CITIZENS' COMMENTS (Consideration for Future Agenda)

The Board of County Commissioners welcomes your comments. Your presentation must be limited to three (3) minutes per item or matter. If appropriate, the matter(s) you present will be placed on a future commission agenda.

It is requested that you complete this form and return it to the receptionist prior to the beginning of the Citizens' Comments portion of the agenda.

Name: T/J M l 5 4:-A, r 5 o -n/

Address: ; ;l-a.1- I c ~ A,-tv ,: e, Y( C 1 • r--c G:t. Phone: (Home) 11../1 - 770 - q_pe$ (Work) ___ -_______ _ Email: -----------------------------Brief description of problem or concern:

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•

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Thomas H. Lauer

Wellesley, Massachusetts Chairman

0. James Lighthizer Eldorado, Maryland

President Robert C. Daum

North Palm Beach, Florida Vice Chairman

Mary Munsell Abroe Wilmette, Illinois

Travis K. Anderson Newton, New Jersey

Don Barrett Lexington, Mississippi

Edwin C. Bearss Arlington, Virginia

Terry Beaty, Jr. Bethesda, Maryland

John Culberson Houston, Texas Jeff Dahlgren

,gton Beach, California Vince Dooley

Athens, Georgia James Elrod

Riverside, Connecticut William]. Hupp Glen Ellyn, Illinois

Kate Kelly Los Angeles, California

Duke R. Ligon Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Jeffrey P. McClanathan St. Petersburg, Florida

Noah Mehrkam Washington, D.C.

Richard Mills Leesburg, Virginia John L. Nau, 111•

Houston, Texas Jeffrey R. Rodek•

Columbus, Ohio J. Dennis Sexton

St. Petersburg, Florido Charles E. Trefzger

Hickory, North Carolina Robert Uhler

Niwot, Colorado William W. Vodra

Alexandria, Virginia Susan Whitaker

Franklin, Tennessee

• Chairman Emeritus

AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD

TRUST * * * PRESERVE. EDUCATE. INSPIRE.

j IM UGHTHIZER, President

, iii~ ~ CIVIL WAR

TRUST SAVING AMERI CA'S

BATTt.EFlEU>S

September 12, 2019

Dear Fellow Battlefield Preservationist,

Before I answer the question about what those fourteen names on the envelope all have in common, would you be willing to take a short quiz to test your Civil War knowledge?

Question 1: How many Congressional Medals of Honor were awarded to U.S. Colored Troop (USCT) army soldiers during the Civil War?

Question 2:

Question 3:

a.

b.

1

.15

C. 39

d. 105

Most of the Medals of Honor awarded to USCT soldiers were the result of valorous actions in just one battle. Which was it?

a. Morris Island / Fort Wagner

b. Port Hudson

c. New Market Heights / Chaffin 's Farm

d. The Crater

Which Union general nominated more USCT soldiers to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor than any other?

a.

b.

C.

d.

Benjamin Butler

William T. Sherman

George Meade

George Thomas

So how did you do? The answers are that 15 Congressional Medals of Honor were awarded to USCT army soldiers throughout the entire Civil War; 14 of those were awarded for action at the September 29, 1864, Battle of New Market Heights / Chaffin 's Farm in Virginia; and Benjamin "Beast" Butler is the general who made those nominations!

And by now you 've probably guessed that those 14 names on the envelope are those

AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD T RUST CIV IL WAR TRUST REVOLUTIONARYWART

1156 15th Street NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20005 I phone: 202 -367-1861 I email: info@battlefields.org

11 40 Professional Court , Hagerstown, MD 21740 I phone: 301 -665·1400 I email: membership@battlefields.org

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of the soldiers who were awarded our nation's highest military honor for their actions that day.

New Market Heights is one of the more-important but lesser-known battles of the Civil War. And today, you and I have the chance to preserve another 22 acres ( adding to the 65 acres we have saved there previously), ensuring that the story of that battle will never be forgotten.

The property is a crucial 22-acre tract in the heart of this battlefield outside of Richmond. One glance at your battle map should confirm the importance of securing this hallowed ground, which would be ripe for a residential developer to swoop in, buy it, and get it zoned for a subdivision of new houses, as has already happened all over the booming Richmond area.

The cost is $260,000, and there is a non-historic house on the tract (which will cost about $20,000 to remove). We have applied for a $130,000 grant from the Virginia battlefield protection program - 50% of the purchase price - so the Trust would still need to come up with $130,000 to save it.

Still, that means that every $1.00 you give to help purchase this land will be doubled, and that's a great return on your preservation investment!

But if you are like most people, you may not know the history of this battle as well as you know others. Let me help fill in the gaps:

In the pre-dawn hours of September 29, 1864, as part of General Ulysses S. Grant 's efforts to menace both Richmond and Petersburg and dislodge General Robert E. Lee 's army from literally miles of entrenchments, the eastern arm of the Federal Army of the James's two-pronged attack (part of the larger Battle of Chaffin 's Farm) swept toward New Market Heights.

They faced a small but determined Confederate brigade of infantry, comprised of Texans and Arkansans, and some dismounted Confederate cavalry of the Hampton Legion (Virginians and South Carolinians) added a little strength to the entrenched defenders.

The USCT troops crossed the lower branch of Four Mile Creek on this land and surged northward toward the crest, toward the left of the Confederate line. Connecticut and New Hampshire regiments also plunged across the land we are working to save today.

Confederate artillery harassed the advance the entire distance, and attackers fell in droves as they attempted to maneuver through extensive obstructions the Confederates had placed before their position. After several attempts, the Union advance finally seized the hilltop as the Confederates fell back to another prepared position.

For a moment, it seemed that the road to Richmond was open, but the Union forces were not able to capitalize on their victory. Some historians think the war could have ended in October of 1864, not six months - and tens of thousands of additional casualties - later.

As it was, for the entire battle, which comprised of several different actions over three days, there were more than 4,400 casualties on both sides. For actions all across the battle lines at New Market Heights, 14 Medals of Honor were awarded to men in the USCT brigades for their morning's work, all of them for conspicuous demonstrations of heroism and bravery under fire. Remember, there were only 15 Medals of Honor awarded to USCT soldiers during the entire Civil War.

