The two rises represent the remains of the Confederate earthworks at Haskins Farm, where soldiers of the 22nd Division of the United States Colored Troops fought to force troops of the Texas Brigade out of their defensive positions/Capital Region Land Conservancy
Two Civil War battlefields in Virginia have gained some additional protection through the preservation of nearly 200 acres made possible by $4.5 million in Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants from the National Park Service.
American Battlefield Protection Program grants, state and local governments spearhead projects to protect significant battlefield landscapes that are vital to the shared history of their communities and the nation. These awards are made possible by the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which reinvests revenue from offshore oil and natural gas leasing to help strengthen conservation and recreation opportunities across the nation.
“Battlefields are hallowed spaces where every American can honor the history that has shaped and defined our nation,” said NPS Director Chuck Sams. “The state and local government partners that receive American Battlefield Protection Program grants are dedicated to ensuring that unparalleled battlefield landscapes across the country are protected for generations to come.”
One of these historic battlefield landscapes is Haskins Farm, a stretch of farmland in Henrico County, Virginia, where Black soldiers of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) cleared a stretch of Confederate earthworks, raised mounds of earth built as a barrier for defense in battles, to help win the Battle of New Market Heights. The battle began on September 29, 1863 as Federal troops assaulted Confederate defensive positions to clear a path for the Union capture of Richmond, the capital of the Confederacy.
Upon reaching the Confederate lines, Union forces faced heavy fire from an elite group of Texan troops well protected by a series of earthworks stretching the battlefield. As the rest of the Union assault force struggled to advance, the 22nd division focused their assault on the left flank of the Confederate defenses manned by battle-hardened and well-positioned Confederate troops. Against overwhelming odds, the 22nd division succeeded in pushing the Confederates out of an 800-foot-stretch of earthworks, helping to secure a Union victory and putting U.S. forces closer to the capture of Richmond.
This Battlefield Land Acquisition Grant will fund the preservation of 49 acres of the New Market Heights battlefield. An easement granted to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, will preserve the woodland ecosystem and surviving historic Confederate earthworks at New Market Heights for the benefit of the American public.
Today’s awards are to:
- Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation $660,500.00 for preservation of 49.09 acres at Chaffin’s Farm/New Market Heights Battlefield in Henrico County, Virginia.
- Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation $3,882,644.81 for preservation of 144.62 acres at Second and Third Winchester Battlefield in Frederick County, Virginia.
NPS ABPP’s Battlefield Land Acquisition Grants empower preservation partners nationwide to acquire and preserve threatened battlefields on American soil. In addition, the program administers three other grant programs: Preservation Planning, Battlefield Interpretation and Battlefield Restoration grants. Financial and technical assistance support sustainable, community-driven stewardship of natural and historic resources at the state, tribal and local levels.
