American Civil War battlefield preservation

Last updated
Monument at the Gettysburg National Military Park. Gettysburg Battlefield, Pennsylvania, US (105).jpg
Monument at the Gettysburg National Military Park.

The practice of preserving the battlefields of the American Civil War for historical and memorial reasons has been developed over more than 150 years in the United States. Even during the American Civil War active duty soldiers on both sides of the conflict began erecting impromptu battlefield monuments to their recently fallen comrades. [1] Since these initial attempts at preservation and commemoration, important Civil War battle sites have been preserved by various groups and many are now in the care of the National Park Service and overseen by the American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP). [2] Of approximately 10,500 acts of aggression that occurred between the United States and the Confederacy 384 have been identified in a 1993 federal report as being principle to the conflict. [2] From these a select few have been chosen based on their historical significance, accessibility, and preservability to be federally curated. [3] Beyond sites run by the U.S. Federal government many secondary battle sites across the United States are maintained and operated by state governments and private historical groups.

Contents

History of Civil War battlefield preservation

During the Civil War, soldiers on both sides marked the places where their comrades had fallen and erected small monuments at battle sites they had successfully defended or captured. [1] Though rudimentary in nature these battlefield cemeteries prevented the spaces from being developed and the monuments helped to guide later preservation efforts. Real preservation efforts began in the 1890s when sectional tensions had begun to decrease. [4] These efforts tended to focus on the bravery of the soldiers in each individual battles rather than the conflict as a whole in order to minimize conflict over the sites. [5] A second wave of commemoration efforts took place at the end of the First World War. Though initially fueled by patriotic fervor preservation efforts were continued as a way to stimulate job creation during the New Deal. [4] All efforts stopped during the Second World War and were not continued at its conclusion. Due to the Civil War's association with slavery and its continuing legacy of racial violence it became closely associated with the Civil Rights Movement. [4] This politicized battlefield preservation efforts causing the Federal government to distance itself. Real interest in the Civil War was sparked in the 1990s by Ken Burns' documentary The Civil War. [4] By this time the government had taken a 60-year hiatus from preservation efforts and the movement was now run by private organizations, primarily the Civil War Trust. [4]

National Civil War Military Parks and National Battlefields

Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park 35601538066.jpg
Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park.

The 17 Civil War battle sites that are cared for by the NSP are listed under four different designations: National Military Parks, National Battlefields, National Battlefield Parks, and National Battlefield Sites. [3] Not all of these battles are widely considered to be particularly important and many other battles that have not been given any official designation. There are those who believe that the selection process and marketing of Civil War battlefields are a highly political issue even into the 21st century. [5] The primary complaint of scholars and select visitors is that these federally preserved sites, intentionally or unintentionally preserve and promote the 'Lost Cause' narrative. [6] Furthermore, the NPS service came under fire for their preservation efforts due to that fact that they largely ignored slavery as a component of the Civil War until the 1990s. [5]

Civil War National Military Parks

Civil War National Battlefields

Civil War National Battlefield Parks

Civil War National Battlefield Sites

State and locally preserved Civil War Battlefields

The Carter House at the Battle of Franklin. A site originally purchased and preserved by the Sons of Confederate Veterans. Carter House Franklin TN rear.jpg
The Carter House at the Battle of Franklin. A site originally purchased and preserved by the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

Various state governments have taken it upon themselves to preserve select Civil War battlefields throughout the United States. Though these tend to be smaller and less important battle sites than those run by the federal government they also tend to display much stronger biases in their recounting of historical events, often reflecting the sentiments of the locale surrounding the site and the time at which preservation efforts began. [6] Most recent state preservation efforts have tended to present battle narratives in a more balanced way then those established in the first half of the 20th century.

