefield, and may encourage 

advocacy for its preservation.12 

As mentioned previously, small geographically discontiguous portions of the Fort Stevens

battlefield were included in the NRHP in 1974 and 1978. These listed sites encompass only 

26.28 acres of the battlefield’s total area. Given the nearly complete urbanization of the 

historic landscape, ABPP did not identify additional lands beyond Rock Creek Park as 

having eligibility for inclusion in the NRHP. However, within Rock Creek Park, ABPP 

recognizes a potential for expanding the existing National Register boundary associated 

with this battlefield to include portions of Rock Creek Valley. Rock Creek Park’s four-year 

archeological study found “a rather thin scatter of bullets and shell fragments across a 

 

12 There are three levels of federal recognition for historic properties – Congressional designations, such as national park units, 

National Historic Landmarks, and listings in the National Register of Historic Places. Congress creates national park units. The 

Secretary of the Interior designates National Historic Landmarks (NHL) – nationally significant historic sites – for their exceptional 

value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States. The National Park Service, in partnership with states, 

lists cultural sites significant at the national, state, or local level and worthy of preservation on the NRHP. National park units and 

NHLs are also treated as listed in the National Register. 
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wide swath of the park.”13 Management recommendations highlighted within the 2008 

report conclude that the battlefield could include most of the park from Fort DeRussy 

northward, and suggest further work could allow delineation of firing lines, troop 

movements, key terrain, and other significant battlefield features. 

Stewardship 

While the majority of Fort Stevens battlefield terrain features have been lost to urban 

development, the NPS does own and manage more than 3.00 acres at Fort Stevens 

(reconstruction), more than 12.00 acres at Fort Totten, more than 6.00 acres at Fort 

DeRussy, and more than 4.00 acres at Fort Bayard. These areas of intact battlefield land, 

totaling more than 26.00 acres, are administered as portions of Rock Creek Park. In 2004, 

the NPS developed the “Fort Circle Parks Final Management Plan” to help guide 

stewardship of all 19 Civil War Defenses of Washington sites, including the four surviving 

forts located within the Fort Stevens Study Area. 

In addition to these four Fort Circle Parks, the NPS administers a 1,166.01-acre swath of 

battlefield landscape in the Rock Creek Valley portion of Rock Creek Park. Stewardship of 

this area includes engagement in the four-year archeological study cited within this report. 

Future activities could include additional archeological investigation and interpretation of 

this area as a battlefield landscape. 

Given the ABPP’s determination that there is no additional intact battlefield landscape 

within the Fort Stevens Study Area to protect and preserve, opportunity for new 

stewardship seems limited to commemoration in areas outside of NPS-owned land. 

Public Access and Interpretation 

In its questionnaire, the ABPP asked battlefield stewards about the types of public access 

and interpretation available at the battlefield. The ABPP did not collect information about 

the purpose or intent of the interpretation and access, such as whether a wayside exhibit 

was developed for purely educational reasons, to promote heritage tourism, or boost local 

economic development. 

The ABPP asked respondents to indicate the type of interpretation available at or about 

the battlefield. The categories included brochures, driving tours, living history 

demonstrations, maintained historic features or areas, walking tours and trails, wayside 

exhibits, websites, and other specialized programs. The results indicate that the surviving 

Circle Forts within Rock Creek Park – Fort Stevens, Fort Totten, Fort DeRussy, and Fort 

Bayard – currently do provide public interpretation and educational opportunities. 

While there is no visitor center associated with the Fort Stevens battlefield, tours of the 

fort reconstruction – including concrete parapet walls, magazine, dry moat, and mounted 

cannon replicas – have been conducted by NPS park rangers since 1981. A podcast was 

also developed for the site in 2007 and wayside signage was replaced in 2009. 

The parks at Fort Totten and Fort DeRussy offer wooded walking trails. New interpretive 

signage was installed at these sites in June 2009. The Fort Bayard park is currently used as 

 

13 Bedell, et al., “Bold Rocky, and Picturesque”, 229. 
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an athletic recreation area with fields for softball and soccer, but one interpretive sign 

communicates the site’s history. 

