National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Report to Congress on the Historic Preservation of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Sites in the United States Prepared for The Committee on Energy and Natural Resources United States Senate The Committee on Resources United States House of Representatives Prepared by American Battlefield Protection Program National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Washington, DC September 2007 Front Cover Brandywine Battlefield (PA200), position of American forces along Brandywine Creek, Chester County, Pennsylvania. Photo by Chris Heisey. Authorities The Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Historic The American Battlefield Protection Act of 1996, as Preservation Study Act of 1996 amended (P.L. 104-333, Sec. 604; 16 USC 469k). (P.L. 104-333, Section 603; 16 USC 1a-5 Notes). Congress authorized the American Battlefield Protection Congress, concerned that “the historical integrity of Program of the National Park Service to assist citizens, many Revolutionary War sites and War of 1812 sites is at public and private institutions, and governments at all risk,” enacted legislation calling for a study of historic levels in planning, interpreting, and protecting sites where sites associated with the two early American wars. The historic battles were fought on American soil during the purpose of the study was to: “identify Revolutionary War armed conflicts that shaped the growth and development sites and War of 1812 sites, including sites within units of the United States, in order that present and future of the National Park System in existence on the date of generations may learn and gain inspiration from the enactment of this Act [November 12, 1996]; determine the ground where Americans made their ultimate sacrifice. relative significance of the sites; assess short and long term ABPP encourages, supports, assists, recognizes, and threats to the integrity of the sites; provide alternatives for works in partnership with citizens, federal, state, local, the preservation and interpretation of the sites by federal, and tribal governments, other public entities, educational state, and local governments, or other public or private institutions, and private nonprofit organizations in entities, including designation of the sites as units of the identifying, researching, evaluating, interpreting, and National Park System; and research and propose land protecting historic battlefields and associated sites on a preservation techniques.” The legislation defined “site” national, state, and local level. as “a site or structure situated in the United States that is thematically tied with the nationally significant events that occurred during the Revolutionary War… [and] the War of 1812.” Authorities 1 National Park Service Study Team Washington, D.C. Project Leaders H. Bryan Mitchell, Manager, Heritage Preservation Services Paul Hawke, Manager, American Battlefield Protection Program John Knoerl, Ph.D., Manager, Cultural Resources Geographic Information Systems Program Project Staff – American Battlefield Protection Program Tanya M. Gossett, Preservation Planner Gerald Palushock, Database Manager Lisa Rupple, Preservation Specialist Stephen Strach, Cultural Resource Specialist Glenn Williams, Historian Project Staff – Cultural Resources Geographic Information Systems Program Danielle Berman, Database Manager David W. Lowe, Historian Deidre McCarthy, Architectural Historian James Stein, GIS Specialist Matthew Stutts, Geographer/GIS Specialist Report Authors Tanya M. Gossett and H. Bryan Mitchell Report Contributors Paul Hawke, David W. Lowe, and Diedre McCarthy 2 Report to Congress on the Historic Preservation of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Sites in the United States (P.L. 104-333, Section 603) Acknowledgments The National Park Service thanks all those who contributed to Sawyer, Aaron L. Shriber, Steven D. Smith, Ph.D., Arthur Spiess, the success of this national study and to the preparation of this James Stein, Mike Stivers, Christopher Stratton, Matthew Stutts, report. We are especially indebted to the guidance provided by Adam Tabelski, Carole Watterson Troxler, Todd Tucky, David the Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Historic Preservation J. Vecchioli, Susan Vincent, Robert Ward, Stephen C. Ware, Study Committee members Thomas B. Williams, Brian Leigh Glenn Williams, and Gray Wood. Additional thanks to all of Dunnigan, R. David Edmunds, Ph.D., Donald E. Graves, Ira the national, state, and local historic sites and parks that opened Gruber, Ph.D., Bernard Herman, Ph.D., Donald Hickey, Ph.D., their doors to the field surveyors and provided vital information Christopher McKee, Michael Steinitz, Ph.D., Camille Wells, about the condition and threats facing