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: c,·u/ I u.1tJrr; t9/71: V <;'"7.a1ue .. , ~ -' AMERICAN iii~ • ~ BATTLEFIELD CIVIL WAR TRUST * * * TRUST SAV ING AMERI CA'S PRESERVE. EDUCATE. INSPIRE. BATTt.EFlEU>S j IM UGHTHIZER, President September 12, 2019 BOARD OF TRUSTEES Thomas H. Lauer Welles ley, Massachusetts Dear Fellow Battlefield Preservationist, Chairman 0. James Lighthizer Before I answer the question about what those fourteen names on the envelope Eldorado, Maryland President all have in common, would you be willing to take a short quiz to test your Civil War Robert C. Daum North Palm Beach, Florida knowledge? Vice Chairman Question 1: How many Congressional Medals of Honor were awarded to Mary Munsell Abroe Wilmette, Illinois U.S. Colored Troop (USCT) army soldiers during the Civil War? Travis K. Anderson Newton, New Jersey a. 1 Don Barrett Lexington, Mississippi b. .15 Edwin C. Bearss Arlington, Virginia Terry Beaty, Jr. C. 39 Bethesda, Maryland John Culberson d. 105 Houston, Texas Jeff Dah lgren ,gton Beach, California Question 2: Most of the Medals of Honor awarded to USCT soldiers were Vince Dooley the result of valorous actions in just one battle. Which was it? Athens, Georgia James Elrod a. Morris Island / Fort Wagner Riverside, Connecticut William]. Hupp Glen Ellyn, Illinois b. Port Hudson Kate Kelly Los Angeles, California c. New Market Heights / Chaffin's Farm Duke R. Ligon Oklahoma City, Oklahoma d. The Crater Jeffrey P. McClanathan St. Petersburg, Florida Noah Mehrkam Question 3: Which Union general nominated more USCT soldiers to receive Washington, D.C. the Congressional Medal of Honor than any other? Richard Mills Leesburg, Virginia John L. Nau, 111 • a. Benjamin Butler Houston, Texas Jeffrey R. Rod ek• b. William T. Sherman Columbus, Ohio J. Dennis Sexton C. George Meade St. Petersburg, Florido Charles E. Trefzger d. George Thomas Hickory, North Carolina Robert Uhler Niwo t, Colorado So how did you do? The answers are that 15 Congressional Medals of Honor were William W. Vodra Alexandria, Virginia awarded to USCT army soldiers throughout the entire Civil War; 14 of those were awarded Susan Whitaker for action at the September 29, 1864, Battle of New Market Heights / Chaffin's Farm in Franklin, Tennessee Virginia; and Benjamin "Beast" Butler is the general who made those nominations! • Chairman Emeritus And by now you've probably guessed that those 14 names on the envelope are those EXHIBIT.::J'f) AMERICAN BATTLEFIELD T RUST CIVIL WAR TRUST REVOLUTIONARYWART 1156 15th Street NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20005 I phone: 202 -367-1861I email: [email protected] 11 40 Professional Court , Hagerstown, MD 21740 I phone: 301 -665 ·1400 I email: [email protected] I:i Co&tWJ<. f<le, • " > 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.