After the battle, Sgt. Maj , Christian Fleetwood - one of those USCT soldiers who received one of those 14 Medals, described the carnage in his diary: "When the charge was started, our color guard was full ; two sergeants and ten corporals. Only one of the twelve came off that field on his own feet. Most of them are there still. . . .It was a deadly hailstorm of bullets sweeping men down as hail-stones

• " >

,..

sweep the leaves from trees ... .It was very evident that there was too much work cut out for our two regiments .... We struggled through two lines of abatis, a few getting through the palisades, but it was sheer madness .... "

It seems to me that this is a story that few people know, one that must be told, and one that is best told on the ground where many of those honors were earned, especially when we can DOUBLE the power of your generosity!

Will you help tell that crucial story? Will you help the Trust raise the $130,000 we will need to match the anticipated grant from Virginia, plus the $20,000 we will need to remove the modem house and restore the land to what it looked like on September 29, 1864?

I hope so, because otherwise, this hallowed ground could end up as the newest subdivision of modem houses (probably called something appalling like "Battlefield Heights") and cul-de-sacs on the outskirts of rapidly expanding Richmond!

And to the extent you can budget your giving for the rest of this year, I hope you will agree that together you and I are making tremendous strides in achieving the mission you want to accomplish most: Saving America's most important and threatened hallowed ground.

I need your help on another important matter as well. Frankly, these days, it is getting harder and harder to find new members. Fewer people are joining organizations like the Trust, and it also seems that fewer and fewer people are even interested in American history!

So, I would like to try something new in our mailings, on our website, and in our social media. Maybe people are tired of hearing from me all of the time, so would you please do me honor of writing out - just as if you were speaking to someone who was considering joining our great cause -why you are proud to be a supporter of the American Battlefield Trust?

Is it the great battle maps? Is it our informative members-only magazine, Hallowed Ground? Or is it, as I suspect, the incredible satisfaction you get from knowing that you are helping to save our country's history for future generations?

I'd be eternally grateful for any testimonial you could provide today. Then, with your permission, I'd like to be able to use your comments to encourage new prospective members to join our cause. Your inspiring words could end up in one of our mailings, on our website, or even on social media such as our Facebook page or Twitter.

What would you say to someone who was considering joining the American Battlefield Trust? Would you point out our great ratings with nonprofit watchdog groups like Charity Navigator (see the enclosed letter from them announcing our top rating for 10 years in a row!) or the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance?

Would you highlight that members like you have saved more than 51,000 acres of priceless hallowed ground, with more being saved every month? Would you mention that - just as we have the chance to do today at New Market Heights - that we are almost always able to multiply the power of any gift you give with matching funds?

I tru ly believe that if prospective members hear directly from dedicated, stalwart, and generous supporters like you, they can't help but be inspired by all that you are accomplishing, and they will want to join our preservation "army."

Please never forget that with every acre you preserve, you are saving America's heritage. You

4

are ensuring that the story - the ENTIRE story - of the American Civil War, especially at important places like New Market Heights - is available to all future Americans.

With every dollar you give to the American Battlefield Trust, you are ensuring that this defining period of our nation's history - which still resonates in our society and affects every one of us to this day - can never be forgotten.

Today, you can help save 1/100th of an acre of hallowed ground at New Market Heights for a gift of just $59. A gift of$118 helps save 1150th ofan acre, and $236 saves 1125th ofan acre. If you are so moved, $591 saves 1/10 of an acre,$1 ,182 saves 1/5 of an acre, and $1 ,478 saves ¼ of an acre.

People sometimes ask me if members actually send in big donations - such as the $2,955 that would help save ½ of an acre, or even $5 ,910 to help save a full acre at New Market Heights. My response is absolutely they do - that's just how committed some of your fellow members are to this great and important cause. But every gift, be it $5 ,910 or $5.91 , is essential to saving hallowed ground right now. I truly have no substitute for your support.

Thank you for all you continue to do for the cause of battlefield preservation, my friend . You are making an impact that will last for as long as there is a United States of America. And by honoring those who fought at places like New Market Heights, and by ensuring their deeds will be remembered, you are ensuring that the United States will be around for a very long time.

P.S. Want more information on this preservation effort, and New Market Heights in general? Go to our website at www.battlefields.org/NMH2019. And while you are there, please go ahead and make your gift in support of this important mission on our secure donation page. It saves you a stamp and a trip to the mailbox, and your online gift is put to work right away. I can't thank you enough.

CIVIL WAR

TRUST Saving America's Civ il War Battlefields

Civ il wa r. org

BOARD OFTRUSTEES KirkJ. Bradley

Sanford, North Carolina

Chairman

O.Jarnes Lighthizer Grifton, Maryland

P resident

Jeffrey R. Rodek Columbus, Ohio

Vice Chairman

Mary Munsell Abroe Wilmette, IllinoU

Trace Adkins Franklin, Tennessee

Harrison M . Bains New York, N ew York

Don Barrett Lexington, Mississippi

Edwin C. Bearss Arlington, Virginia

Paul W. Bryant,Jr." Tuscaloosa, Alahama

Walter W. Buckley,Jr. Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

John Campbell Irvine, California

Carlton B. Crenshaw Palmyra, Virginia

Jeff Dahlgren H untington Beach, California

Robert C. Daum New York, New York

Vince Dooley Athens, Georgia

Lester G. "Ruff" Fant, III' Washington, D. C.

Bruce C. Gottwald Richmond, Virginia

Michael Grainger' Franklin, Tennessee

William]. Hupp Glm Ellyn, Illinois

Thomas H. Lauer Wellesley, MaJsachusetts

Duke R. Ligon Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Jeffrey P. McClanathan St. P,tmhurg, Florida

John L. Nau, 111' H ouston, Texa1

Stephan F. Newhouse Vero Beach, Florida

J. Dennis Sexton St. Petmhurg, Florida

Robert Uhler Niwot, Colorado

William W. Vodrn Alexandria, Virginia

Susan Whitaker Franklin, Tennessee

• Chairman Emeritw

JIM LIGHTHIZER President

,

September 8, 2015

Dear Fellow Student of History,

The numbers are terrifying, and our future is at stake.

