Central Virginia Battlefields Trust

CVBT's newest preservation campaign is for a two-acre tract, which we call "Jackson’s Flank Attack—First Wave," a vital parcel along modern Rt 3. Please consider helping us reach our $125,000 goal to purchase this property. To give, visit: bit.ly/4hjoscg

Capt. Shepherd Pryor, 12th GA, May4, 1863:"moved our line of battle closer up; consequently wee had to entrench in great haist. After we had been at work a fiew minutes the sharp shooters commenced fireing. I assure you it wasent long before we had breast works to fight behind.”

Pvt. Henry Kieffer, 150th PA, Wilderness: “On all sides, within and just without the hastily erected hospital tents, were the severely and dangerously wounded, while great numbers of slightly wounded men . . . were lying about the sides of tents or out among the bushes."

Writer John Trowbridge, Sept 1865, Wilderness: canteens, straps, buckles, cartridge boxes, socks, old shoes, rotting letters, desolate tracts of perforated and broken trees—all these signs, and other sadder still, remained to tell their silent story of the great fight.”

CVBT released its November 2026 "History Wire" e-newsletter last Sunday. This month’s post focuses on soldiers' accounts of wounds at Mine Run, the Wilderness, and Spotsylvania Court House. If you missed it, it is available on the CVBT website at: bit.ly/48lraKg

Yesterday, 30 fortunate attendees to our "Becoming a Hell of a Regiment" talk and tour enjoyed learning from historian Jared Peatman about the 20th Maine's experience at the Battle of Fredericksburg. We sincerely appreciate Jared sharing his talents with us.

Henry Matrau, 6th WI, Mine Run: “To have charged those Heigts with the number of men we had would have been sheer murder & Gen. Meade knew it.”

Capt. Delavan Bates, 121st NY, Salem Church: “The minute we stopped the men fell faster and faster until at last the right commenced falling back and then the whole line went like sheep and the rebs after us yelling like devils. I . . . was taken [prisoner]."

CVBT released its October 2026 e-newsletter yesterday. If you missed it, it is available at: bit.ly/4dVAubc If you don’t want to miss future CVBT email newsletters, you can sign up for them at: bit.ly/3IElLAr cvbt.org/support-us/

Last Saturday CVBT hosted its annual Youth Community Service Day at our Nine Mile Run tract on the Chancellorsville battlefield. We had over 20 students, parents, and adult sponsors from area high schools, along with CVBT volunteers, staff, and board members all pitch in.

Wash. “Evening Star,” May 17, 1864: “Our Wounded:A Surgeon returning from Fredericksburg, reports the greatest difficulty in properly caring for the wounded. [If] not for the Sanitary and Christian Commission, it would be impossible for the wounded to be properly attended to."

Corp. David E. Johnston, 7th VA Inf. Fredericksburg: “By this time the fog had so lifted that we could see in front far to our right the gleam of a long line of bayonets . . . we witnessed the combat between the Federal and Confederate skirmishers of Jackson's command...."

Corp. John Stutzman, 90th PA May 1, 1863: “the rebels commence shelling and throwed about five or six shells and directly one come right at our regiment. Sure enough, it did come. It was a 20 lb. shell, and it tears things when it bursts. You ought to seen us get out of that.”

Lt. Charles H. Brewster, 10th MA, Second Fredericksburg: "the kind of shell they fired were called Spherical Case and is a hollow iron ball filled with Musket bullets and when it bursts it throws a perfect shower of fragments of iron. . . ."

Jane H. Beale, Dec. 11, 1862: "the horses dashed off at a speed that at another time would have alarmed me, but now seemed all to slow for our feverish impatience to be beyond the reach of those terrible shots which were still tearing through the streets of the town...."

Only 11 tickets are left! Join CVBT and historian Chris Mackowski for an afternoon exploration into the critical decisions involved in the Battle of Fredericksburg. A copy "Decisions at Fredericksburg" is free with your $45 registration. To register: bit.ly/4g7zhOc

Pvt. John Pardington, 24th MI, Fredericksburg: “We lost very heavy in this last fight. The Papers say 13000 But I think 15000. A Battle feild is an awful sight. I never want to see another but I suppose we will have to before long.”

Asst Surg Clark Baum of the 50th NY Eng. Fredericksburg: “when the ‘Ball Opened’ and the music of wham – whiz – bang – flash – buz – zip – pud – boom – came about me I breathed more free altho. When the Artillery fairly opened the roar was terrific – dreadful – I know no words"

Col. John C. Lee, 55th OH, May 2, 1863, Chancellorsville: “the men and officers on our right flank began to give way, and to retreat in our rear in a disorganized form. The battery...began to deliver grape and canister right along the road....": bit.ly/4hjoscg

Walt Whitman seeing the wounded at Chatham: "No cots; seldom even a mattress. It is pretty cold. The ground is frozen hard, and there is occasional snow. I go around from one case to another. I do not see that I do much good, but I cannot leave them.”

Robert T. Knox, 30th VA, Fredericksburg: “Our house like all the other houses has suffered much from the balls & shell thrown into it. Two balls went through the roof of the house tearing off the slate; another struck Mollies chimney & tore off half of that."