Davis Bridge Battlefield Gets Preservation

[BumpusTN]

From The Jackson Sun 8/12/09

Civil War battlefield gets preservation
"Davis Bridge Battlefield will receive 650 more acres in Pocahontas, according to a news release from the Civil War Preservation Trust.
The preservation trust is one of the largest nonprofit organizations focused on protecting historic landscapes at Civil War battlefields.
This purchase is a way to protect the landscape of one of the significant battles of the Civil War, the release said. The Oct. 5, 1862, battle was the final combat around Corinth, Miss., and the final Confederate offensive in Mississippi.
This battle was the second largest Civil War battle fought in Tennessee, the release said. There were about 1,000 casualties.
"While Davis Bridge may not be the most famous battle of the war, this land is critically important to telling the story of operations in the Western Theater," said James Lighthizer, preservation trust president. "We are looking to purchase the entire battlefield east of the Hatchie River, land that retains a high degree of integrity and its war-time appearance."
The purchase of this land is about $1.9 million with the help of the state and federal grants. The Civil War Preservation Trust have to contribute $166,400. The Tennessee Heritage Conservation Trust fund has pledged $864,000 toward the effort that will be added to the trust's portion to help against a $948,600 matching grant form the federal American Battlefield Protection Program. The Tennessee Wars Committee is also going to create a Davis Bridge Battlefield welcome center near the battlefield." XXX


Scott Bumpus

[JimKindred]

Re: Davis Bridge Battlefield Gets Preservation

The sad part about this is that no one really knew about this area so no one screwed with it. It is so far off the normally traveled roads it was rarely visited now you really don't know what is going to happen with it.

Preservation trust purchases 650 acres near Corinth

Published Thursday, August 13
By Jeff York
For the Daily Corinthian
POCAHONTAS, Tenn. — The Civil War Preservation Trust (CWPT), the nation’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the historic landscapes at Civil War battlefields, and the State of Tennessee have purchased nearly 650 acres of pristine battlefield land at Davis Bridge, Tenn.
The battle on Oct. 5, 1862, was the final significant combat around Corinth, a critical railroad junction, and produced nearly 1,000 casualties.
“I really believe this battlefield could someday help boost tourism in our area,” said McNairy County Mayor Jai Templeton. “The history of Davis Bridge is important enough to preserve for the future.”
CWPT acquired the property on July 31, and donated the property to the State of Tennessee, transferring management to the Tennessee Wars Commission. The land borders McNairy and Hardeman counties.
“This project is a perfect illustration of why we are in business,” said CWPT president James Lighthizer.
“Neither the State of Tennessee, nor a single nonprofit entity would have been able to protect this battlefield. But by working together, we have ensured that the Davis Bridge Battlefield will endure for generations to come.”
Complications in the negotiation prevented the state from completing the transaction independently. CWPT stepped in, signing a contract worth more than $1.9 million with the Miller Lumber Company, the land’s previous owner. The Tennessee Heritage Conservation Trust Fund contributed $864,000 toward the effort, which was leveraged against a $971,600 matching grant from the federal American Battlefield Protection Program, leaving CWPT with $138,900 in outright contribution.
“We are deeply indebted to our preservation partners,” said Fred Prouty, program director for the Tennessee Wars Commission. “Together we have saved hundreds of acres of hallowed ground, a pattern of success we know will continue for many years to come.”
Prouty also noted that the Tennessee Wars Commission was awarded a nearly $1 million federal transportation enhancement grant to create a welcome and interpretive center in the state-owned historic Pocahontas Schoolhouse nearby. The facility will include 3.5 miles of interpretive walking trails and a pedestrian footbridge across the Hatchie River, allowing visitor access to the newly acquired land.
Tenn. State Rep. Steve McDaniel, a past president of the Tennessee Civil War Preservation Association (TCWPA) praised the project’s spirit of cooperation, declaring, “It goes without saying that the funding provided by the CWPT is invaluable, but the expertise in putting together the entire acquisition plan for Civil War battlefields is another area where the CWPT makes the deals happen.”
CWPT continues fundraising to pay off its portion of the purchase price. One major donor to the effort thus far has been TCWPA, which raised the money several years ago in preparation for the land’s eventual purchase.
“We are pleased to join CWPT in helping preserve the Davis Bridge site,” said TCWPA president James Danley. “We know that this effort, like the other occasions when we have partnered to protect hallowed ground across the state, will ensure present and future generations will be able to visit and appreciate a significant story in Tennessee’s Civil War history.”
On Oct. 5, 1862, Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant sent a force of 8,000 Federals under Maj. Gen. Edward O. C. Ord in pursuit of Confederate Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn’s force, which had abandoned Corinth the previous day.
Ord slammed into the vanguard of the retreating Confederate column at Davis Bridge on the Hatchie River two miles south of Pocahontas. Ord drove the head of the Confederate column back across the river and seized the bridge. But Confederates defending the heights overlooking the crossing to the east inflicted heavy casualties on the Federals and checked their further advance.
Despite Ord’s presence blocking his route west, Van Dorn slipped between the two converging enemy columns and crossed the Hatchie at Crum’s Mill six miles upstream, retreating to Holly Springs, Miss. With 60,000 members, CWPT is the largest nonprofit battlefield preservation organization in the United States.
Its mission is to preserve our nation’s endangered Civil War battlefields and to promote appreciation of these hallowed grounds. CWPT’s website is www.civilwar.org.

Full Story here - http://www.dailycorinthian.com/prese...s_land0813.htm

[BumpusTN]

Re: Davis Bridge Battlefield Gets Preservation

Jim,

I totally agree with you. I live not an hours drive from this place and the God's honest truth, I had no idea about it. I'm almost ashamed to admit it. I'll make the trip soon though.

Scott Bumpus

[PetePaolillo]

Re: Davis Bridge Battlefield Gets Preservation

Dear Friend,

It gives me great pleasure to report to you that CWPT has successfully closed on 643 acres at Davis Bridge, Tennessee, helping to create one of the largest Civil War state parks in the state!

As you may recall from our appeals earlier this year, the Battle of Davis Bridge, sometimes known as Hatchie's Bridge, was fought on October 5, 1862, the final significant action of the operations around Corinth, Mississippi, one of - in my humble opinion - the most neglected theaters of the entire war.

CWPT was able to purchase this important 643 acres for $1,979,000, utilizing a federal battlefield preservation matching grant of $948,600, and a grant of $864,000 from the Tennessee Heritage Conservation Trust Fund. Plus, generous CWPT members "dug deep" despite the bad economy and donated just enough for us to put in our required portion of the match - $166,400 - meaning that we saved this pristine battlefield with a $12-to-$1 of your donation dollar. CWPT will hold the land until the state of Tennessee is ready to assume it from us.

Thank you again for all you have done to help advance the cause of battlefield preservation, and I look forward to accomplishing even more before this astounding year draws to a close.

Sincerely yours,
Jim Lighthizer
President

[Abrams]

Re: Davis Bridge Battlefield Gets Preservation

CWPT does it again!

I tell you that in today's economy, and having to carefully choose your causes to support, it is Very Hard to find more bang for the buck than CWPT. The matching funds they work hard to get are a 'force multiplier' unlike anything I have seen elsewhere.

Recently, they had a 120 to 1 multiplier. (I forget which battlefield atm) Now how can anyone pass that kind of deal? When a $100 donation turns into $12,000 of buying power to preserve our battlefields, that is too hard for me to pass up.

If you are not a member, or on their mailing list, you should look into them.

My .02

(which with CWPT turns into a buck-fifty with matching funds :) )