Preservation of America's Civil War battlefields started shortly after the war was over. Initial efforts came from organizations of men who had fought on those battlefields. For instance, the Society of the Army of the Cumberland lobbied for a military park at the Chickamauga and Chattanooga battlefields. These veterans were successful in 1890. Shiloh soon followed (1894). Later, Stones River (1927) would be added to this small but significant list of preserved sites.
The push for these parks came primarily from Union veterans. This was no slight to Confederate veterans: the resources and political power resided in the North. What is so wonderful about the creation of these parks is that Union and Confederate veterans alike joined together in determining where the fighting took place. Can you imagine them walking together over the open fields of battle and through the woods, reminiscing the terrible events of not so long ago? Perhaps they disagreed on some specifics, but hopefully all strived to recreate the reality of their respective roles and the positions of their comrades, be they infantry or artillery or cavalry. On those fields after the war, real reconciliation took place between the men who determined the course of history of these United States of America!
Tennessee witnessed more clashes of armed men determined to prevail for their respective countries than any other state except Virginia! There are more than 3,000 documented engagements between Confederate and Union forces on Tennessee soil. We owe it to those who fought, to ourselves, and ultimately to future generations to save enough of the battlefields to intelligently and honestly tell the incredible stories of the conflict that tore America apart in the 1860's.
Today in Tennessee ninety percent of the battlefields are owned by private landowners. Ninety percent! If you think about it, this is a double-edged sword. It implies that there are great opportunities to preserve more of our collective history. On the other hand, so many battle sites have yet to be preserved, and private landowners can do what they please with their land. The incredible growth that the state of Tennessee has seen in the last fifteen years, and continues to see, bodes poorly for many of these battlefields. You can honor the men and women who fought and suffered by participating in the preservation of America's Civil War battlefields. The Tennessee Civil War Preservation Association (TCWPA) is dedicated to the entire preservation process, and the greatest mandate for preservation is a grass-roots constituency of like mind.
To give you an idea of how things have changed in the last hundred years, Congress appropriated $75,000 towards the establishment of the Shiloh National Military Park and purchase of battlefield lands. Private funds were also needed to assist in the purchase of the Shiloh Battlefield. At the close of 1896, some 2,095 acres had been procured at a cost of $12.70 per acre. By November of 1954 the total acreage would be up to 3,729. Today there are some 3,960 acres preserved at Shiloh, which represents 96% of the original battlefield. This is a true success story, and one we want to emulate today. However, we can no longer rely on the Federal Government for resources to purchase battlefields. It is up to ordinary citizens like us who simply care about our collective history and wish to be a part of the preservation effort going on all over this great land.
During the four years of the American Civil War, Confederate Union soldiers engaged in mortal combat at least 3,000 times across the state of Tennessee. No community in the Volunteer State was untouched by the struggle. With few exceptions, the sites where Northern and Southern soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice are privately owned and endangered. Every week, part of our state's Civil War heritage is destroyed forever. If we do not act today, there will be no tomorrow for Tennessee's hallowed ground.
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Battle of Franklin Tennessee ScenesPhoto courtesy of David Wright, Gallatin, TN
