I read this tonight on Michael Bell’s XI Corps blog and thought it was worth sharing with my own readers. The Central Virginia Battlefields Trust (CVBT) has once again managed to line up a significant purchase on the Chancellorsville battlefield, specifically the land south of Route 3, otherwise known to those of us who follow the XI Corps as the area of Jackson’s flank attack on May 2, 1863.
This land is just east of the Talley farm property where the 17th CVI fought that day. Any land saved in this area is a huge accomplishment – and this is huge. My first visit to the Chancellorsville battlefield was in 1981 and it is an understatement to say that an awful lot of land has been lost forever since that time. I left visited in 1988 and did not return until the spring of 2008…and that 20 year period, while providing a few victories, saw a lot more losses.
I’ll be honest, I have no idea how many people really take the time to come along here and read what gets posted, but I expect there are some of you. If everyone donated something I have no doubt that it will go far. I made my donation – how about you? I know money is tight for everyone, but I have always tried to donate to CVBT and I have always felt that my money really does buy dirt. I’d like my grandkids to be able to visit this area and see more than the commercial sprawl that has grown all along Route 3 in the last 30 years plus.
Here is the link to the CVBT page – consider donating to preserve land that the 17th fought on!