The numbers I'm talking about are the test scores in American History from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, which were released recently.

They show that just 18% of 8th graders scored at or above the "proficient" level in history.

To put that another way, 82% of the nation's 8th graders did not even score "proficient" in American History.

That means 82% of students are being "educated" every year with little or no appreciation for, or knowledge of, the Civil War.

That means 82% of students are graduating into the world with no appreciation for our country 's history and its heroes.

And that means 82% of students may grow to adulthood not caring about our history, or the importance of preserving it for future generations.

Over the years, through your generosity to my many requests to save priceless hallowed ground, you have saved many key parts of America's past.

Today, as millions of students head back to school, I ask you to help me save America 's future.

Today, I ask for your help to pass along that spark of learning and excitement; I ask for your help to create the next generation of battlefield preservationists who will fight to save our nation 's history when you and I cannot do it any longer.

Today, I ask you to help fight back against the decline of history education, and ensure our future , by doing something very simple:

Put a student on hallowed 2round !

Let me ask you something: Do you remember the first time you ever visited a Civil War battlefield?

Remember how you fe lt? Did that hallowed ground "speak" to you, changing the way you thought about history?

1156 15th Street NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20005 I Phone 202-367-1861 I Fax 202-367-1865 I 1nfo~1\·i,·il","-nrg

1140 Professional Court, Hagerstown, MD 21740 I Phone 301-665-1400 I Fax 301-665-1416 I mcmhcrship«1\-il'ilw.n.org

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Did it even - possibly - change your life, as it changed mine?

If so, you wouldn't be alone. Civil War battlefields, as places where thousands of soldiers fought and bled and died, hold a special power to awe and inspire.

I've personally heard dozens of stories about how a trip to a battlefield changed a person 's life, especially if they were young when they first set foot upon that hallowed ground.

But what about those kids who never get to visit a battlefield?

What chance do they have to experience those feelings, or to gain that love of history that you and I share? What are the chances they will ever care enough to join us in the fight to preserve these hallowed places from development and destruction?

What kind of citizens do you think these students will become?

That's why I am writing to you today about the other absolutely crucial part of the Civil War Trust's mission, one that many members may not know much about: Education.

While the Trust is still dedicating the majority of our resources to land preservation, educating the next generation about history is a vastly important part of what we do.

Because, you see, you can 't get people to preserve something if they don't care about it, and you can't get them to care about it unless they know something about it.

If we want the next generation to be the best possible stewards of the hallowed land we are working so hard to save today, then it's up to you and me to train that next wave of preservationists.

That's a pretty lofty goal, I'll admit, but here at the Trust, we are already doing just that in some of the best ways we know how:

• Through our Field Trip Fund, we are putting students - especially those who might not otherwise ever have the chance to visit a battlefield - onto hallowed ground, so they can experience those feelings personally. In the last school year, the Civil War Trust was able to send 1,200 students to 21 different historic sites, but we had to turn away many more for lack of funds .

• Through our animated maps, smart-phone apps, website, and "Civil War In4" videos, (where we explain a single Civil War topic in just 4 minutes, so teachers can easily use them in lessons) , we are speaking directly to the students in a language they all understand: Technology!

• We also help teachers directly by providing classroom materials not available anywhere else, including a complete Civil War Curriculum and "Traveling Trunks," filled with hands-on Civil War items to help them reach even more students (and wow, are those teachers grateful!)

• We conduct an annual National Teacher Institute, hosting 150 passionate and dedicated teachers and librarians, giving them the tools they need to bring history education alive for thousands of their students. We provide the seminars and training free of charge, but

.--I

3

the educators must still pay for their own travel and lodging expenses, which is often a hardship for many of them.

All of these key programs - and many more - are growing in importance and scope every year, and making a huge difference in the lives of each of the thousands of students we reach.

But as you and I both know, there is nothing like being on the actual ground where the battles were fought. You can read every book that has been written about a battle, but until you go there and see it with your own eyes, and feel it in your own heart, you never fully know what happened there.

In these times of tight school budgets everywhere, money for field trips is one of the first things that often gets cut.

But as a field trip may be the only way a student will ever get to experience a battlefield, I personally believe that the Civil War Trust's Field Trip Fund is one of the most important education efforts you and I could undertake.

We simply must do everything we can to ignite that passion for history in the next generation, or much of the great preservation work that you and I are doing today may be forgotten .

That's why I hope you will join me in one of the most important and urgent tasks that we face today, educating our nation's students about the importance of these priceless places, so they can never be forgotten.

With 82% of students not even proficient in history, it is up to the Civil War Trust to do everything we can to fill that void.

Of course, you are already a hero of battlefield preservation, and I thank you. Now, I truly need you to support the other pillar of our mission: Education.

The only way we can continue to save important, threatened hallowed ground . . . the only way we can continue to grow and expand our crucial education initiatives such as the Field Trip Fund . . . the only way we can put more students onto battlefield land, perhaps changing their lives forever .. .

. . . the only way we can continue to increase knowledge and appreciation for America 's Civil War history . . . is through your generous support.

If you, too, agree that educating and inspiring the next generation is an absolutely essential part of our work - will you please consider a gift to support the Trust 's education efforts, including that all-important Field Trip Fund, today?

I hope you will be inspired by the thought of "completing their education" by getting a student onto a battlefield!

Last school year, it cost the Civil War Trust just $20 to send a student on a field trip . Think about that for a moment ... for just $20, you could potentially change a life, and create a life-long love of history.

Your gift of $40 will help send two students on a battlefield field trip, $80 will help pay for four students, and $100 will send five students to hallowed ground, where they can learn the meaning

4

of heroism, valor, leadership and sacrifice firsthand.

Your gift of $500 will help send an entire classroom full of students, $1 ,000 will give this opportunity to two classrooms, and $2,000 will help provide a potentially life-changing experience to 100 students - again, many of whom may never get to go to a battlefield without your help.

