National Park Service Awards $1.5 Million Grant to Preserve 122 Acres at Williamsburg Battlefield

(Williamsburg, Va.) — The National Park Service has awarded a Battlefield Land Acquisition Grant of nearly $1.5 million to help protect a historic 21-acre parcel on the Williamsburg Battlefield, preserving land where Union and Confederate soldiers clashed in May 1862 as the Federal army advanced toward the Confederate capital at Richmond.

“Every acre of hallowed ground that we preserve is an opportunity for us and for future generations to have a better understanding of the formative conflicts that have shaped our nation. As we honor the spirit of America’s 250th anniversary, it is ever more important to protect these historic treasures,” said David Duncan, president of the American Battlefield Trust. 

Currently, the land is zoned for commercial development, and with its frontage along busy Route 60, it was a highly desirable tract for future development. With this federal support, paired with critical funding from the Virginia Battlefield Preservation Fund and generous private donations, this hallowed ground will now be saved forever.

While the area is best known today for its colonial history, Williamsburg became a battlefield on May 5, 1862, when Union General George B. McClellan’s army attacked the rear guard of General Joseph E. Johnston. More than 70,000 troops engaged in the battle, which ultimately ended inconclusively. The land being saved lies within the core combat area of the morning action. One Union soldiers' account of the battle referenced a Confederate trench line with V-shaped extensions located on the preserved tract.

“Preserving historic battlefields – like the site of the 1862 Civil War battle in Williamsburg during the Peninsula Campaign – helps the next generation of Americans learn about our country’s history, including its most painful chapters,” said U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA). “I’ve been proud to lead several bipartisan reauthorizations of the American Battlefield Protection Program, and I will continue to advocate for the preservation of historic sites in the Commonwealth and beyond.”

“Virginia is home to battlefields and historic landmarks central to the story of our nation. Preserving these sites allows future generations to experience our history firsthand and better understand the events that shaped our country,” said Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA). “I was proud to help pass the bipartisan American Battlefield Protection Program Enhancement Act to strengthen federal support for battlefield preservation, and I’m thrilled to see the program deliver federal funding to protect the Williamsburg battlefield and preserve this important piece of American history for generations to come.”

“Preserving our nation’s history allows us to remember the sacrifices Americans made for the country we have today and remind us of the work that needs to be done for tomorrow,” said Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA), whose district includes the battlefield. “This Battlefield Land Acquisition Grant rightfully makes sure that we honor the heroes that came before us and the continual sacrifices American troops make for our safety, while giving our country the opportunity to reflect on these historic battlefields and contribute to Williamsburg’s tourism economy.”

The Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants Program promotes preservation of America’s most historically significant Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and Civil War battlegrounds, which is a meaningful commemoration of the nation’s 250th anniversary. The program is administered by the American Battlefield Protection Program, an arm of the National Park Service. This latest round of grant awards also included matching grants for the Chalmette, Louisiana and Stones River, Tennessee battlefields.  Under U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, the National Park Service has awarded nearly $50 million in Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants to save historic land at 31 battlefields.

Funds from the Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants Program have been used to save 40,000 acres in 20 states, including some of the most famous battlefields in American history: Antietam, Md.; Appomattox and Fredericksburg, Va.; Gettysburg, Pa.; Charleston, S.C.; Princeton, N.J.; Saratoga, N.Y. and Shiloh, Tenn. Legislation co-sponsored by Senators Kaine and Warner is currently pending in the U.S. Senate to reauthorize this successful program, ensuring its ability to protect hallowed ground for the next decade.  Companion legislation passed the House of Representatives by an overwhelming margin of 404-13 in June. 

The American Battlefield Trust is dedicated to preserving America’s hallowed battlegrounds and educating the public about what happened there and why it matters today. The nonprofit, nonpartisan organization has protected more than 63,000 acres associated with the Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and Civil War across 160 sites in 25 states, including 343 acres associated with the Williamsburg Battlefield. Learn more at www.battlefields.org.

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