More Sacred Land on the Verge of Destruction

Yes, its a sad truth. It is sad that history is disposable--and it is sad that too many can't understand that they probably will have to reinvent some important wheels.

History endures long after the places it happened are gone or changed beyond recognition. If we needed the places to know the history, well we all know the history of places we've never been.

For many here history is a hobby, a form of entertainment or maybe a living. It's not reasonable to expect other people to indulge our enthusiasms. If they do fine, if not, no sweat.
 
If we needed the places to know the history
Of course we don't need places. But for the great majority, it's the physical relics that make clear the fact that there is a history--that something happened. Hopefully that will raise the question: Why did it happen? Once that question has been raised, a lot of additional questions follow and some conclusions. For example, I see a battlefield. Why was there a battle? Then, Well I surely don't want to go through something like that--how might it have been avoided?
It's not reasonable to expect other people to indulge our enthusiasms.
This kind of history is a learning tool. It is not necessary that other people be enthusiastic--just knowledgeable.
 
A considerable portion of the New Market Heights Battlefield, where 14 USCT's earned the Medal of Honor, is on the verge of being lost forever: https://richmond.com/news/local/gov...cle_e92dd1be-3124-5e34-94ce-4e685ed2889f.html

A solar farm has taken over the Savage's Station battlefield: https://freebeacon.com/culture/solar-farms-spark-civil-war-in-virginia/

Haw's Shop to be completely annihilated: https://emergingcivilwar.com/2021/05/28/preservation-setback-at-the-haws-shop-battlefield/


These are all from within the last five months. I regularly receive emails from the American Battlefield Trust wanting me to donate to save some small corner of Gettysburg where Union Infantry may have passed through for hundreds of thousands of dollars while actual battlefield land is being destroyed. There's no denying the Trust's success in saving huge swaths of battlefields from destruction, but we've seen more losses and less victories over the last few years. I believe part of the problem arises from the merger of the Civil War Trust and the Association for the Preservation of Civil War Sites - With two organizations, each held the other's feet to the fire. Now we have one organization with an embarrassingly large payroll and little accountability.

I was also upset to see the Trust requested and received a PPP loan during the pandemic (Pp. 12-13 https://www.battlefields.org/sites/default/files/atoms/files/American Battlefield Trust - Non-UG - M2019 FINAL (S).pdf) while at the same time its "Chief Historian" was soliciting money so he could take two separate trips to Kentucky and North Carolina. The majority of the "work" done on those trips involved filming actual historians who had knowledge of particular sites. The Trust had very recently held its annual conference in Kentucky. Why was this not done then?

On page 5 of the link above, you'll see that the Trust spent $5 million in 2019 on payroll and travel alone. On page 7 here, you'll see that eleven employees made a combined $2.2 million: https://www.battlefields.org/sites/default/files/atoms/files/AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD TRUST_TAX RETURN_CLIENT PD 990_2019 public.pdf

My argument is not that there are corrupt or bad people at the Trust. My point is that it has become a bloated DC company that has strayed from its original purpose. It made its name from doing the right thing. Now it can pay fat salaries and rest on its laurels until its members hold it accountable. I'm tired of seeing fields destroyed where so many men and boys paid the ultimate sacrifice. In my humble opinion, the country's foremost preservation group losing three in less than half a year is unacceptable.
I agree with you fully and no longer send money.
They would beg for zillions to stop walmart from building where a few soldiers may have traveled by but happy as class to toss 2nd Manassas under the bus to enhance 1st Manassas
Not sure who calls the shots there but as a 30 here not for profit exec. I kind of know the process and this one is a bit of a scattershot
 
I agree with you fully and no longer send money.
They would beg for zillions to stop walmart from building where a few soldiers may have traveled by but happy as class to toss 2nd Manassas under the bus to enhance 1st Manassas
Not sure who calls the shots there but as a 30 here not for profit exec. I kind of know the process and this one is a bit of a scattershot
In the last three weeks alone, I've received emails from the Trust begging for more money to 1. Send the Chief Historian and his buddies on a field trip to Nashville and Mississippi to create content, even though the Trust has its annual meeting out that way just a few years ago and such "content" could've been created then and 2. For even more historically insignificant land at Gettysburg. In regards to point #1, it should be remembered that said historian put on a puppet show (I'm not exaggerating) at a recent annual conference.