Battleground National Cemetery, which is located within the battlefield Study Area and 

administered as part of Rock Creek Park, was established after the battle of Fort Stevens

to commemorate the location where Union soldiers were buried when fighting concluded. 

Interpretive signs at the cemetery highlight the events and aftermath of the battle.14

In addition to NPS interpretation efforts, a “Fort Stevens Day” event has been held since 

1989 by the local residents to commemorate the battle’s impact on the development of 

their neighborhood. As an extension of this activity, the Brightwood community and 

Cultural Tourism DC organization developed interpretive signage for the “Battleground to 

Community: Brightwood Heritage Trail,” which incorporates the history of the battle of 

Fort Stevens. 

Local Advocacy 

Nonprofit organizations play important roles in protecting historic battlefields. These 

groups step in to preserve historic sites when public funding and management for historic 

preservation are absent. When public funding is available, nonprofits serve as vital 

partners in public-private preservation efforts, acting as conduits for public funds, raising 

critical private matching funds, keeping history and preservation in the public eye, and 

working with landowners to find ways to protect battlefield parcels. While the Fort 

Stevens battlefield does not have an organization dedicated solely to its protection, 

interpretation, and promotion, a nonprofit organization known as the Fort Circle Parks 

Alliance has emerged to support public education and preservation advocacy for surviving 

sites associated with the Civil War defenses of Washington. 

 

14 National Register of Historic Places, “Battleground National Cemetery National Register of Historic Places Inventory – 

Nomination Form,” (Washington, DC: National Park Service), http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Text/66000032.pdf, 

September 2009. 
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Individual Battlefield Profile 

Battlefield Profile Glossary 

Location County or city in which the battlefield is located. 

Campaign Name of military campaign of which the battle was part. Campaign 

names are taken from The War of the Rebellion: a Compilation of the 

Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. 

 

Battle Date(s) Day or days upon which the battle took place, as determined by the 

Civil War Sites Advisory Commission. 

Principal Commanders Ranking commanders of opposing forces during the battle. 

Forces Engaged Name or description of largest units engaged during the battle. 

Results Indicates battle victor or inconclusive outcome. 

Study Area Acres within the Study Area (see Table 1), as determined by the ABPP, 

that represent the historic extent of the battle upon the landscape.

Potential National Acres of land that retain historic character and may be eligible for

Register Lands listing in the National Register of Historic Places (see Table 1). 

 

Protected Lands Estimated acres (based on questionnaires and GIS) of battlefield land 

set aside or placed under permanent easement since the Civil War for 

 the purposes of maintaining the historic character of the landscape 

 and for preventing future impairment or destruction of the landscape 

 and historic features. 

Publicly Accessible Estimated acres (based on responses to questionnaires) maintained 

Lands for public visitation. 

 

Management Area Name of historic site, park, or other area maintained for resource 

 protection and/or public visitation.

Friends Group(s) Name of local advocacy organization(s) that support preservation 

 activities at/for the battlefield. 

Preservation Indicates which types of preservation activities have taken place at 

Activities the battlefield since 1993 (based on responses to questionnaires). 

Since 1993 

 

Public Indicates which types of interpretation/educational activities have 

Interpretation taken place at the battlefield since 1993 (based on 

Since 1993 responses to questionnaires).

Condition Statement The ABPP’s assessment of the overall condition of the battlefield’s 

Study Area (based on field surveys and responses to questionnaires). 

Historical Designation Notes the most prestigious historical designation the battlefield 

 has received (i.e. national park unit, National Historic Landmark, or 

 National Register of Historic Places). 
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Fort Stevens (DC001) 

Location District of Columbia 

Campaign Early’s Raid and Operations against the B&O Railroad (1864) 

Battle Date(s) July 11-12, 1864 

Principal Commanders Maj. Gen. Horatio G. Wright and Maj. Gen. Alexander M. McCook 

 [US]; Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early [CS] 

Forces Engaged The District of Columbia Legion, 400 [US]; Morgan’s Cavalry 

 Division, 1,800 [CS] 

Results Union victory 

Study Area 9,103.32 acres 

 The revised Study Area includes the Confederate avenue of approach 

 from the north towards the City of Washington’s outlying 

 fortifications. It also includes the route Union forces marched from 

 the 6th Street docks on the Potomac River through the streets of 

 Washington to bolster the defenses at Fort Stevens and Fort DeRussy 

 where the primary action occurred. 

