Photo credit: Terry Rensel
Preservation Updates and News
From the Executive Director's Desk
Spring is upon us here in the Fredericksburg area, and I am glad to see it. We've had more winter around here this year than we have become accustomed to recently. It's been nice to be able to open the windows and get some projects done around the yard.
We've also been busy with projects around the CVBT office. We recently held our 2025 Spring Seminar, which was another sell-out, and are hard at work in finalizing the last few details for this year's Annual Conference.
On Friday, March 21, the first hearing in the proposed Wilderness Crossing development lawsuit took place. Because of your generous support, we've been able to give the American Battlefield Trust another contribution towards the cost of the ongoing litigation.
We're also preparing for Park Day, which is April 26. There is information about all of these items further down in the newsletter.
I am also working on a couple of possible preservation opportunities, which I hope to be able to share with you in the coming months.
Now that it's finally here, take advantage of the nice weather, get outside and enjoy it, whether it's in your yard or visiting a site that's part of our shared history. As always, I look forward to seeing you on the battlefield.
Wilderness Crossing Update
CVBT President Tom Van Winkle handing a check for the Wilderness Crossing litigation fund to ABT's Jim Campi at the CVBT Office.
Photo Credit: Terry Rensel
The initial hearing in the proposed Wilderness Crossing development project lawsuit took place on Friday, March 21, in the Orange County Circuit Court.
The opposing sides spent almost four hours making oral arguments before the judge, who was attentive to the plaintiff's and defendant's arguments and asked series of questions to both. The judge agreed to accept amici briefs from three parties who requested to do so in support of our case.
At the end of the day, the judge decided to give both sides until April 4th to decide if they wanted to file post-trial briefs. If so, they will then come up with a briefing schedule. If post-trial briefs are filed, then the judge will work on his ruling, which may take a couple of months.
As we hear more, we will share it with you. Thank you for your support of our litigation fund appeals as we continue to fight this proposed project.
Park Day 2025 - CVBT's Nine Mile Run Property
Park Day is Saturday, April 26, 2025. This year, CVBT will be working at our Nine Mile Run property on the Chancellorsville battlefield to help our continuing efforts to create public access and interpretation there. If you are interested in assisting, please email Terry at executivedirector@cvbt.org.
2025 CVBT Spring Seminar
Jim Broomall shares about the Battle of Shepherdstown at the 2025 Spring Seminar.
Photo Credit: Melissa Winn
Thank you to everyone who came to our 2025 Spring Seminar on Saturday, March 15. We had another sell out this year and are already planning for next year's event.
We would also like to thank the following organizations for providing support for this year's event: LINKBANK, Braehead Farms, Civil War Trails, Hilldrup, WAVE, Rappahannock Valley Civil War Roundtable, The Civil War Roundtable of Fredericksburg, Battlefield Tours of Virginia, The Lake of the Woods Civil War Study Group, Tabernacle United Methodist Church, and Eastern National.
We extend an extra special thank you to our historian speakers: Jim Broomall, Dennis Frye, John Hennessy, Greg Mertz, and Frank O'Reilly. We also appreciate Paul Scott, and Dana Shoaf and Melissa Winn of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine for bringing some of their collections for attendees to view and talk about. Thanks are in order as well to our great volunteers: Dean Chester, Cheyenne Hall, Tyler McGraw, Wendy Powell, Kevin Rousseau, Carol Speirs, and Lisa Van Winkle.
Save the Date
The 2025 Annual Conference will take place
September 12-14. Tickets are now on sale!
CVBT Out and About
On Saturday, February 22, Executive Director Terry Rensel attended the Stafford County Schools Social Studies Showcase at Stafford High School. The students had some great displays, and it was a good opportunity to talk to the attendees about preserving our local history.
Witness Trees - Sentinels of the Battlefield
Tim Talbott talking about the Battle of Chancellorsville during the recent Youth Community Service Day event under one of the witness trees on a CVBT Chancellorsville Flank Attack property.
Photo: Terry Rensel
Over 60% toward the goal!
Witness trees are a living connection to the people and momentous events of the American past. They stand as mute observers of enormous change over time, linking numerous generations through their continued existence.
People have recognized and respected the enduring nature of trees for centuries. However, of particular interest to modern Americans are those rather rare trees that have survived droughts, storms, fires, lightning strikes, insects, diseases, and the ax and chainsaw and that are located where particularly significant historical events occurred. If nothing else, their survival through the years is a testament to their durability and a lesson in enduring the challenges of life.
Recently, an oak tree on one of CVBT’s Chancellorsville Flank Attack battlefield properties—estimated by arborists to be over 200 years old—fell victim to a powerful windstorm. While it is tragic to lose such a treasured veteran tree that witnessed the pivotal events of May 2, 1863, it also serves as a call to action.
On the same piece of preserved CVBT battlefield, there are other Civil War witness trees, possibly up to eleven, which is an extremely rare amount in one location. Imagine what those trees saw while standing near the Orange Turnpike during that one day alone. Gen. Joseph Hooker rode by them to check on XI Corps troops and their line early that morning. That evening, as the attack commenced, some Federal soldiers fled precipitously, while others attempted to stem the power of the assault, including Medal of Honor recipient Capt. Hubert Dilger and his Ohio artillerists. Gen. Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson also passed these trees, twice; once going east among the flow of his massive assault force, and later, after being wounded by his own troops going west to receive medical attention near Wilderness Tavern. These trees witnessed it all and should receive all the protection and care they can to help them survive and thrive as living connections to these momentous events. Witness trees are truly living Civil War relics.
Caring for witness trees does not come without expense. Periodic checkups for tree health, nutrition treatments, and preventive maintenance trimming, along with lightning prevention apparatus and other care measures by professional arborists cost thousands of dollars to do properly and have a continuous annual cost as well. Will you help us ensure the health of our surviving Chancellorsville Flank Attack witness trees so that they remain on the historic landscape for future generations? We also plan to install markers designating each tree and what they witnessed.
CVBT is currently raising $20,000 to begin the process of protecting the first two of what may be many more witness trees on our property on Jackson's Flank Attack. Learn more and see how you can help here.
Historic Quote
"This day seems verry much like some old April days of old Cloudy and damp, but not cold, just a little chilly, and last night when on post I heard the frogs singing and oh how my thoughts went back to dear good old home, and the days of my childhood, and to the joys, and sorrows of that period, which is buried in the past."
Diary entry for March 8, 1863, by Seth Waid III, of the 83rd Pennsylvania, talking about camp life.
Photo credit: Jennifer Michael
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