This tract saw both fighting and troop movements as the armies transitioned from the fierce confused combat of the Battle of the Wilderness (May 5 & 6, 1864) to the still brutal but more extended struggle at Spotsylvania Court House (May 8-21). As Confederate cavalry grudgingly gave ground along Brock Road on May 7, first to the Federal cavalry, and then on May 8 to leading elements of the Army of the Potomac’s V Corps under Brig. Gen. John C. Robinson’s division, followed by Brig. Gen. Charles Griffin’s division, soldiers from both sides stubbornly fought across and moved over this ground. One Union soldier latter recalled, the “Confederates contesting every inch of the way. . . .”  After all, high stakes were involved; either maintaining or taking the strategic crossroads prize of Spotsylvania Court House.

On May 8, 1864, as the Fifth Corps divisions marched down Brock Road, their commander, Maj. Gen. Gouvereur K. Warren, decided to send John C. Robinson’s brigades in as they arrived in hopes of dislodging the Confederates before the southerners dug in too deeply. The Confederate defenders stymied the Union assaults. Undeterred, Warren sent in Griffin’s brigades. They, too, received rough handling by Maj. Gen. Richard Anderson’s entrenching Confederates and fell back.

Brig. Gen. Lysander Cutler, now in charge of the Fourth Division, due to Maj. Gen. James Wadsworth’s mortal wounding on May 6 at the Wilderness, commanded three brigades, those of Brig. Gen. Wiliam W. Robinson, Brig. Gen. James C. Rice, and Col. Edward S. Bragg. Embarking at about 10:30 a.m. from the 3^rd Massachusetts Light Artillery tract, William Robinson’s brigade—the renowned “Iron Brigade”—pushed forward, while Bragg attacked from CVBT’s previously preserved 5^th Corps Brock Road tract, and Rice advanced to Bragg’s left. On Bragg’s left, on the east side of Brock Road, Brig. Gen. Samuel Crawford’s two brigade division advanced.

During the assault by Culter’s and Crawford’s divisions, the right of Cutler’s brigades (Bragg first and then Robinson) were flanked by Alabamians. After gaining their bearings, the Federals pushed the Alabamians back to their main line but eventually withdrew.

Lt. Col Rufus Dawes – Wisconsin Historical Society

About 10 a.m. on the 8th the brigade moved forward to assault the enemy in position at Laurel Hill, near Spotsylvania Court-House. This regiment was assigned to position in the second line, but as the lines moved forward, in obedience to instructions from Col. W. W. Robinson, commanding brigade, I placed my regiment on the right of the front line.” –  Lt. Col Rufus Dawes, 6th Wisconsin

Lt. Aaron E. Walcott – Library of Congress

During the assault by Culter’s and Crawford’s divisions, the right of Cutler’s brigades (Bragg first and then Robinson) were flanked by Alabamians. After gaining their bearings, the Federals pushed the Alabamians back to their main line but eventually withdrew.

When John C. Robinson’s division advanced early in the Union assaults, Capt. Augustus P. Martin’s 3^rd Massachusetts Light Artillery battery accompanied it to the front, At some point during the action, Capt. Martin was wounded and Lt. Aaron E. Walcott assumed command of the Battery and withdrew with Robinson’s repulses. “about half a mile to a small knoll which commanded the valley of a little stream [eventually] emptying into the Po River.” Over the next few days different V Corps artillery batteries occupied the 3^rd Massachusetts Light Artillery tract, protecting themselves and guns by constructing earthwork lunettes that remain visible today.

There are several key reasons to make sure these pristine acres are saved forever. First, in doing so it will maintain the current rural condition of this historic green-space. Second, and as mentioned above, preserving the extensive artillery lunette cultural resources on this ground highlights its importance during the fighting at Spotsylvania. Third, saving the 3^rd Massachusetts Light Artillery tract helps add another piece to those tracts already saved by CVBT, the American Battlefield Trust, and the National Park Service in this immediate area, which in turn advances the process of eventually connecting them all. Additionally, this is one of the last tracts along this section of Brock Road without a modern structure on it. No demolition is needed, which would otherwise add to the expense of returning this ground to its wartime appearance. Lastly, when purchased, interpreted, and opened, this land will be an invaluable resource for Civil War enthusiasts, as well as the general public, to learn about our nation’s shared past and to enjoy its surrounding nature.