The Trust continues to make such decisions frequently and regularly. I again encourage any Trust donors to closely examine how it spends its money before cutting that next check.
 
In the last three weeks alone, I've received emails from the Trust begging for more money to 1. Send the Chief Historian and his buddies on a field trip to Nashville and Mississippi to create content, even though the Trust has its annual meeting out that way just a few years ago and such "content" could've been created then and 2. For even more historically insignificant land at Gettysburg. In regards to point #1, it should be remembered that said historian put on a puppet show (I'm not exaggerating) at a recent annual conference.

The Trust continues to make such decisions frequently and regularly. I again encourage any Trust donors to closely examine how it spends its money before cutting that next check.
And I again encourage any Trust donors to use their own judgment about the numerous parcels being saved every year, instead of relying on posts in a forum that a specific parcel is "even more historically insignificant land". One thing the Trust does very well is give a specific description of why a target property is historically important, accompanied by excellent Stanley maps showing where it fits. I note you wisely haven't made a similar claim about the parcels at Champion Hill or the combined parcels at Cold Harbor/Gaines's Mill, just for two examples - any such claim would be absurd on its face. You don't want to donate, that's your right. But this zealous mission to persuade folks not to help save these parcels isn't helping your favorites one bit. Lose-lose.
 
And I again encourage any Trust donors to use their own judgment about the numerous parcels being saved every year, instead of relying on posts in a forum that a specific parcel is "even more historically insignificant land". One thing the Trust does very well is give a specific description of why a target property is historically important, accompanied by excellent Stanley maps showing where it fits. I note you wisely haven't made a similar claim about the parcels at Champion Hill or the combined parcels at Cold Harbor/Gaines's Mill, just for two examples - any such claim would be absurd on its face. You don't want to donate, that's your right. But this zealous mission to persuade folks not to help save these parcels isn't helping your favorites one bit. Lose-lose.
The Gaines's Mill/Cold Harbor property is one of the most significant out there, period. It absolutely does need to be saved. But just as you criticize my glossing over of that, I've yet to see you address paying a man nearly $200,000 to put on puppet shows.
 
The Gaines's Mill/Cold Harbor property is one of the most significant out there, period. It absolutely does need to be saved. But just as you criticize my glossing over of that, I've yet to see you address paying a man nearly $200,000 to put on puppet shows.
You oversimplify just a bit. You also cherry-picked the Gettysburg parcel for your argument while repeatedly ignoring those that meet anybody's rational evaluation of "significant" or "important". For every parcel that they seek donations for, the ABT explains its history and provides a map showing its exact relationship to the historical battlefield. People can easily determine whether those parcels are important. My summary point is that folks can either donate to preserve these battlefields or not. Urging them not to isn't doing one bit to save those fields. I note that at least one of the alternate entities you list has worked in conjunction with the ABT on projects.
 
You oversimplify just a bit. You also cherry-picked the Gettysburg parcel for your argument while repeatedly ignoring those that meet anybody's rational evaluation of "significant" or "important". For every parcel that they seek donations for, the ABT explains its history and provides a map showing its exact relationship to the historical battlefield. People can easily determine whether those parcels are important. My summary point is that folks can either donate to preserve these battlefields or not. Urging them not to isn't doing one bit to save those fields. I note that at least one of the alternate entities you list has worked in conjunction with the ABT on projects.
Great point about folks making informed decisions as to whether to donated to bloated organizations. Here's the Trust's latest financials (P. 9 are salaries): https://www.battlefields.org/sites/...RUST_TAX RETURN_CLIENT PD 990_2019 public.pdf

Here's where they accepted PPP loans while still begging for money for field trips and to buy both significant and insignificant land (P. 12-13): https://www.battlefields.org/sites/...tlefield Trust - Non-UG - M2019 FINAL (S).pdf

Now the info is out there for all to view and make their own informed decisions. Thanks for the advice!
 
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