Wikimedia CommonsA segment of North Carolina’s Wyse Fork Battlefield
Advocating for the preservation and protection of our nation’s battlefields is an ongoing effort that requires diligence and the willingness to speak out when threats arise. It’s a critical effort that does not weaken over time or get easier as we preserve more hallowed ground. With rising land acquisition costs and development efforts that don’t consider battlefield preservation, our vigilance is more important than ever.
Nor is the issue limited to famous battlefields that make headlines. In rural fields just east of Kinston, North Carolina, the hallowed ground of the Wyse Fork Battlefield faces a devastating threat: a proposed highway expansion that would locate a massive interchange in the heart of this Tar Heel State treasure. The American Battlefield Trust and our partners strongly oppose the location of the interchange and are encouraging state leaders to consider alternatives.
The Battle of Wyse Fork, from March 7–10, 1865, engaged more than 20,000 soldiers in the second-largest battle ever fought in North Carolina and resulted in more than 2,600 casualties. The site was identified as one of the war’s most significant battlefields in the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission Report on the Nation’s Civil War Battlefields. For context, out of 10,500 battles during the Civil War, only 384 were recognized by the report as crucial to the conflict.
The proposed interchange would erase a significant part of the battlefield and damage interpretation efforts, while undermining already preserved land and limiting future preservation opportunities. Simply put, our children and grandchildren will not be able to enjoy and understand the historic ground in its entirety.
Unfortunately, this is only one example of a historically important battlefield threatened by development that requires us to advocate for a site’s protection and preservation. We know from long experience that public outcry—especially from affected residents, but also from preservationists across the nation—has the power to sway decision-makers into due consideration of historic resources. Through our website, the Trust provides a way for people to voice their opinions to elected officials about these threatened lands. In recent months, beyond the situation at Wyse Fork, we have created interactive modules related to critical and time-sensitive threats at Gettysburg, Brandy Station, Vicksburg, and Manassas.
Please, if you care about American history, make a habit of advocating for its protection. Join us in demonstrating support for the preservation of Wyse Fork and other battlefields. Visit the American Battlefield Trust’s Speak Out page to see how to make a tangible difference through outreach to legislators and community leaders by letting them know the value of our battlefields.
David Duncan is president of the nonprofit, nonpartisan American Battlefield Trust, which is dedicated to preserving America’s hallowed battlegrounds—Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War—and educating the public about their significance.