The 3rd Massachusetts Light Artillery property would be in the area between numbers 9 and 10 (arrow) on the right-hand side of the image. Library of Congress

Preservation Story

At the CVBT 2025 Spring Seminar, the owners of this tract reached out to CVBT personnel about the property. Originally bought in the early 1980’s, the owner planned to build an artillery museum on the parcel, as it has many lunettes exposed. Those plans never came to fruition.

After several conversations between the parties, as well as internally, a deal was struck, and in May 2025 CVBT agreed to purchase the 7.2-acre parcel, which includes a dozen artillery lunettes. CVBT is raising $100,000 in order to preserve this amazing piece of land.

I hope you will consider becoming part of this newest preservation opportunity by donating to help CVBT save these historic acres. Every donation is an investment in our history and ensures this land is saved forever! Remember, every dollar you donate is worth two!

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Central Virginia Battlefields Trust, Inc. joins the American Battlefield Trust, and others as a plaintiff in legal appeal of Wilderness Crossing Development decision.

In a fervent display of dedication to historic preservation, plaintiffs and nonprofit preservation advocates are continuing their bold stand against a proposed mega-development near the historic Wilderness Battlefield in Orange, Virginia. The Central Virginia Battlefields Trust, along with the American Battlefield Trust, Friends of Wilderness Battlefield, and two concerned private citizens, have filed a legal brief urging the Circuit Court of Orange County to allow its lawsuit against the Wilderness Crossing project to move forward. These plaintiffs argue that the development process violated state law and poses a significant threat to invaluable historical and cultural resources.  

The Wilderness Battlefield, a site of immense historical significance, witnessed a pivotal battle during the American Civil War and began what became known as Grant’s Overland Campaign pitting Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant against Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Renowned for its dense forest and intense combat, the battlefield remains a symbol of the sacrifices made during the conflict. CVBT along with partner preservationists have long fought to protect this hallowed ground from encroaching development.   In 2024, the National Trust for Historic Preservation listed this 1864 Civil War site among the country’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. The rezoned development area includes land within the battlefield’s historic boundaries as identified by NPS.

The Wilderness Crossing project proposes a 2,600-acre mega-development at the gateway to the Wilderness Battlefield. This ambitious undertaking includes a potential of 5,000 residential units and more than 800 acres of commercial and industrial development – nearly 750 acres of which could be data centers and distribution warehouses. The intensity of this development has raised concerns from local residents as well as preservation advocates, because of the potential destruction of historic landscapes and the disruption of the area’s cultural fabric.   In their legal brief, the plaintiffs contend that the process to approve the Wilderness Crossing project violated state law. They assert that the rezoning and approval procedures were flawed, lacking transparency and proper consideration of the adverse impacts on historical resources.

The defendants – Orange County and its Board of Supervisors – have asked the judge to dismiss the case. A hearing is scheduled for March 21st on the motion.  The plaintiffs argue that allowing the mega-development to proceed unchecked will cause irrevocable harm to the historical and cultural resources of the Wilderness Battlefield. The development threatens to alter the landscape, erode the historical integrity of the site, and diminish its value as a place of remembrance and education.

“This project is unprecedented in such a historically significant area,” stated Central Virginia Battlefields Trust President Tom Van Winkle. “Orange County did not adhere to correct procedures and failed to respond to multiple inquiries from the National Park Service and other public entities. Additionally, they disregarded substantial opposition from local residents. CVBT, alongside its partners, will continue to advocate for the appropriate course of action for this region and the preservation of our nation’s historical resources”

American Battlefield Trust president David Duncan stated “The public should be able to have confidence that its representatives in government will conduct a good faith, transparent, and thorough process in making such consequential decisions. That did not happen here.” David continued, “This secrecy and haphazard rezoning process deserves to be brought to trial. There is simply too much at stake.”   The lawsuit is led by the American Battlefield Trust, along with the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust Inc., and Friends of Wilderness Battlefield. These three organizations own or manage historic properties near the rezoned land and anticipate substantial negative impacts. These nonprofit groups are committed to the preservation and stewardship of historic properties in the region. Their dedication to protecting the Wilderness Battlefield highlights the importance of this
legal action.

Alongside the plaintiffs’ filings, the National Parks Conservation Association, National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks submitted an amicus curiae brief in support of the Wilderness Crossing lawsuit.   Accompanying the nonprofit organizations are private citizens whose residences directly border the Wilderness Crossing site. These individuals risk significant adverse impacts if the project proceeds, as the development endangers their property values, quality of life, and the conservation of cherished historical landscapes.

