page_title: American Battlefield Trust
section_title: Battlefield preservation
hierarchical_section_title: American Battlefield Trust / Battlefield preservation
caption_attribution_description: Civil War Trust signs at the Chancellorsville Battlefield
context_page_description: The American Battlefield Trust is a charitable organization whose primary focus is in the preservation of battlefields of the American Civil War, the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 through acquisition of battlefield land. The American Battlefield Trust was formerly known as the Civil War Trust. On May 8, 2018, the organization announced the creation of the American Battlefield Trust as the umbrella organization for two divisions, the Civil War Trust and the Revolutionary War Trust, which was formerly known as "Campaign 1776." The name American Battlefield Trust reflects the organization's expanded mission, announced in 2014, of saving land at battlefields of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 as well as the American Civil War The American Battlefield Trust also promotes educational programs and heritage tourism initiatives to inform the public about these three conflicts and their significance in American history. On May 31, 2018, the Trust announced that with the acquisition of 13 acres at the Cedar Creek battlefield in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, it had reached the milestone of 50,000 acres of battlefield land acquired and preserved.
context_section_description: The Civil War Trust has preserved more than 48,600 acres (197 km²) of battlefield land from the Civil War, the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 at more than 130 battlefields in 24 states within the United States.
  Key battlefield preservation initiatives and acquisitions include:
  247 acres (1.00 km²) at Fredericksburg, Virginia
  The campaign to preserve the 208-acre (0.84 km²) Slaughter Pen Farm is the most expensive private battlefield preservation effort in American history. The Trust, working in partnership with Tricord, Inc., SunTrust Bank, and the Central Virginia Battlefield Trust, was able to purchase the property for $12 million in 2006. To support the preservation efforts at the Slaughter Pen Farm the Department of the Interior awarded a $2 million CWBPP grant based on the significance of the land and the availability of non-federal matching funds. The Slaughter Pen Farm was the largest remaining unprotected part of the Fredericksburg Battlefield. It is also the only place on the battlefield where a visitor can still follow the Union assault from beginning to end.
  259 acres (1.05 km²) at The Wilderness, Virginia
  In October 2010, the Trust announced a new campaign to acquire 49 acres (0.20 km²) of the Wilderness Battlefield in Orange County, Virginia. This Middlebrook Tract includes the eastern edge of Saunders Field and land associated with the May 6, 1864, flank attack by Confederate forces under John B. Gordon. Historian and author Gordon Rhea stated that this land "witnessed some of the Wilderness' most brutal combat". After reaching its $1,085,000 fundraising goal in under three months, the Trust acted as a steward for the land until May 2014, when it was transferred to Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park. Building on this acquisition, the Trust in 2011 was also able to secure a 49-acre (0.20 km²) parcel that was the site of Union commander Ulysses S. Grant's daytime headquarters during the fighting.
  679 acres (2.75 km²) at Glendale, Virginia
  While the Richmond, Virginia, suburbs remain a prime area for development, the Trust has made significant acquisitions at the Glendale battlefield, preserving 319 acres (1.29 km²) in 2007 and 675 acres (2.73 km²) overall. Over 80 percent of the battlefield is now preserved. When combined with previous efforts at nearby Malvern Hill, the Trust has now created a three-mile-long (5 km) continuous corridor of protected battlefield.
  795 acres (3.22 km²) at Champion Hill, Mississippi
  Using an easement rather than acquiring the land, the Trust protected 144 acres (0.58 km²) at the heart of the Champion Hill battlefield in 2007. This key portion of the field is still owned by the Champion family, for whom the area and the battle were named, but now is under conservation easement. The Champion family will maintain ownership of their historic land while realizing their intention of seeing it protected in perpetuity.
  1,317 acres (5.33 km²) at Shiloh, Tennessee
  As the United States marked the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Shiloh, the Trust announced it had the opportunity to purchase a 504-acre (2.04 km²) property on and around Shiloh Hill, including significant frontage on the Tennessee River. After completing a $1.25 million fundraising campaign, the Trust deeded the land to Shiloh National Military Park, the largest addition to the park since it was founded in 1894. Cumulatively, the Trust has protected 1,160 acres (4.7 km²) at Shiloh, much of which has been integrated into the national park.
  1,288 acres (5.21 km²) at Chancellorsville, Virginia
  The Trust has a record of working with preservation-friendly developers to protect battlefield land. In 2004, the Trust worked with Spotsylvania County officials and family-owned Tricord, Inc., to protect 134 acres (0.54 km²) of land associated with the First Day at Chancellorsville Battlefield. Two years later, a similar deal was worked out with Spotsylvania County and Toll Brothers, Inc. to protect another 74 acres (0.30 km²) of this historic battleground. Because of these efforts, more than 2 miles (3.2 km) o
caption: CWPT Preserved Land at Chancellorsville
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