Potential National 1,166.01 acres 

Register Lands 

Protected Lands 1,424.11 acres 

National Park Service, fee simple 

Publicly Accessible Lands 1,424.11 acres 

Rock Creek Park, National Park Service 

Management Area(s) Rock Creek Park 

Friends Group(s) None

Preservation Activities Advocacy 

Since 1993 9 Cultural Resource Surveys and Inventories

 Fundraising 

9 Interpretation Projects 

 Land or Development Rights Purchased 

 Legislation 

9 Planning Projects 

9 Research and Documentation 

Public Interpretation 9 Brochure(s)

Since 1993 Driving Tour 

 Living History 

9 Maintained Historic Features/Areas 

 Visitor Center 

9 Walking Tour/Trails

9 Wayside Exhibits/Signs 

9 Website 

http://www.nps.gov/cwdw/historyculture/fort-stevens.htm 
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Condition Statement Only those portions of the battlefield owned by the NPS retain 

 integrity. All other areas have been altered beyond recognition since 

 he period of significance due to intense growth of the surrounding 

 metropolitan area. 

Historical Designation National Register of Historic Places (1974 and 1978) 
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Appendices 

Appendix A. Civil War Battlefield Preservation Act of 2002 

Public Law 107-359, 111 Stat. 3016, 17 December 2002 

Amends the American Battlefield Protection Program Act of 1996 (16 U.S.C. 469k) 

An Act 

 

To amend the American Battlefield Protection Act of 1996 to authorize the Secretary of the Interior 

to establish a battlefield acquisition grant program. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in 

Congress assembled, 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

This Act may be cited as the ``Civil War Battlefield Preservation Act of 2002''. 

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES. 

 (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following 

 (1) Civil War battlefields provide a means for the people of 

 the United States to understand a tragic period in the history 

 of the United States. 

 (2) According to the Report on the Nation's Civil War 

 Battlefields, prepared by the Civil War Sites Advisory 

 Commission, and dated July 1993, of the 384 principal Civil War 

 battlefields-- 

 (A) almost 20 percent are lost or fragmented; 

 (B) 17 percent are in poor condition; and 

 (C) 60 percent have been lost or are in imminent 

 danger of being fragmented by development and lost as 

 coherent historic sites. 

 (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are-- 

 (1) to act quickly and proactively to preserve and protect 

 nationally significant Civil War battlefields through 

 conservation easements and fee-simple purchases of those 

 battlefields from willing sellers; and 

 (2) to create partnerships among State and local 

 governments, regional entities, and the private sector to 

 preserve, conserve, and enhance nationally significant Civil War 

 battlefields. 

SEC. 3. BATTLEFIELD ACQUISITION GRANT PROGRAM. 

The American Battlefield Protection Act of 1996 (16 U.S.C. 469k) is amended-- 

 (1) by redesignating subsection (d) as paragraph (3) of 

 subsection (c), and indenting appropriately; 

 (2) in paragraph (3) of subsection (c) (as redesignated by 

 paragraph (1))— 

 (A) by striking ``Appropriations'' and inserting 
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 ``appropriations''; and 

 (B) by striking ``section'' and inserting 

 ``subsection''; 

 (3) by inserting after subsection (c) the following 

 ``(d) Battlefield Acquisition Grant Program.-- 

 ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection 

 ``(A) Battlefield report.--The term `Battlefield 

 Report' means the document entitled `Report on the 

 Nation's Civil War Battlefields', prepared by the Civil 

 War Sites Advisory Commission, and dated July 1993. 

 ``(B) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' 

 means a State or local government. 

 ``(C) Eligible site.--The term `eligible site' means 

 a site-- 

 ``(i) that is not within the exterior 

 boundaries of a unit of the National Park System; 

 and 

 ``(ii) that is identified in the Battlefield 

 Report. 

 ``(D) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the 

 Secretary of the Interior, acting through the American 

 Battlefield Protection Program. 