The legal filings against the Wilderness Crossing project represent a crucial battle in the ongoing struggle to protect historic sites from modern encroachment. The Central Virginia Battlefield Trust and its allies are determined to uphold state law and preserve the integrity of the Wilderness Battlefield. As the case moves forward, the court’s decision will have far- reaching implications for the preservation of historical and cultural resources in Orange, Virginia, and beyond.  

Yes, I Want to Support the Wilderness Crossing Fight

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A sold out crowd packed the event hall at the Tabernacle United Methodist Church in Fredericksburg to hear presentations by top historians.

Speakers included noted historians and authors Dennis Frye, Greg Mertz, James Broomall, Frank O’ Reilly, and John Hennessy

Attendees were also treated to a a continental breakfast and a great BBQ lunch buffet.

The seminar covered topics and events happening in the late summer and fall of 1862 leading up to the battle at Fredericksburg.

Dennis Frye – “Lee’s Achilles” Harper’s Ferry and the First Invasion

Greg Mertz – “Jackson Is With You!” Confederates Turn the Tide at Cedar Mountain”

John Hennessy – The ‘Moral Spectacle’ of Freedom: The Union Army and the Slow End of Slavery in Central Virginia, 1862.

James Broomall – “Another Ball’s Bluff”: The Battle of Shepherdstown and the End of the Maryland Campaign

Frank O’Reilly – “Poor Burn Feels Dreadfully”: Transition of Power in the Army of the Potomac

John Hennessy presenting his program

Select authors had books available for sale and signatures. CVBT conducted a silent auction al day as well as raffles and a special give away.

The National Museum of Civil War Medicine presented an artifact display throughout the day.

Retired CVBT Board member Paul T.Scott and his brother also provided a table of interesting Civil War artifacts from his collection.

Greg Mertz addresses the audience

We are already hard at work building our 2026 Seminar. Keep an eye out for that information as you will not want to miss it!

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Witness Trees – Brompton – Fredericksburg  – 1863

Witness Trees – Sentinels of the Battlefields

 “Once Civil War soldiers march on to their next battle,

a witness tree remains as a biologically tenacious symbol of the past.

Confirmed witness trees are precious.”

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.

CVBT Witness Tree Protection Program

On one piece of preserved CVBT battlefield, the “Jackson Flank Attack1” parcel, there are 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.

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Protecting CVBT Witness Trees

In an effort to help identify and protect these aged and admired timbers, organizations and governmental agencies have worked to ensure their safe and continued growth into the future so new generations can experience their power of time and place. Several elderly-arbor-care efforts at a number of historic sites and battlefields like Gettysburg, Antietam, Manassas, and Fredericksburg allow visitors to stand beside an actual living thing where history happened.

Caring for Witness Trees Does Not Come Without Expense.

Period checkups for tree health, nutrition treatments, and preventive maintenance trimming, along with lightning prevention apparatus and other care measures, by professional arborists, costs thousands of dollars to do properly and have a continuous annual cost as well.

​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.

“A witness tree begins its life like any other tree. It sprouts. It grows. And then it’s thrust into the spotlight, playing an involuntary part in a significant historic event.”  – Mike Yessis

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ABT President David Duncan & CVBT President Tom Van Winkle

Victory!

CVBT Plays Role in new Culpeper Battlefields State Park

In August 2013, CVBT received a grant for $770,000 to assist the American Battlefield Trust in a 56-acre acquisition of Fleetwood Hill on the Brandy Station Battlefield. 

The entire battlefield preservation community including the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust, the Journey Through Hallowed Ground, and the Brandy Station Foundation, along with support of the National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program and the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Civil War Sites Preservation Fund had a hand in saving this long sought after parcel of the Brandy Station battlefield.

​”Preservation, It’s Chess, Not Checkers”, stated CVBT President Tom Van Winkle. So, some 11 years after CVBT’s contribution to help protect Fleetwood Hill, this chess piece is now part of Virginia’s 43rd State Park and the battlefield, now 1,000 acres and about to grow to 2,200 acres after a series of land transfers are completed, will include parts of the four major Civil War battles fought in Culpeper County: Brandy Station, Cedar Mountain, Kelly’s Ford, and Rappahannock Station.

​David Duncan, president of the American Battlefield Trust, said “nothing about today was inevitable,” meaning, there were many competing visions of what should happen to the land.

​Present for the June 8th dedication ceremony, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin stated “Teaching our history and the history of the Commonwealth of Virginia is not just complicated, it is filled with extraordinary highs and very dark lows,” Youngkin said.

“We must teach all of it — the good and the bad.”

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin & CVBT President Tom Van Winkle

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