[VAcourier] North Anna Battlefield in Danger!!

[Virginia Division SCV Communication List]

*North Anna Battlefield*

*In Danger!!*

 

Grant's Overland Campaign in the Spring of 1864 - The Wilderness, 
Spotsylvania Court House, North Anna, Cold Harbor., was ultimately the 
beginning of the end as his war of attrition with endless manpower and 
supplies was coming to bear on Lee and the Confederacy.  The stop at 
North Anna turns out to have been Lee's last greatest chance to destroy 
Grant's army and win the War.

 

Lee's brilliant Inverted 'V' position gave the Confederacy that chance 
by accomplishing the splitting of Grant's army.  The Confederate lines 
with the apex of the 'V' on the Bluffs of the North Anna River at Ox 
Ford presented a tremendous problem for Grant and had it not been for 
the drunken Ledlie blundering into those lines and Lee being 
incapacitated just off the immediate battlefield and not having the 
commanders on the field to execute, this danger to the North Anna 
Battlefield would not be this cause for concern.

 

Martin Marietta Corporation has submitted a Conditional Use Permit 
Amendment (CUP Amendment) to expand its Doswell Quarry operation on 
Verdon Road in the middle of the North Anna Battlefield by some 764 
additional acres.  This additional 764 acres is in the core battlefield 
area at Ox Ford as it literally includes the 'Killing Field' where 
Ledlie and the Massachusetts troops made the blunder and took large 
causalities, the river itself, the Union 'V' defensive positions just 
southeast and west of Lee's 'V' Line, etc.

 

 The North Anna Battlefield study area is considered to consist of 
14,000 acres in Hanover and Caroline Counties. The National Park Service 
considers North Anna a Priority I battlefield. It is one of 384 
principle battlefields in the nation and was declared in 1993 one of the 
50 most endangered. To date, only 80 acres of 14,028 acre site is 
protected.  There were an estimated 4,000 total casualties in this 
engagement.  The protected 80 acres is the North Anna Battlefield Park 
in the Hanover County Parks and Recreation system.  It was created by 
General Crushed Stone, Martin Marietta's predecessor, and owes its 
existence and maintenance today to Martin Marietta, and the Blue and 
Gray Education Society for the interpretation and signs.

 

Art Taylor, Past Commander of the Capt. Wm. Latane? Camp # 1690, as a 
member of the Friends of the North Anna, a group leading the charge to 
try to stop the expansion, developed a plan and proposal for battlefield 
preservation.  The reality of really stopping it is obvious due to what 
is involved.  The Friends have been working with Hanover County, Martin 
Marietta, the Civil War Preservation Trust, and others to save as much 
of and as many features of the battlefield as possible, and preserve the 
quality of life and safety of the neighbors of the quarry and traveling 
public.  It appears there is success to report in the preservation of 
key features of the battlefield to the extent that a great deal of the 
Friends proposal may well be adopted and, most importantly, in the not 
too distant future, incorporated into the existing park as expansion, 
almost doubling its size.  All of this is contingent on Martin 
Marietta's corporate approval and the Hanover County Planning 
Commission's and ultimate Board of Supervisor's approvals.

 

The CUP Amendment, *CUP-10-89, AM. 1-06, Martin Marietta Materials, Inc 
and American Aggregates Corporation*, is scheduled for public hearing 
and Commission action Thursday night January 17, 2008, at the Planning 
Commission meeting at 7:00 PM in the Administration Building at the 
Courthouse Complex.  *This is where we need as much visual support as 
possible!!  Please, please be there, in uniform, period dress, etc. if 
possible.  Anyone willing to be present as a Union soldier is welcome as 
in this case, the majority of causalities were **Union**.  This is a 
case where it 'ain't just about Confederate'.  Bottom line we all care 
so let's rally and show support for getting this done.*  Due to the time 
limits we feel this matter will be allowed only 30 minutes total 
speaking time (probably 15 minutes for each side), so speakers are not 
in demand.

 

*Many thanks!  See you there!

*

 
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