 ``(2) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a 

 battlefield acquisition grant program under which the Secretary 

 may provide grants to eligible entities to pay the Federal share 

 of the cost of acquiring interests in eligible sites for the 

 preservation and protection of those eligible sites. 

 ``(3) Nonprofit partners.--An eligible entity may acquire an 

 interest in an eligible site using a grant under this subsection 

 in partnership with a nonprofit organization. 

 ``(4) Non-federal share.--The non-Federal share of the total 

 cost of acquiring an interest in an eligible site under this 

 subsection shall be not less than 50 percent. 

 ``(5) Limitation on land use.--An interest in an eligible 

 site acquired under this subsection shall be subject to section 

 6(f)(3) of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act of 1965 (16 

 U.S.C. 460l-8(f)(3)). 

 ``(6) Reports.-- 

 ``(A) In general.--Not later than 5 years after the 

 date of the enactment of this subparagraph, the 

 Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the 

 activities carried out under this subsection. 

 ``(B) Update of battlefield report.--Not later than 

 2 years after the date of the enactment of this 

 subsection, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a 

 report that updates the Battlefield Report to reflect-- 

 ``(i) preservation activities carried out at 

 the 384 battlefields during the period between 

 publication of the Battlefield Report and the 

 update; 

 ``(ii) changes in the condition of the 

 battlefields during that period; and 

 ``(iii) any other relevant developments 

 relating to the battlefields during that period. 

 
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 ``(7) Authorization of appropriations.-- 

 ``(A) In general.--There are authorized to be 

 appropriated to the Secretary from the Land and Water 

 Conservation Fund to provide grants under this 

 subsection $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 

 through 2008. 

 ``(B) Update of battlefield report.--There are 

 authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 

 out paragraph (6)(B), $500,000.''; and 

 (4) in subsection (e)-- 

 (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``as of'' and all 

 that follows through the period and inserting ``on 

 September 30, 2008.''; and 

 (B) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``and provide 

 battlefield acquisition grants'' after ``studies''. 

-end- 
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Appendix B. Battlefield Questionnaire 

State 

Battlefield 

Person Completing Form 

Date of completion 

I. Protected Lands of the Battlefield (“Protected lands” are these “owned” for historic 

preservation or conservation purposes. Please provide information on land protected since 1993.) 

1) Identify protected lands by parcel since 1993. Then answer these questions about each parcel, 

following example in the chart below. What is the acreage of each parcel? Is parcel owned fee 

simple, by whom? Is there is an easement, if so name easement holder? Was the land purchased or 

the easement conveyed after 1993? What was cost of purchase or easement? What was source of 

funding and the amount that source contributed? Choose from these possible sources: Coin money, 

LWCF, Farm Bill, State Government, Local Government, Private Owner, Private Non-Profit (provide 

name), or Other (describe). 

Parcel Acres Owner Easement Year Cost Source 

Joe Smith Farm 194 Private SHPO 1995 $500,000 LWCF/$250,000 

 Private/$250,000 

Sue Jones Tract 16 Battlefield Friends, Inc. No 2002 $41,000 State/$20,000 

 BFI/$21,000 

2) Other public or non-profit lands within the battlefield? (Y/N) 

• If yes, describe 

• Name of public or non-profit owner or easement holder 

• Number of Acres owned/held 

3) Is the information in a GIS? (Y/N) 

 If yes, may NPS obtain a copy of the data? (Y/N) 
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II. Preservation Groups

1) Is there a formal interested entity (friends group, etc) associated with the battlefield? (Y/N)

 If yes 

 Name 

 Address 

 Phone 

 Fax 

 E-mail 

 Web site? (Y/N) 

 If yes, what is the URL? 

 Does the web site have a preservation message? (Y/N) 

 What year did the group form? 

III. Public Access and Interpretation

1) Does the site have designated Public Access? (Y/N) (Count public roads if there are designated 

interpretive signs or pull-offs) 

If yes, what entity provides the public access (Access may occur on lands owned in fee or under 

 easement to the above entities) 

F Federal government 

F State government 

F Local government 

F Private Nonprofit organization 

F Private owner 

F Other 

Name of entity (if applicable) 

Number of Acres Accessible to the Public (size of the area in which the public may physically visit 

without trespassing. Do not include viewsheds.) 

