Save 838 Acres at Gaines’ Mill-Cold Harbor and at White Oak Road in Virginia

The Opportunity

Right now, there is an opportunity to protect 838 acres of sacred battlefield land at Gaines’ Mill–Cold Harbor and White Oak Road — three sites where the nation’s fate once hung in the balance.

Without action, this hallowed ground could be lost to development — subdivisions, commercial projects, even data centers — permanently erasing landscapes where American soldiers fought, fell and altered the course of history.

$431,350 must be raised to secure these irreplaceable tracts.

For more than 40 years, the American Battlefield Trust has acted decisively when history was at risk. Thanks to steadfast supporters, preservation efforts have secured:

• More than 1,200 acres at Gaines’ Mill and Cold Harbor
• 963 acres previously saved at White Oak Road
• More than 60,000 acres nationwide

Preservation succeeds only when action is taken in time. This is one of those moments.

These 838 acres — still bearing surviving earthworks, artillery lunettes, infantry parapets and rifle pits — must not disappear beneath pavement and concrete.

With generous support, the unthinkable can be prevented.

Donate now

The History

These fields are not empty land. They are living witnesses.

Gaines’ Mill — June 27, 1862

Union Gen. Fitz John Porter’s Fifth Corps — 34,000 men — stood with their backs to the Chickahominy River as nearly 60,000 Confederates under Gen. Robert E. Lee advanced.

The clash became the largest Confederate assault of the Civil War and marked Lee’s first major victory as commander of the Army of Northern Virginia.

Cold Harbor — June 1–3, 1864

Two years later, Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant ordered another engagement on the same hallowed fields. Entrenched lines, devastating assaults, and staggering casualties defined the battle.

On June 3 alone, thousands of Union soldiers fell in less than one hour — a sobering reminder of war’s terrible cost.

White Oak Road — March 31, 1865

In the final days of the war, more than 30,000 troops clashed as Union Gen. Gouverneur Warren sought to sever Confederate supply lines. The action at White Oak Road helped pave the way for victory at Five Forks and the breakthrough that led to Lee’s surrender.

The gravity of these moments can still be felt across the landscape today. Earthworks remain. Battle lines are traceable. The terrain continues to tell its story. Once developed, those stories cannot be reclaimed.

Make History at Gaines' Mill and Cold Harbor – Again

Don’t let the unthinkable happen... Support is urgently needed to raise $431,350 and permanently preserve these 838 acres.

Every gift — large or small — moves preservation efforts closer to protecting this sacred ground forever.

BONUS: Those who make a donation today will receive an exclusive, full-color poster of the Battle of Gaines’ Mill, featuring a remarkable overhead painting by acclaimed artist David Geister. Designed in the spirit of the classic American Heritage history volumes, this one-of-a-kind piece captures a pivotal moment in extraordinary detail. More than a keepsake, it serves as a powerful reminder of what generosity makes possible.

When history stands at risk, preservation depends on those willing to act. Allowing these battlefields to be lost would be unthinkable. Please make a gift today and help preserve these 838 acres in Virginia forever.

Donate now