Imagine if one of those kids goes on to be as successful in life and dedicated to historic preservation as you are. Isn 't this one of the best and most important investments in our future that you could make? I sure think so.

I am proud of every one of the 41 ,000+ acres of hallowed ground that you and I have saved over the years, my friend . But it is essential that we make the same progress in preparing the next generation of preservationists - they truly are our future .

If you could give one gift today "above and beyond" your normal battlefield preservation donations, I would be in your debt - and so will those future generations of American students who need you.

On behalf of those future leaders of our nation, I thank you very, very much.

P.S. There are thousands of students right now, many of them from disadvantaged schools, who - without your help - may never get to experience a Civil War battlefield. We already know that 82% of them are already suffering from a lack of knowledge about our country 's history - walking that hallowed ground might just be what lights that spark of passion changing their life forever. Please reply now, before it is too late, and thank you again!

P.P.S. And because I need your help so much, I have gone ahead and enclosed a special envelope that pays for your return postage! I don ' t do this for everyone, just for those like you who understand the vital importance our education mission. We have to get those kids onto battlefields , so please let me hear back from you today! Thank you!

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f,.... __ -- CHARITY ~f. NAVIGATOR . -1 .... f*** .~t,,;: .f~!!!.,§t~ Charity

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Civil War Trust I PO Box 17686, Baltimore, MD 21297-1686 I Phone 301-665-1400 I info@civilwar.org

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~ CIVIL WAR

TRUST Sav ing America's Civil War Battlefields

Ci v ilwar.org

BOARD OFTRUSTEES Jeffrey R. Rodek

Columbw, Ohio Chairman

0 . James Lighthizer Eldorado, Maryland

President Thomas H. Lauer

Welluley, Massachusetts Vice Chairman

Mary Munsell Abroe Wilmette, Illinois

Travis Anderson Newton, New]mey Harrison M. Bains New York, New York

Don Barrett L exington, MissUsippi

Edwin C. Bearss Arlington, Virginia

Terry Beaty,Jr. Bethesda, Maryland

Kirk]. Bradley' Sanford, North Carolina

John Campbell Cottonwood Falls, Kansas

Carlton B. Crenshaw Palmyra, Virginia

Jeff Dahlgren Huntington Beach, California

Robert C. Daum New York, New York

Vince Dooley Athens, Georgia

Lester G. "Ruff" Fant, Ill' Washington, D. C.

Gary W. Gallagher Charlottesville, Virginia

WilliamJ. Hupp Glen Ellyn, Illinois

Steve Israel Oyster Bay, New York

Kate Kelly Los Angeles, California

Duke R. Ligon Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Jeffrey P. McClanathan

St. Petenhurg, Florida Richard Mills

Leeshurg, Virginia John L. Nau, Ill'

Houston, Texas Stephan F. Newhouse

Vero Beach, Florida J. Dennis Sexton

St. Petersburg, Florida Madhu Tadikonda New York, New York

Robert Uhler Niwot, Colorado

William W. Vodsa Alexandria, Virginia

Susan Whitaker Franklin, Tennessee

• Chairman EmeritUJ

JIM LIGHTHIZER,

PRESIDENT

Mr. James K . Anderson 1202 I Warwick Cir Parrish, FL 342 I 9-7533

1

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Dear Mr. Anderson,

Don ' t ever let anyone tell you that they don ' t make heroes anymore .

July 15, 2017

If you ' re anything like me, you probably have several Civil War heroes .. . people you greatly admire for their strong character, their indomitable courage and their selfless commitment to a higher cause .

Trust me on this one: in about a minute, you ' re going to have a brand new Civil War hero .

That's because I write to you today not only to tell you about an urgent opportunity we have to help protect 74 crucial acres at the Appomattox battlefield, not far from where General Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to General Ulysses S. Grant . . .

... but also, literally, with a once-in-a-lifetime chance to save this land while honoring a man who is giving, in Abraham Lincoln ' s immortal words, "the last full measure of devotion" to our shared cause of battlefield preservation. Let me explain ...

That man 's name is Kyle Thompson, and I first introduced him to Civil War Trust members about ten years ago. This 54-year-old California native shares our passion for the Civil War. You, Kyle and I have read all the same books, seen all the same movies, and visited all the same battle sites .

Like you and me, he feels an extraordinary, emotional connection to America' s Civil War battlefields, and he is appalled by the rampant sprawl that is obliterating them.

And just like you and me, he wants to do everything he can as soon as possible to save the hallowed, sacred ground that means so much to him .

There is just one very crucial difference between you, me and Kyle Thompson, however ...

... you see, fifteen years ago, his doctor told him that he had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - ALS - otherwise known as Lou Gehrig ' s Disease, a fatal nervous system affliction with no known cause or cure . People with ALS usually succumb within five years of the onset of the disease .

Kyle TI10mpson, however, is a living miracle . He has managed to live fifteen years post­diagnosis, putting him in a class of fewer than 1 % of sufferers from this terrible disease.

1156 15th Street NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20005 I Phone 202-367-1861 I Fax 202-367-1865 I 111fo([Vcivi lwar.org

1140 Professional Court, H agerstown, MD 21740 I Phone 301-665-1400 I Fax 301-665 -1416 I 111e111hership<'L1\ivilwar.org

2

But it has not been easy. Each day, Kyle endures the relentless attacks from ALS as it destroys the spinal-cord nerve cells which control his muscles. The disease does not affect his mind, however, so Kyle is fully - cruelly - aware of his inescapable, inexorable deterioration. He knows that, eventually, he will likely be entirely paralyzed . . . and not long after that, the muscles that control swallowing and, ultimately, his breathing, will cease to function.

When he was first given this horrifying diagnosis, Kyle 's doctor told him that he should take a long vacation, then work to put his affairs in order.

If your doctor gave you that tragic news, where would you choose to go? Well, to prove to you that ­without question - Kyle Thompson is our kind of guy, he did something that he had always wanted to do: He embarked on a six-week, cross-country campaign to visit Civil War battlefields.

