The Future of the Saltville Battlefields: A Report on the American Battlefield Protection Program Mapping Project

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The Future of the Saltville BattlefieldsA
Report on the American Battlefield Protection
Program Mapping Project

• Dr. Robert C. Whisonant
• Dr. C. Clifford Boyd, Jr.
• Dr. Rhett B. Herman
• Daniel DiMichele
• Radford University

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Introduction
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Figure 5
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Project Partners

• American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP)
  National Park Service (NPS)
• Radford University
• Departments of Sociology and Anthropology,
  Chemistry and Physics, and Geology
• Town of Saltville
• Saltville Foundation Operators of Museum of
  Middle Appalachians

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Project Research Goals

• Conduct a survey of battlefield features so that
  they may be mapped, identified, and evaluated as
  a step toward more effective preservation and
  interpretation.
• Examine as many of the defining features as
  possible of both battles using ABPP KOCOA
  standards

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Defining Features

• Any feature mentioned in battle accounts or shown
  on historic maps that potentially can be located
  on the ground. Any description that implies a
  location can be a defining feature whether or not
  that feature survives today.
• Examples Natural terrain features such as
  hills, ravines, and streams as well as man-made
  features such as towns, houses, roads, and fences.

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KOCOA Analysis

• A method for evaluating the military
  significance of terrain or other battlefield
  features.
• K Key Terrain
• O Obstacles
• C Cover and Concealment
• O Observation and Fields of Fire
• A Avenues of Approach and Retreat

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Field Methods

• GPS/GIS mapping
• Geophysical surveys
• Archaeological investigations (limited shovel
  testing)

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3-15-05 Statham Line 4 East?West, immediately
north of marsh area
Bedrock
3-15-05 Statham Line 2 East?West, 2m north of
Line 4, further north of marsh area
marsh area
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Anomaly
Total magnetic field intensity (nanoTesla)
N
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Inventory of Historic Artifacts and Animal Bone
from Williams Site Field Hospital
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Observations of Importance

• 5 prehistoric stone flakes found.
• More Architectural/Activities artifacts found
  inside structure.
• More Kitchen artifacts found outside structure.
• Total Artifacts from Slave Cabin 958
• Total Artifacts recovered during metal detector
  survey 9
• Total Artifacts and Animal Bone from Field
  Hospital and Slave Cabin 3,956

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Future of the Saltville Battlefields

• Phase 1 Historic resources identification and
  evaluation (in progress).
• Phase 2 Development of a preservation plan.
• Phase 3 Implementation of projects that
  interpret the sites for public education.

The future of the Saltville battlefields is
bright!
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Elements of a Preservation Plan

• 1. Battlefield Information
• -location and extent, historical
  significance, historic resources,
• current ownership and land use, threats
  
• 2. Community Characteristics
• -demographics, attitudes toward preservation,
  economic issues, political climate
• 3. Prioritization of land /resources needing
  protection
• 4. Analysis of most effective protection
  methods
• -community involvement methods such as
  land acquisition,
• zoning, historic district, tax
  incentives, Civil War Trails
• 5. Partnerships, strategies, and action plan

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National Register of Historic Places
1. Nomination sent to State Historic
Preservation Office (SHPO) for review
and public comment 2. If owners object, the
historic property cannot be listed 3. SHPO
forwards nomination to NPS more opportunity for
public comment eventual approval 4.
Registry demands nothing from property owners it
is an honorary listing 5. Results of
listing alerts people that property has been
deemed worthy of preservation potential tax
benefits