Introducing the 2024-25 Youth Leadership Team
Originally published January-February 2025 · pp. 14–15
Save 23 Acres at Shiloh and Half-Acre at Chattanooga The Trust recently launched a campaign to preserve 23 acres of Shiloh Battlefield and half an acre at Chattanooga— two critical Civil War sites in Tennessee. Second only to Virginia, the Volunteer State witnessed more battles than any other state. The total cost to preserve these hallowed grounds is $490,000, but thanks to anticipated contributions from preservation partners, the Trust needs to raise the final $280,000, with every dollar donated being matched. At Shiloh, one of the war’s earliest large-scale battles, Gen. Pierce G.T. Beauregard took command after Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston was mortally wounded. As night fell, Beauregard halted the attack, unaware that Union reinforcements were arriving. By morning, Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s army had grown to 54,000 men, outnumbering the Confederates by 24,000, leading to a decisive Federal victory. The 23-acre property the Trust seeks to preserve includes a portion of the widow Mary Howell’s farm and the field where Confederate Col. Preston Pond sent two infantry regiments into battle on April 6th. In Chattanooga, the Trust is working to preserve a halfacre site that played a key role in breaking the Confederate siege of the city. Soldiers from three Union brigades fought over this land as they advanced to drive the Confederates from Tunnel Hill. This property would add to the 405 acres the Trust has already preserved at Chattanooga. For more information about this preservation opportunity, visit www.battlefields.org/preserve23acres.
The Trust has announced its 2024-25 Youth Leadership Team, a group of 10 students ready to bring history to life while serving as the youth face and voice of the Trust. Over the next year, these young leaders will advocate for historical education and preservation through projects reflecting their interests and community. Through local advocacy, these students will raise awareness about the importance of preserving America’s heritage and historic sites. Chosen from a highly competitive pool of applicants, this year’s cohort embarked on a comprehensive training course aligned with the Trust’s mission and covering a broad spectrum of ideas—ranging from media and local advocacy to land preservation. The Trust staff will guide the team as they each develop their individual capstone projects. The full roster of the 2024-25 Youth Leadership Team includes: Eshaam Bhattad from Buffalo Grove, Ill.; Hannah Cho from Irvine, Calif.; Henry Henick from Washington, D.C.; Austin Ingall from Temperance, Mich.; Julia Lever from Madison, Miss.; Marissa Liner from Avon, N.C.; Abigail Lovins from Austin, Texas; Harper Quale from Austin, Texas; Colby Tuller from East Calais, Vt. and Grace Zhou from New York, N.Y.
New Animated Map Explores North Carolina’s Military History The Trust’s latest animated map, North Carolina at War, brings to life the state’s rich military history from 1770 to 1865. Produced by Wide Awake Films, the 23-minute production immerses viewers in North Carolina’s pivotal moments, from the Regulator Movement and the American Revolution to fighting at Fort Fisher and the Confederate surrender at Bennett Place during the Civil War. Blending motion graphics, narration, and reenactment footage, North Carolina at War offers a deeper look into the Tar Heel state’s complex role in the country’s history. This latest map joins the Trust’s ever-growing arsenal of productions, that have collectively garnered millions of views across the globe. These resources, from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War and beyond, continue to educate and engage viewers looking to explore America’s most significant conflicts. The latest installment was made possible through generous support from the State of North Carolina and its Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. For more videos, visit www.youtube.com/americanbattlefieldtrust.
Preserve the Most Important 11 Acres Left To Save at Antietam The Shiloh National Military Park commemorates the April 6-7, 1862, battle. Photo by Melissa A. Winn.
In September, the Trust launched a campaign to secure 11 acres of unprotected land right in the heart of the Antietam Battlefield. This property, located just steps behind the historic Dunker Church and part of the West
Woods, is among the most significant acres left to preserve at Antietam. After years of private ownership, the Trust is collaborating with the landowner to acquire this vital parcel and complete the protected core battlefield area while safeguarding against future development and opening the land for public access and new interpretation opportunities. The Trust must raise $150,000 to finalize the acquisition of the 11 acres. One of the most notable battles of the Civil War, Antietam remains the deadliest one-day battle in American history. The targeted property was witness to some of the bloodiest fighting during the battle and was crossed by Gen. John Bell Hood’s Confederate division as they charged to the Cornfield. Shortly afterwards, South Carolinians under Gen. Joseph B. Kershaw engaged Union soldiers in the fighting for the West Woods and the Sunken Road. The property was also host to the 34th New York and Maryland and Pennsylvania soldiers from the Union Twelfth Corps. For more information about this preservation opportunity, visit www.battlefields.org/preserve/11AcresAntietam
Fences run along the Sunken Road at Antietam National Battlefield. Photo by Andrew Bossi.
Amicus Curiae Brief is Filed in Opposition to World’s Largest Data Center In early October, six prominent conservation organizations submitted an amicus curiae brief in support of a lawsuit to stop the construction of the world’s largest data center complex adjacent to the Manassas National Battlefield Park. The proposed Prince William Digital Gateway project, spanning 1,750 acres, is set to house 37 data center buildings. The brief was filed in the Circuit Court of Prince William County by the Coalition to Protect Prince William County, Piedmont Environmental Council, National Parks Conservation Association, Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities, National Trust for the Historic Preservation in the United States and Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks. On December 13, 2023, the Prince William County’s Board of Supervisors approved plans for the massive
Digital Gateway complex, a data center campus in the narrow corridor between the western border of Manassas National Battlefield Park and Conway Robinson Forest. After a 27-hour meeting that included public comment from hundreds of area residents, the final vote in favor was 4-3, with one abstention. The filing supports nine local residents and the American Battlefield Trust, who are challenging the December 2023 rezoning approval that was fast-tracked by a lame-duck Board of Supervisors despite adverse recommendations from county staff, the Planning Commission, and strong public opposition. A hearing on motions filed by the County and the developers of the Digital Gateway to dismiss the suit is scheduled for October 31, 2024, with a decision expected shortly thereafter.
Call for Nominations for the 2025 Trust Prize for History The nomination window for the 2025 American Battlefield Trust Prize for History is now open. In 2023, the Trust launched the Book Prize for History to amplify the connection between the grounds on which the nation’s formative conflicts were decided and the role these lands play for scholars and historians who help new generations more deeply understand the past. The Prize is awarded to a work of military history or biography that underscores the essential role of the nation’s military conflicts in the founding, formation and endurance of our nation. Dr. Elizabath Varon, professor at the University of Virginia, won the inaugural prize for her biography Longstreet: The Confederate General Who Defied the South, while D. Scott Hartwig and Friederike Baer received honorable mentions for I Dread the Thought of the Place: The Battle of Antietam and the End of the Maryland Campaign and Hessians: German Soldiers in the American Revolutionary War, respectively. For more information, visit www.battlefields.org/ bookprize.
The Inaugural American Battlefield Trust Prize for History presented at the Trust’s Grand Review in Raleigh, N.C. Photo by Mike Talplacido.
Photographs from the Original Article
Captions and credits appear in the article text as originally printed.