While visiting Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and the Wilderness in Virginia, he was shocked and outraged- as we all are - at the explosion of urban sprawl that threatens each of these priceless, irreplaceable parts of America ' s history.

But rather than simply go back home after his battlefield visits and meekly wait for the inevitable, Kyle Thompson - as audacious as Robert E. Lee and as determined as U.S . Grant - decided that, in the dwindling time that he had left to make a difference, he would dedicate himself to saving the sacred historic places that he so loved.

An amateur songwriter since his teens, Kyle drew from the deep well of powerful emotions that his battlefield visits had inspired, and, over the course of several months, he composed more than a dozen songs about those battlefields and the soldiers' experiences on that hallowed ground.

He felt such a deep, abiding connection to these historic sites that it was his vision to record his songs directly on the battlefields themselves while he still had a voice left.

So, with the strength in his muscles ebbing to the point where it was becoming difficult for him even to strum a guitar, and even though he had to constantly suck on butterscotch candies to keep from gagging, Kyle and several musician friends "hit the road" again, heading for the battlefields.

In the hush of the evening, usually after all the park ' s visitors had gone home, Kyle recorded his songs in such places as Wilbur McLean' s parlor at Appomattox Court House, the Old Salem Church in Spotsylvania County, the Dunker Church at Antietam, the Lutheran Seminary at Gettysburg ... even inside the Illinois monument at Vicksburg!

But it wasn 't enough for Kyle to put some songs on a CD and offer it for sale, raising awareness for battlefield preservation. Even if that was all he had done, we would still owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude.

Kyle went the extra mile, however. He believes so deeply in the importance of our battlefield-saving work together that he donated all the proceeds from the sale of his CD to the Civil War Trust!

Think about the enormity of what he has given us for a moment .. . if you found out that you had only a short time left to live, how do you think you would spend your waning days? How would you want to be remembered?

When I speak to audiences across the nation, I often ask them to consider what kind of legacy they want to leave behind them. For most ofus, this is a parlor-game question that we have the luxury of pondering at our leisure, or even putting off indefinitely, if we don ' t really want to face it.

Kyle Thompson can't do that.

Here is a man who is the embodiment of what you and I are facing as we race to save battlefields . .. just

t

3

as Kyle is now measuring out his remaining time, perhaps in months instead of years (despite his incredible luck thus far) , we are facing a similar, rapidly closing window of opportunity at many of America's most sacred sites, including those in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, that so inspired Kyle.

Just as Kyle is painfully and completely aware of the unyielding nature of his progressing disease, we are all too aware of the ruthless malignancy of sprawl that is destroying our nation 's history right before our very eyes.

And just as so many of those courageous soldiers more than 150 years ago filed into battle lines, under withering fire , and marched across those open fields to face certain death, today, Kyle Thompson - one of the bravest men I know - is likewise facing a deadly foe, his head held high, unflinchingly pressing onward without a hint of hesitation, doing what he sees as his duty for the cause he loves.

Where do we find such men? How do we honor such heroes? And how do we prove ourselves worthy of their valor?

Kyle Thompson has defined his legacy: He has dedicated his remaining time and strength to saving America' s Civil War battlefields.

And personally, I cannot tell you how utterly inspired, awed and honored I am by his courage.

Again, I say to you: Don 't ever let anyone tell you that they don 't make heroes anymore.

Don 't let anyone tell you there are no such things as miracles . That Kyle Thompson has lived for 15 years after his diagnosis - three times longer than most ALS patients - is a miracle, and tells me that the Good Lord might not be quite fini shed with him just yet.

And don 't ever let anyone tell you that one person can 't make a difference . Kyle Thompson is making a huge difference. And today, so can you .

Even more important than Kyle ' s generosity- from a man who just as easily and justifiably could have taken it easy and done nothing, mind you - is the reward that his generosity of spirit will bring to our cause .

At the beginning of my letter to you, I mentioned that we are working to acquire 74 acres on three separate tracts of property at the Appomattox battlefield . The properties combined will cost $685,000, but with some matching funds in place, we can save them for $386,500.

As this letter is already very long, let me tell you that these are some of the largest and most significant remaining intact parcels of this battlefield still avai lable to buy - all are shown in yellow on the enclosed map.

And unfortunately, we cannot use matching funds on one of the properties, meaning that I cannot offer you as dramatic a matching-fund multiplier as I normally can . But I can take every $ I you send today and tum it into $1.80.

I can come close to doubling every dollar you send today for this hallowed ground at Appomattox, allowing us to preserve and restore this land . This is important, because on the square 5-acre northern tract, there is a non-historic house that we must tear down. T11e danger is that if we do not save this land now, someone could buy it, demolish the older home, and construct a new "McMansion" overlooking that portion of the battlefield and historic village!

Again, don 't ever let anyone tell you that one person can ' t make an enonnous difference.

Today, I ask you to stand with Kyle Thompson and me and fight for Appomattox as well as ALL the battlefields we cherish by making your generous donation to the Civil War Trust today.

4

To help preserve the 74 acres of the historic land at Appomattox, our portion of the $1.80-to-$1 match works out to $4,036 per acre. If you would like to "buy an acre" of that hallowed ground symbolically, I will be forever in your debt. (Of course I can't send you a deed for it, but you will be able to tell people you saved it!)

But even if you don ' t feel you can save a full acre, if you will send at least $54 (representing Kyle's amazing survival to 54 years of age) to help preserve even part of an acre, it will be my pleasure to send you a copy of Kyle Thompson's newly reissued CD, entitled "From the Fields" so you can hear his moving songs for yourself.

There are songs on this CD to appeal to both the Billy Yanks and Johnny Rebs still among us; I know you will enjoy it, and I know you will appreciate the heart, soul and effort that Kyle put into it . .. for all of us.

Also, I've enclosed a small sheet of personalized note paper ... if you are so inspired, I ask you to please write a quick note of encouragement or thanks to Kyle for his commitment to our cause and return it along with your donation in his honor. I will forward your note to him as soon as possible.

See .. . I told you that you would have a new Civil War hero. But in my book, you are one, too! Thanks again for your help and commitment, and I can't wait to hear back from you!