the battlefields and other Ph.D., Patrick A. Wilder, Virginia Steele Wood, and Robert K. sites. The National Park Service is also grateful for the hospitality Wright, Ph.D. National Park Service personnel John Durham, shown surveyors by private property owners at the study sites. Ove Jensen, Anna Von Lunz, Mark Nichipor, Dale Phillips, and Scott Sheads also lent their expertise to the committee’s During the course of the study, the National Park Service deliberations. Consultant John Long of the Newberry Library received numerous comments, suggestions, and additional also provided valuable support to the committee. information from the public about historic sites associated with the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. Thanks to everyone The National Park Service—the Southeast Regional Office in who contributed online and in letters. Atlanta, Georgia, and Boston National Historical Park—and the National Trust for Historic Preservation hosted preliminary The National Park Service gratefully acknowledges the scoping meetings for this project. The hosts and participants of contributions of Joyce A. Bear, Muscogee (Creek) Nation of those meetings helped shape the study at the onset. Oklahoma, and Light T. Cummins, Ph.D., Austin College; James G. Cusick, PK Younge Library of Florida History, University Field surveys were the heart of this project. Many thanks to the of Florida; the late William Day, Poarch Band of Creek Indians superintendents and staff of Minute Man National Historical of Alabama; and James O. Horton, Ph.D., George Washington Park, Horseshoe Bend National Military Park, George Rogers University, all of whom consulted with the study team on Clark National Historic Park, and Monmouth Battlefield State historical issues pertaining to the contributions of diverse Park for hosting survey workshops and allowing students to communities in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. use the parks as training grounds. Sincere appreciation goes to the 72 surveyors who dedicated themselves to researching and Several private organizations have lent their support to the study. assessing the nation’s Revolutionary War and War of 1812 heritage: The National Park Service gratefully acknowledges the efforts of D. K. Abbass, Ph.D., William J. Anderson, Zara Anishanslin- the leadership of the National Society Daughters of the American Bernhardt, Charles B. Baxley, Jonathan Blair Bernhardt, Robert Revolution and Mrs. Beverly W. Jensen, former Historian General Birmingham, Linda Brown, Sylvie Browne, Stephen P. Carlson, of that organization, in particular. From the start, the Sons of the Allan D. Charles, Ph.D., Darrell E. Cook, Keri Coumanis, Leon American Revolution National Park Service Liaison Committee Cranmer, Craig W. Davis, Jeffrey B. Davis, Tracy M. Dean, Diane made itself available to help with the study in a number of ways. Kay Depew, Mary M. Donohue, Robert M. Dunkerly, Daniel T. The National Park Service appreciates its unwavering support. Elliott, Jack Elliott, Ralph Eshelman, Ph.D., Leo Finnerty, the late We thank our colleagues at the Civil War Preservation Trust for Charles Fisher, Ph.D., Ben Ford, Aaron J. Gore, Tanya Gossett, sharing their expertise with many of the Revolutionary War and Steven E. Hardegen, Al Hester, Rebecca L. Hill, Fred Holder, War of 1812 historic preservation groups and with the National Frank Hurdis, Amy Johnson, Kirk Johnston, James R. Jones III, Park Service. Catherine Hoffman Kaser, Richard A. Kastl, Katharine R. Kerr, Susan Langley, Ph.D., Connie Langum, Charles Lesher, Steve This project would not have been possible or plausible without Lesher, David Lowe, Chris Martin, David McBride, W. Stephen partners in the state and Federal Historic Preservation Offices McBride, Ph.D., Deidre McCarthy, Matthew F. McDaniel, and in tribal governments. Their expert participation in the Thomas L. Nesbitt, Gerald Palushock, John F. Pousson, Karen surveys, review of site documentation, and suggestions have Rehm, Merrill D. Reich, John S. Salmon, Sheila M. Sastry, William strengthened and enhanced this study. For their continuing Acknowledgments 3 interest and dedication to preserving the important places of the Roberts, Alma Ripps, Patrick Andrus, Laura Feller, Robie Lange, Revolutionary War and War of 1812, the National Park Service is Kristen McMasters, Larry Gall, Bob Blythe, Brenda Barrett, Steve most grateful. Elkinton, James Bird, Sue Waldron, Shannon Davis, and Kathleen Madigan. American Battlefield Protection Program assistants and In addition to the study team, the following National Park Service interns Natalie Abell, Rebecca Ballo, Jeff Everett, Brad Finfrock, personnel contributed significantly and provided unflagging Elizabeth Lang, Gweneth Langdon, Kate Shifflet, Susan Smith, support: Janet Snyder Matthews,