2) Does the site have interpretation? (Y/N) 

If yes, what type of interpretation is available? 

F Visitor Center 

F Brochure(s) 

F Wayside exhibits 

F Driving Tour 

F Walking Tour 

F Audio tour tapes 

F Maintained historic features/areas 

F Living History 

F Website 

F Other 

IV. Registration 

Applies only to the battlefield landscape, not to individual contributing features of a battlefield 

(i.e., the individually listed Dunker Church property of .2 acres does not represent the Antietam 

battlefield for the purposes of this exercise) 

1) Is the site a designated National Historic Landmark? (Y/N) 

 If yes, NHL and ID Number 

2) Is the site listed in the National Register? (Y/N)

 If yes, NRHP Name and ID Number 
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3) Is the site listed in the State Register? (Y/N) 

 If yes, State Register Name and ID Number 

4) Is the site in the State Inventory? (Y/N) 

 If yes, State Inventory Name and ID Number 

5) Is the site designated as a local landmark or historic site? (Y/N) 

 Type of Designation/Listing 

V. Program Activities

What types of preservation program activities have occurred at the battlefield? Provide 

final product name and date if applicable (e.g., Phase I Archeological Survey Report on the 

Piper Farm, 1994 and Antietam Preservation Plan, 2001, etc.) 

1) Research and Documentation 

2) Cultural Resource surveys and inventories (building/structure and landscape 

inventories, archeological surveys, landscape surveys, etc.) 

3) Planning Projects (preservation plans, site management plans, cultural landscape 

reports, etc.) 

4) Interpretation Projects (also includes education) 

5) Advocacy (any project meant to engage the public in a way that would benefit the 

preservation of the site, e.g. PR, lobbying, public outreach, petitioning for action, 

etc.) 

6) Legislation (any local, state, or federal legislation designed to encourage 

preservation of the battlefield individually or together with other similar sites) 

7) Fundraising 

a. To support program activities? 

b. To support land acquisition/easements? 

8) Other 
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Appendix C. Civil War Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants 

The Civil War Battlefield Preservation Act of 2002 (PL 107-359) amended the American 

Battlefield Protection Act of 1996 (16 USC 469k) to authorize a matching grant program to 

assist States and local communities in acquiring significant Civil War battlefield lands for 

permanent protection. Most recently, Congress showed its continued support for these 

grants through its reauthorization of this program within the Omnibus Public Land 

Management Act of 2009 (PL 111-11). 

Eligible battlefields are those listed in the 1993 Report on the Nation’s Civil War 

Battlefields prepared by the Congressionally-chartered Civil War Sites Advisory Commission 

(CWSAC). Eligible acquisition projects may be for fee interest in land or for a protective 

interest such as a perpetual easement. 

Since 1998, Congress has appropriated a total of $38.9 million for this Civil War Battlefield 

Land Acquisition Grants (CWBLAG). These grants have assisted in the permanent 

protection of more than 15,742 acres at 61 Civil War battlefields in 14 states. To date, no 

CWBLAG grants have been awarded in the District of Columbia. Given ABPP’s 

determination that only NPS-owned portions of the Fort Stevens Study Area retain 

enough integrity to warrant assignment of a PotNR boundary, funding for land acquisition 

in the District of Columbia through this program will be unlikely unless additional 

archeological investigation indicates the presence of significant, intact battlefield 

resources in additional areas. 
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Appendix D. American Battlefield Protection Program Planning Grants 

Since 1992, ABPP has offered annual planning grants to nonprofit organizations, academic 

institutions, and local, regional, state, and tribal governments to help protect battlefields 

located on American soil. Applicants are encouraged to work with partner organizations 

and federal, State and local government agencies as early as possible to integrate their 

efforts into a larger battle site protection strategy. 

While ABPP has not yet awarded funding to projects associated with the District of 

Columbia’s Civil War battlefield, the program has granted nearly $9.5 million to 379 

projects throughout the country. Projects associated with portions of the Fort Stevens

battlefield Study Area that are not owned by the National Park Service are eligible to 

receive funding from this program.