Very.

Jim Lighthizer President

P.S. In talking to Kyle before writing this letter to you, he wrote the following note: "I'm doing okay, I suppose. I have bad weeks, and then I have really bad weeks. In one of Bruce Springsteen's songs he writes, 'You get used to anything ' . .. sooner or later it just becomes your life.

"I've gotten used to the everyday pain, I've gotten used to the hundreds and thousands of muscle twitches (except when they are in my facial muscles or diaphragm or ribs . .. those you can't ignore), I've gotten used to the cramping in my muscles that sometimes is so bad it feels like muscle is being torn from bone. I've gotten used to frequent gagging attacks (well, no, I lie, I haven't gotten used to those ... I hate them, LOLI) and difficulty I sometimes have swallowing certain foods .

"I've gotten use to my limitations, accepted them without a lot of grief or self-pity. I still feel incredibly lucky to be alive! I had no idea I'd still be here, some 15 years after the emergence of the symptoms of ALS, let alone still walking and independent. I've said it many times; I'm like the sole survivor of a 747 that crashes into a mountain killing all on board . .. except me. Apparently, less than]% of those diagnosed with ALS have progression rates like mine. It 's like having 100 soldiers in a line of battle and 99 of them are killed ... it 's lonely being a survivor. "

Kyle helped us raise more than $250,000 ten years ago, to help save battlefield land at Gettysburg. Maybe the Almighty isn't done with him yet ... maybe Kyle' s purpose is to help us, once more, save the hallowed ground that means so much to him. I'd like to think so, and I hope you do, too . I look forward to hearing from you. Visit www.civilwar.org/Kyle2017 for more information on this effort!

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Black Confederates

"The South would not have lasted a day but for the free and slave Black Southerners' says HK Edgerton, Past President of the NAACP in Ashville, NC. Edgerton travels the country teaching about the important role of the hundreds of thousands of black Southerners in and out of uniform that either shot a gun, drove a mule team, or supported the cause back home.

Historians have estimatep the total number of black men who served in the Confederate Army either as laborers or soldiers range anywhere from 60,000 to 90,000. Over 13,000 of these, ' saw the elephant" also known as meeting the enemy in combat. These Black Confederates included both slave and free.

National Park Service historian, Ed Bearrs, stated, "I don't want to call it a conspiracy to ignore the role of Blacks both above and below the Mason-Dixon line, but it was definitely a tendency that began around 1910." Historian, Erwin L. Jordan, Jr. , calls it a 'cover-up" which started back in 1865. He writes, 'During my research, I came across instances where Black men stated they were soldiers, but you can plainly see where 'soldier' is crossed out and 'body servant' inserted, or 'teamster' on pension applications." Another black historian, Roland Young, says he is not surprised that blacks fought. He explains that "some, if not most, Black southerners would support their country" and that by doing so they were "demonstrating it's possible to hate the system of slavery and love one's country.' This is the very same reaction that most African Americans showed during the American Revolution, where they fought for the colonies, even though the British offered them freedom ,if they fought for them. Dr. Leonard Haynes, an African-American professor at Southern University, stated, "When you eliminate the black Confederate soldier, you've eliminated the history of the South.'

Dr. Lewis Steiner, Chief Inspector of the United States Sanitary Commission while observing Gen. 'Stonewall" Jackson's occupation of Frederick, Maryland, in 1862: 'Over 3,000 Negroes must be included in this number [Confederate troops]. These were clad in all kinds of uniforms, not only in cast -off or captured United States uniforms, but in coats with Southern buttons, State buttons, etc. These were shabby, but not shabbier or seedier than those worn by white men in the rebel ranks. Most of the Negroes had arms, rifles, muskets, sabers, bowie-knives, dirks, etc ..... and were manifestly an integral portion of the Southern Confederate Army."

"Rebel pickets th,·ough a Spyglass" Harpers Weekly

·----

"It is now pretty well established, that there are at the present mome1It many colored men in the Confederate army doing duty not only as cooks, servants and laborers, but as real soldiers, having muskets on their shoulders, and bullets in their pockets, ready to shoot down loyal troops, and do all that soldiers may to de~:troy the Federal Government and build up that of the traitors and rebels. There were such soldiers at Manassas, and they are probably there still. There is a Negro in the amiy as well as in the fence, and our Government is likely to find it out before the war comes to an end. That the Negroes are numerous in the rebel anny, and do for chat army its heaviest work, is beyond question. They have been the chief laborers upon those temporary defences in which the rebels have been able to mow down

our men. Negroes helped to build the batteries at Charleston. They relieve their gentlemanly and military masters from the stiffening drudgery of the camp, and devote them to the nimble and dexterous use of arms. Rising above vulgar prejudice, the slaveholding rebel accepts rhe aid of the black man as readily as that of any other."

-Frederick Douglass

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Jewish Confederates Thousand of Jews participated in the Armed Forces of the Confederate States of America, a higher ratio than any minority group.

They ranged from a lowly private, to Quartermaster of General Lee's Army, to a Matron of the World 's largest military hospital, all the way to the Presidential Cabinet.

Contrary to popular belief, "Jews had found themselves very much at home in the South, much more so than elsewhere," says the University of Georgia's Emory Thomas, a historian and author of many books on the conflict. "They were accepted members of the community, and therefore they cast their loyalties with this new Confederacy, bought bonds and did everything patriotic. Many carried with them to the front the famous soldiers' prayer, beginning with the sacred prayer, the "Shema," written by Richmond Rabbi Max Michelbacher, who after secession, had issued a widely-published benediction comparing Southerners to "the Children of Israel crossing the Red Sea."

Many Jewish Confederates distinguished themselves by showing amazing courage, dedication, and va or-and all enduring incredible hardships against overwhelming and often hopeless odds.