When neither the federal or state government undertake the preservation of a Civil War battle site, occasionally private associations will raise funds through donations and government grants to preserve the site if their members and donors deem it historically important. These sites operate in a mostly independent manner which can be problematic, especially since many of these associations are offshoots of organizations fundamentally charged with the advancement of the 'Lost Cause' narrative such as the Daughters of the Confederacy and the Sons of Confederate Veterans. [6] Even battlefields that are the sites of Union victories often heavily focus on the personal narratives of Confederate commanders and the bravery of the soldiers under their command, largely ignoring the actual outcome of the battle. [6] The most prevalent and balanced preserver of Civil War Battlefields is the Civil War Trust. An independent organization created to preserve the history of the Civil War that has taken the lead in preservation efforts nationwide in the late 20th and early 21st century. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Brice's Cross Roads</span> Battle of the American Civil War

The Battle of Brice's Cross Roads, also known as the Battle of Tishomingo Creek or the Battle of Guntown, was fought on Friday, June 10, 1864, near Baldwyn, Mississippi, then part of the Confederate States of America. A Federal expedition from Memphis, Tennessee, of 4,800 infantry and 3,300 cavalry, under the command of Brigadier-General Samuel D. Sturgis, was defeated by a Confederate force of 3,500 cavalry under the command of Major-General Nathan B. Forrest. The battle was a victory for the Confederates. Forrest inflicted heavy casualties on the Federal force and captured more than 1,600 prisoners of war, 18 artillery pieces, and wagons loaded with supplies. Once Sturgis reached Memphis, he asked to be relieved of his command.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Palmito Ranch</span> Final battle of the American Civil War

The Battle of Palmito Ranch, also known as the Battle of Palmito Hill, is considered by some criteria as the final battle of the American Civil War. It was fought May 12 and 13, 1865, on the banks of the Rio Grande east of Brownsville, Texas, and a few miles from the seaport of Los Brazos de Santiago, at the southern tip of Texas. The battle took place more than a month after the general surrender of Confederate forces to Union forces at Appomattox Court House, which had since been communicated to both commanders at Palmito, and in the intervening weeks the Confederacy had collapsed entirely, so it could also be classified as a postwar action.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James M. McPherson</span> American historian

James Munro McPherson is an American Civil War historian, and is the George Henry Davis '86 Professor Emeritus of United States History at Princeton University. He received the 1989 Pulitzer Prize for Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. McPherson was the president of the American Historical Association in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lost Cause of the Confederacy</span> Negationist myth of the American Civil War

The Lost Cause of the Confederacy is an American pseudohistorical negationist mythology that claims the cause of the Confederate States during the American Civil War was just, heroic, and not centered on slavery. First enunciated in 1866, it has continued to influence racism, gender roles and religious attitudes in the South to the present day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ox Hill Battlefield Park</span>

Ox Hill Battlefield Park is a site in Fairfax, Virginia, where the Battle of Ox Hill was fought during the American Civil War. It was the only major battle of the war fought in Fairfax County. The battlefield is now a public park adjacent to suburban developments and the Fairfax Towne Center shopping center, and is maintained by the Fairfax County Park Authority.

The most common name for the American Civil War in modern American usage is simply "The Civil War". Although rarely used during the war, the term "War Between the States" became widespread afterward in the Southern United States. During and immediately after the war, Northern historians often used the terms "War of the Rebellion" and "Great Rebellion", and the Confederate term was "War for Southern Independence", which regained some currency in the 20th century but has again fallen out of use. The name "Slaveholders' Rebellion" was used by Frederick Douglass and appears in newspaper articles. "Freedom War" is used to celebrate the war's effect of ending slavery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Military Park</span> Military Parks of the United States

National Military Park, National Battlefield, National Battlefield Park, and National Battlefield Site are four designations for 25 battle sites preserved by the United States federal government because of their national importance. The designation applies to "sites where historic battles were fought on American soil during the armed conflicts that shaped the growth and development of the United States...."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve</span> National Historical Park of the United States

Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve protects the natural and cultural resources of Louisiana's Mississippi River Delta region. It is named after French pirate Jean Lafitte and consists of six separate sites and a park headquarters.

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."

Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, at 2332 New Garden Road in Greensboro, Guilford County, North Carolina, commemorates the Battle of Guilford Court House, fought on March 15, 1781. This battle opened the campaign that led to American victory in the Revolutionary War. The loss by the British in this battle contributed to their surrender at Yorktown seven months later. The battlefield is preserved as a National Military Park and operated by the National Park Service (NPS). Based on research of historical evidence, the interpretation of the battle has changed since the late 20th century, which will affect the placement of monuments and markers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chalmette National Cemetery</span> Historic veterans cemetery in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana

