American Battlefield Trust
Originally published June 2023 · pp. 14–15
etching the Jacob Avey Farm in history. To learn more about this preservation opportunity, visit www.battlefields.org/preserve.
Introducing “Boots on the Ground: A Manual for Battlefield Friends Groups”
An Unparalleled Chance to Save 20 Acres Associated with the Final Attack at Antietam The September 17, 1862, Battle of Antietam remains the single bloodiest day in American history. While the battle was a draw from a military standpoint, Lee’s army withdrew, giving Abraham Lincoln the “victory” he had been waiting for. Now, the Trust is launching a campaign to preserve 20 acres at Antietam— the site of some of the fiercest fighting associated with the Final Attack—at the historic Jacob Avey Farm. The property marks one of the last and largest unprotected locations remaining at the Antietam Battlefield, where the Trust has helped preserve 464 acres of hallowed ground. With the parcel having a total transaction value of $730,000, the Trust has already secured nearly half the total cost but is now racing against the clock to raise the final $369,652 before July.
The 2020 discovery of the 1864 Elliott Burial Map revealed the Avey Farm as the location of several Confederate graves. It is truly sacred ground, consecrated by bloodshed. Yet there was nothing the Trust could do to preserve it at the time of the map’s discovery, as these 20 acres were in private hands and not for sale. Now, suddenly, the Trust has been offered the chance to buy the acreage and the historic farmhouse where the Avey family lived. When war ravaged the nation beginning in 1861, farmers became fighters and homes became hospitals but for Jacob Avey, his quiet family farm became a bloody battlefield. Much of the fighting on September 17 culminated on and around Avey’s Farm and South Carolina troops sheltered in Jacob Avey’s orchard. Throughout the day, Confederate artillery fought, maneuvered, and retreated around Avey’s field. However, these forces could not stop the Union juggernaut that had its eyes set on the nearby spires of Sharpsburg. Confederate Gen. A.P. Hill came at the last moment, having
marched his Light Division from Harpers Ferry and arriving just in time to undo the Union assault. The next day, Union forces moved across the river to the Virginia shore, marking the end of the Battle of Antietam and forever
Shiloh National Military Park is the Star of the Trust’s Latest Video Driving Tour To mark the engagement’s 161st anniversary, the American Battlefield Trust debuted a nearly two-hour online video tour of Shiloh National Military Park. While not a substitute for an in-
Shiloh National Military Park in Shiloh, Tenn. (Photo by Tommy Kays)
The Avey Farmhouse at Antietam National Battlefield in Sharpsburg, Md. (Photo by American Battlefield Trust)
With funding from an American Battlefield Protection Program planning grant, the Trust contracted with the Walker Collaborative to create “Boots on the Ground: A Manual for Battlefield Friends Groups.” The Trust views this manual as an invaluable tool for both friends groups and preservation-minded citizens, immediately and for years to come.
one-hour webinar with primary collaborator Phil Walker on May 8, 1:00 p.m. EST. An in-depth analysis of the resource will be given with an opportunity for questions and answers at the end of the session. For more information, visit www. battlefields.org.
CivilWarNews.com
With development threats becoming more prevalent and powerful, the Trust believes it is of critical importance that local groups galvanize to help keep our nation’s heritage alive and protected. Currently, there are over 100 friends groups in 26 states that are directly involved in either Civil War, War of 1812, or Revolutionary War historic sites and the number continues to grow. Friends groups tend to serve as a battlefield’s first line of defense and the first party aware of any potential threats or preservation opportunities. With “Boots on the Ground,” those seeking to start a new friends group or those who wish to sustain and improve existing groups, will have the thorough and user-friendly guide to empower them in the process. The “Boots on the Ground” manual was launched on May 1. Following, the Trust will host a
person battlefield experience, this technology-filled tool emphasizes the importance of digital products in expanding access to historic landscapes, a concept proven via the battlefield preservation organization’s mobile apps and vastly popular YouTube channel. Armed with GoPro cameras mounted on his vehicle and a mind molded by years of dedicated study, Dr. Timothy B. Smith, a longtime ally of the American Battlefield Trust, former National Park Service ranger at Shiloh and professor of history at the University of Tennessee (Martin), guides viewers through the twists and turns of Shiloh National Military Park. Using the same route that visitors experience if trekking the battlefield themselves, Smith familiarizes audiences with iconic spots like Pittsburg Landing, Grant’s Last Line of Defense, Shiloh Church, and the Hornet’s Nest, along
with a handful of lesser-known locations. Aided by on-screen maps, historical imagery, and out of the car experiences, those watching online can better frame the unfolding of the Battle of Shiloh than they could through reading words on a page. The Trust’s release of the video tour is a much-anticipated follow-up to its Gettysburg video driving tour, which was released in November 2021. Created in coordination with the National Park Service, the free tour of the Shiloh Battlefield is now available at www.youtube.com/ americanbattlefieldtrust.
National Medal of Honor Day Recognized Through New Digital Endeavor Guests marking Medal of Honor Day, March 25, with a visit to the Medal of Honor Museum at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum were among the first to experience a new interactive exhibit—a touchscreen-enabled global citation map pinpointing each of the 3,516 actions for which Americans were awarded the Medal of Honor. It is the first on-site component of the Medal of Honor Valor Trail™, a joint effort of the American Battlefield Trust and the Congressional Medal of Honor Society (CMOHS). To celebrate Medal of Honor Day—marking the 160th anniversary of the first medals being awarded to the Andrews’ Raiders, whose exploits 200 miles behind Confederate lines were immortalized as The Great Locomotive Chase—Patriots
CivilWarNews.com Point Naval & Maritime Museum and CMOHS hosted special behind-the-scenes storytelling tours throughout the weekend. Those who attended these special tours were among the first to experience the new Valor Trail exhibit, a precursor to a broader reimagining of the Medal of Honor Museum in the coming years. The Medal of Honor Valor Trail™ initiative spans the full lineage of the Medal of Honor, from its Civil War origins into the 21st century. It is designed to connect the places most deeply connected to the lives and legacies of recipients. Learn more at www.valortrail.org.
The Trust Celebrates Sending More Than 40,000 Students to Battlefields and Beyond Starting in 2014, the Trust began efforts to help send classrooms to historic sites to experience place-based learning with its Field Trip Fund. Since then, the funding program has sent more than 400 trips and 40,000 students to insightful sites relating to the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, or Civil War, including Independence Hall, the Smithsonian Museum of American History, Mount Vernon, Gettysburg National Military Park, and so many more! Now, in 2023, the program will be renamed the History Field Trip Grant Program. The funding possibility will increase to $3,000 per trip, with the final amount granted to each selected applicant
Trust members enjoy the 2022 Annual Conference with a tour at Manassas National Battlefield Park. (Photo by Buddy Secor) based on demonstrated need. To learn more or apply, visit www. battlefields.org/learn/educators.
Journey to Franklin, Tenn., for the Trust’s 2023 Annual Conference! Join the Trust for its 2023 Annual Conference on May 18-21, in Franklin, Tenn. The conference poses a chance for all Trust members to gather. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or an enthusiastic newcomer, the organization has a great deal planned, with site visits to places such as Stones River, Spring Hill, Parker’s Cross Roads, and, of course, Franklin. With a slew of talented historians in tow, the annual conference is sure to satisfy any history enthusiast. For more information, visit www.battlefields.org/events.
Joined by CMOHS Executive Vice President John Falkenbury, Medal of Honor recipient Ryan Pitts explores the freshly installed exhibit. (Photo by American Battlefield Trust)
Photographs from the Original Article
Captions and credits appear in the article text as originally printed.