All-Jewish companies reported to the fray from Macon and Savannah, Georgia. In Louisiana, 3 Jews reached the rank of Colonel. They were S. M. Hymans, Edwin Kuncheedt and Ira Moses. Major Adolph Proskauer of Mobile, Alabama was wounded several times. A subordinate officer wrote "I can see him now as he nobly carried himself at Gettysburg, standing coolly and calmly with a cigar in his mouth at the head of the 12th Alabama amid a perfect rain of bullets, shot and shell. He was the personification of intrepid gallantry and imperturbable courage."

The most famous Southern Jew of that era was Judah Benjamin. He was educated in law at Yale. Judah Benjamin served President Davis and the Confederacy in 3 positions, Attorney General, Secretary of War and Secretary of State. Abraham Myers was a West Point graduate and classmate of Robert E. Lee. Myers served as Quartermaster General. Major Raphael Moses, General Longstreet's chief commissary officer, three sons who also fought for the South. Moses ended up t. attending the last meeting, and carrying out the Last Order, of the Confederate government • Raphael Moses

History books gloss over the fact that Union generals like Ulysses Grant and William Sherman, who burned Atlanta, talked about "damned Jewish peddlers," while both Jeff Davis and Robert E. Lee were known to have many Jewish friends.

General Robert E. Lee, is renowned for publicly showing great respect for his Jewish soldiers.

Hispanic Confederates

Hispanics were well represented in the Confederate ranks. Texas, Florida and Louisiana had large Hispanic populations who enlisted to defend their homeland.

Hispanics served in the Confederate Army, in units such as 6th Missouri Infantry Regiment, the 55th Alabama Infantry Regiment, the 2nd Texas Mounted Rifles, the 1st Florida Cavalry Regiment and the 33rd Texas Cavalry Regiment,

-·

commanded by Col. Santos Benavides, the highest ranking Hispanic officer on Col. Ambrosio the Confederate side. Others served in the Louisiana Zouaves Battalion, the T , G l

· · . d d th S . h G d f M b'I Jose onza es Spanish Legion of the European Bnga e, an e pams uar o o I e, AL. Confederate militia formations with sizable Hispanic contingents included one independent infantry battalion and four independent infantry companies from New Mexico.

It has been estimated that about 13,000 Hispanic Americans Hispanic women were also represented in the ranks. Cuban-born Loretta Janeta Velasquez was one of the most famous woman soldiers. She enlisted in the Confederate Army masquerading as a man and fought at First Manassas, Ball's Bluff and Fort Pillow. Discharged when her real gender was discovered, she rejoined and fought at Shiloh. Unmasked a second time, she ended her military career working as a Confederate spy.

St Johns County, Florida was home of the Sanchez sisters. The Sanchez sisters moved to Florida from Cuba with the return of Mauritia Sanchez before the war commenced. The Sanchez family was comprised of an ailing father, an invalid mother, a son who served in the Confederate army and three beauties: Panchita, Lola and Eugenia, who were Confederate spies.

The Sanchez sisters truly were valuable assets to the Confederate Army who effectively upset the plot of the Yankees and kept a constant train of information flowing for the Confederate Army. At the outbreak of the war, the men of St Augustine formed what was to become the St. Augustine Blues or Co. B, 3rd Florida Infantry Regiment. This unit was mostly comprised of men of Minorican or Spanish descent with the last names of Ponce, Masters, Pacetti, Bravo, Canova, Genovar, Capo, Lambias, Manucy, Papy and Solana.

Southerner Confederate Colonel Ambrosio Jose Gonzales (pictured above, was, Chief of Artillery in the Department of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.

Women Confederates

Women served their Country in every conceivable way. Some would don men's clothes and serve in combat alongside husbands and brothers. Others would take on roles never held by women before in the workforce as nurses, hospital matrons, treasury officials and in factories providing military materials.

At the outbreak of the War, ladies sewed flags from wedding dresses and presented them to their sons, husbands and brothers to send their units off to war. During the cruel harsh years, they did not only the 'women's work' but ran family farms, even oversaw businesses and plantations.

Some risked their lives as spies. Rose O'Neal Greenhaw, a Washington, DC

Rose O'""'Neal Greenhow

widow socialite, lead a spy ring of lovey ladies that continued to supply intelligence, even though she was confined in Old Capital Prison, upon orders of Abraham Lincoln, along with her young daughter, Little Rose.

Native-American Confederates

The 5 "civilized tribes" (Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chickasaws and Seminoles) · were active in military operations in the Western Theatre, after signing treaties . with the Confederate States of America. ·

In these treaties the Confederate government promised to assume federal obligations, protect tribes from invasion, and invited Indian representation in the : Confederate Congress. In turn these tribes were to provide troops for their own ' defense. About 15,000 American Indians served in the Confederate Army.

Gen. Stand Waite The Confederate troops in Indian Territory were, by the end of the war, organized into a division of two brigades. Brig. Gen. Douglas H. Cooper commanded the division. Col. Tandy Walker commanded the second, or Choctaw Brigade, composed of Choctaw and Chickasaw units. Brig. Gen. Stand Watie, a Cherokee, commanded all the Indian units not in the Choctaw Brigade.

Unlike the rest of the Confederacy, Indian Territory troops grew more and more successful after July 1863. The great majority of the Division, still in the field and undefeated in June of 1865, was finally surrendered at Doaksville, Choctaw Nation, on June 23, 1865, by Stand Watie, the last Confederate general in the field to surrender.

. . . : :~ . ·---The Cherokee Nation fielded 11 mounted infantry and cavalry units and

1 artillery unit. The Creek Nation fielded 3 mounted infantry and cavalry units. The Seminole Nation fielded 2 mounted Volunteer units. The Chickasaw Nation fielded 4 mounted infantry and cavalry units. The Choctaw Nation fielded 7 mounted infantry and cavalry units. The Osage Nation fielded 1 mounted Volunteer unit.

I

~t._ -·· · - - --

Asian-American Confederates

While there were only a few hundred Asians living in the South at the time of the War, records exist for many of these men becoming Confederate soldiers. Charles Chon, a Chinese National, was a private in Co. K, 24th Texas Dismounted Cavalry Regiment, C.S.A. He was killed at the Battle of Franklin, TN, on Nov. 30, 1864, and is buried on the battlefield at the McGavock Confederate Cemetery.