Chalmette National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located within Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve in Chalmette, Louisiana. The cemetery is a 17.5-acre (7.1 ha) graveyard adjacent to the site that was once the battleground of the Battle of New Orleans, which took place at the end of the War of 1812. Despite its proximity to the site of the Battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812, the majority of the interments are of soldiers who were casualties or veterans of the American Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, or the Vietnam War. The cemetery was subsequently closed to new interments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania in the American Civil War</span> Role of Pennsylvania in the Union

During the American Civil War, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania played a critical role in the Union, providing a substantial supply of military personnel, equipment, and leadership to the Federal government. The state raised over 360,000 soldiers for the Federal armies. It served as a significant source of artillery guns, small arms, ammunition, armor for the new revolutionary style of ironclad types of gunboats for the rapidly expanding United States Navy, and food supplies. The Phoenixville Iron Company by itself produced well over 1,000 cannons, and the Frankford Arsenal was a major supply depot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richmond in the American Civil War</span> History of Richmond, Virginia during the American Civil War

Richmond, Virginia served as the capital of the Confederate States of America for almost the whole of the American Civil War. Notwithstanding its political status, it was a vital source of weapons and supplies for the war effort, as well as the terminus of five railroads, and as such would have been defended by the Confederate States Army at all costs.

The American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP) is a United States federal government program created by the Secretary of the Interior in 1991, with the aim of preserving historic battlefields in the United States. In 1996, Congress signed into law the American Battlefield Protection Act, which officially authorized the ABPP. The program operates under the American Battlefield Protection Program Authorization as of 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the National Park Service</span>

Since 1872 the United States National Park System has grown from a single, public reservation called Yellowstone National Park to include 430 natural, historical, recreational, and cultural areas throughout the United States, its territories, and island possessions. These areas include National Parks, National Monuments, National Memorials, National Military Parks, National Historic Sites, National Parkways, National Recreation Areas, National Seashores, National Scenic Riverways, and National Scenic Trails.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birch Coulee Battlefield</span> United States historic place

Birch Coulee Battlefield in Renville County, Minnesota, United States, was the site of the Battle of Birch Coulee, the costliest military engagement for U.S. forces during the Dakota War of 1862. It is now a historic site with self-guided trails and markers interpreting the battle from both sides. Birch Coulee was nominated to the National Register of Historic Places for having state-level significance in military history, and was listed in 1973.

The American Civil War Centennial was the official United States commemoration of the American Civil War, also known as the War Between the States. Commemoration activities began in 1957, four years prior to the 100th anniversary of the commencement of hostilities, and ended in 1965 with the 100th anniversary of the surrender at Appomattox.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commemoration of the American Civil War</span>

The commemoration of the American Civil War is based on the memories of the Civil War that Americans have shaped according to their political, social and cultural circumstances and needs, starting with the Gettysburg Address and the dedication of the Gettysburg cemetery in 1863. Confederates, both veterans and women, were especially active in forging the myth of the Lost Cause of the Confederacy.

The Civil War Trust's Civil War Discovery Trail is a heritage tourism program that links more than 600 U.S. Civil War sites in more than 30 states. The program is one of the White House Millennium Council's sixteen flagship National Millennium Trails. Sites on the trail include battlefields, museums, historic sites, forts and cemeteries.

References

  1. 1 2 Panhorst, Michael. ""The First of Our Hundred Battle Monuments": Civil War Battlefield Monuments Built by Active-Duty Soldiers During the Civil War". Southern Cultures. 20:4: 22–43 via Vanderbilt Libraries.
  2. 1 2 Robinson, Holly (1993). "Civil War Sites Advisory Commission Report on the Nation's Civil War Battlefields" (PDF).{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. 1 2 "Battlefields: Visit". Nationals Park Service.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Devaney, Shawn (2018). "Altogether Fitting and Proper: Civil War Battlefield Preservation in History, Memory, and Policy, 1861–2015 by Timothy B. Smith (review)". Pennsylvania History: A Journal of Mid-Atlantic Studies. 85 (3): 421–24. doi:10.5325/pennhistory.85.3.0421.
  5. 1 2 3 Spielvogel, J. Christian (2013). Interpreting Sacred Ground: The Rhetoric of National Civil War Parks and Battlefields. University of Alabama Press.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Stone, Richard (2007). "Selective Civil War Battlefield Preservation as a Method of Marketing The Southern "Lost Cause"". Conference on Historical Analysis & Research in Marketing: 221–227. CiteSeerX   10.1.1.487.5156 .