Another Asian-Confederate was William Henry Kwan of Co. B, 15th (or 12th) Virginia Battalion of Light Artillery. Kwan is a Cantonese (Chinese) name. Another verified Asian Confederate is John Fouenty, a native of China, who was a cigar-maker in Savannah, GA, when the War began. He served in the Confederate army for a year, then was released because he was under age. Private Fouenty later returned to his native China

At least eighteen Asian-Confederates served in various LA units, with names like Chou, Coo, Ding, Fai, Foo, Gong, Hai, Ho, Joung, Lin, Lee, Lou, Pang, Poe, Ting, and Wong. Perhaps the most famous Asian­Confederate soldiers were the two sons of famed P.T. Barnum Circus world-renowned Siamese Twins, Chang and Eng Bunker. (The Thai twins took the name "Bunker" to Americanize themselves.) Chang &

Eng, joined at the chest from birth, were devoted Confederates, tobacco growers, and slave-owners, living as farmers in North Carolina after they retired from the circus. The Bunkers strongly supported the South, providing food, clothing, and nursing to Confederate troops. Chang's son, Christopher, served in Co. I, 37th Battalion, Virginia Cavalry. He was wounded and ,captured at Moorefield, WV, and spent several months in a Federal POW Camp before being exchanged. He had to eat rats to keep from starving. Stephen Bunker, son of Eng Bunker, joined the same cavalry unit. He was wounded at Winchester, VA, and again before war's end.

lINCOlN ON

CONSTITIJTIONAl

RIGHTS ••• FICTION: Lincoln supported citizen's rights

FACT: "Two days after instructing General Winfield Scott to do no more than watch and wait in Maryland, Lincoln suspended the privilege of the write of habeas corpus there. The army proceeded to arrest pro secession Marylanders, including legisla­tors suspected of willingness to vote the state out of the Union. Maryland did not secede."

-Mario Cuomo in "Lincoln on Democracy"

FICTION: Lincoln loved liberty and supported free speech ·

FACT: "You will take possession ny military force, of the printing establishments of the New York World, and Journal of Commerce ... and prohibit any further publication thereof .... you are therefore commanded forthwith to arrest and imprison the editors, proprietors and publishers of the aforesaid newspapers."

-Abraham Lincoln, Order to General John Dix May 18, 1684

© Lincolnrevealed.org

llN(OlN ON

SECESSION RIGHTS ••• FICTION: · Lincoln thought secession was treason

FACT: "Any people anywhere, being inclined and having the power, have the right to rise up and shake off the existing government, and form a new one that suits them better .... nor is this right confined to cases in which the whole people of an existing government may choose to exercise it. Any portion of such people, that can, may revolutionize, and make their own of so much of the territory as they inhabit."

-Abraham Lincoln, January 12, 1848

FICTION: Lincoln was a humanitarian

"Lincoln also struggled to find a commander who would attack the Confederates aggressively. In Ulysses S. Grant, the president found his man .... With Lincoln's support, Grant pursued a policy of total war -- attacking not only Confederate soldiers but also the Southern economy. Destroying Southern cities, farms, and factories."

-www.pbs.org

"Lincoln wanted to know about Sherman's marches ... particularly enjoying stories about the bummers."

- John F. Marzalek, Sherman biographer in describing "bummers ", Sherman 's pillaging and

plundering soldiers set loose on the civilian countryside

lINCOlN

llN[OlN REVEAlED lINCOlN ON

CIVIl RIGHTS .....

FICTION: Lincoln was the 'Great Emancipator"

FACT: "He (Lincoln) has proclaimed emancipation only where he has notoriously no power to execute it. The exemption of the accessible parts of Louisiana, Tennessee, and Virginia renders the proclamation (Emancipation Proclamation) not merely futile but ridiculous."

FICTION:

-The "New York World" Newspaper January 7, 1863

Lincoln went to war with the South to free black Africans enslaved there

FACT: "My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it: and if I could save it by freeing some and leav­ing others alone, I would also do that."

-Abraham Lincoln , Letter to Horace Greely Publisher of New York Tribune, August 22 , 1862

FICTION: Lincoln viewed blacks as equals

FACT: "Even when you cease to be slaves, you are yet far removed from being placed on an equality with the white race ... The aspiration of men is to enjoy equality with the best when free, but on this broad continent, not a single man of your race, is made the equal of a single man of ours".

-Abraham Lincoln , Conference at the White House supporting a free black colony called Linconia ,

August 14, 1862

FICTION: Lincoln conscientiously opposed slavery

FACT: "In 23 years of litigation he (Lincoln) never defended a run-away slave, but he did de­fend a slave owner .... isn't it odd that Lin­coln .... attempted to condemn several dozen men and women into permanent, lifetime ser­vitude for a modest legal fee"

FICTION:

-Prof. Thomas J. Dilorenzo, Loyola University

Lincoln wanted to abolish slavery

FACT: "Lincoln had not a drop of anti-slavery blood in his veins."

-Abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison Quoted by Henry Mayer in his book

"W ill i;:im I lnvrl G:=mison and the Abolition of Slaverv"

... WOIJlD YOIJ BE SIJRPRISED TO

LEARN TBA T PRESIDENT lINCOlN

WAS NOT AS FRIENDl Y TO

BlACIS AS SIJPPOSED? Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr.

unpeeled the onion on Lincoln mythology in his PBS documentary, "Looking for Lincoln".

Here are some facts history leaves out in proclaiming Lincoln America's greatest President.

FICTION: Lincoln supported integration of black Americans into white society ,

FACT: "It is bet~er for the Negro and white races to be separated ... You and we are differ­ent races. We have between us a broader physical difference than exists between any other two races."

-Abraham Lincoln, Conference at the White House supporting a free black colony called Linconia ,

August 14, 1862

"Negro equality, Fudge!"

-Abraham Lincoln , Speech at Springfield , Illinois July 17, 1858

"I will to the very last stand to the laws of this state which forbids the marrying of white people with neg roes"

-Abraham Lincoln , Speech at Charleston, Ill inois September 18, 1858