American Battlefield Trust @Battlefields

“The woman in battle is an infrequent figure on the pages of history,” wrote Loreta Janeta Velazquez, opening her autobiography, “The Woman in Battle: A Narrative of the Exploits, Adventures, and Travels of Madame Loreta Janeta Velazquez, Otherwise Known as Lieutenant Harry T. Buford, Confederate States Army.” She continues, “What would not history lose were the glorious records of the heroines, – the great-souled women who have stood in the front rank where the battle was hottest and the fray most deadly, – to be obliterated?” While some of the book may have been exaggerated, she did fight under the alias of Harry T. Buford in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. #HispanicHeritageMonth 💡 Learn more about Loreta here: bit.ly/4ARGGdZ 📖 Read her autobiography here: bit.ly/4zbC28R

Who are we, and who will we become? Join Doug Ullman as he dives into his experience performing in the show “1776” at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, DC, in the newest episode of our podcast, Boom Goes the History. He is joined by Chris Mackowski and Andy Poulton.

🎶 Sit down, John! 🎶 And listen to our newest episode of Boom Goes the History with actor and longtime friend of the Trust, Doug Ullman, as he shares his experience performing in the musical "1776" at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. He is joined by Chris Mackowski and Andy Poulton. 🎧 Listen now: bit.ly/4hGcYRP 🔍 Want to dive further into the history behind the musical? Then click here: bit.ly/4v5xgHx

Late in the afternoon on December 31, 1862, during the Battle of Stones River, Major General William S. Rosecrans, Lieutenant Colonel Julius P. Garesché, and the Army of the Cumberland’s senior commanders and staff watched Major General John C. Breckinridge’s final charge from a knoll in full view of both sides. Suddenly, a Confederate shell whistled past Rosecrans’s head. Within seconds, Garesché was hit and dead. #HispanicHeritageMonth battlefields.org/learn/biograph…

#OnThisDay October 5, 1813, American forces under the command of William H. Harrison defeated British forces and their allies in the Battle of the Thames, resulting in the death of the famed Native American leader Tecumseh and the end of his Confederacy. battlefields.org/learn/war-1812…

George Washington’s attack on Germantown #OnThisDay October 4, 1777, failed. But how did it change the course of the American Revolution? Learn more about the battle here: bit.ly/4y9vE1i This video was supported by a generous grant from Americana Corner (@americanacorner) and the American Battlefield Protection Program.

Did you know George Washington bid a tearful farewell to his officers at Fraunces Tavern in New York City after the American Revolution? Join us in the newest episode of Historically Correct, as we challenge visitors at iconic historic sites and battlefields on The Liberty Trail to see how much they really know about the events that shaped our nation. This season of Historically Correct has been made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities (@NEHgov ).

Before national coinage was established after the American Revolution, a mix of foreign and domestic coins circulated in North America. The most common coin was the Spanish silver dollar, worth eight “Reales,” a unit of currency in Spain. These coins were valued by their actual weight in silver and were preferred over other currency because they had a milled or patterned edge, which prevented dishonest traders from shaving slivers off of the coins without being detected. Because these coins were worth their weight in silver, traders could make change by cutting the whole coin into eight pieces, or “bits.” The British referred to the whole Spanish dollar as a “piece of eight” (a coin worth eight pieces or bits). The above coin would have been valued at “two bits” by British standards.

Starting #OnThisDay October 3, 1862, a Confederate army under the command of Gen. Earl Van Dorn attacked the vital city of Corinth, Mississippi. During the two-day battle, Van Dorn’s army gained initial success but was ultimately defeated due to a stiff Federal defense led by William S. Rosecrans. battlefields.org/learn/civil-wa…

In a dried riverbed of the Rio Grande, with a large desert mesa in the background, José Francisco Chaves fought with the 1st Regiment New Mexico Volunteers for the Union Army at the Battle of Valverde. While the February 1862 battle ended with a Confederate victory, Chaves continued to serve with distinction in the area, eventually being promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and becoming post commander of Fort Wingate. After an honorable discharge in 1865, he studied law and entered politics. He was elected New Mexico Territory delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from 1865-1867, and again from 1869-1871. He continued to serve in local New Mexico politics until his death in 1904. #HispanicHeritageMonth

Some of the most consequential battles of the Civil War were close calls — moments when the outcome remained uncertain until the fighting was over. Today, we’re facing another close call. The American Battlefield Trust is working to save 127 acres across four irreplaceable battlefields: Shiloh and Stones River in Tennessee, Dallas in Georgia, and Spanish Fort in Alabama. Learn more about this opportunity below ⬇️ and donate today. battlefields.org/give/save-batt…

Luis F. Emilio lied about his age. At only 16, two years younger than the minimum age for service in the Union Army, Emilio enlisted in Company F of the 23rd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. He served with distinction until the end of the war, including during the assault on Fort Wagner with the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, and mustered out before he turned 21. #HispanicHeritageMonth

NEW FROM CAPITOL HILL — In a major victory for the protection of America’s hallowed battlegrounds, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted unanimously to advance bills to extend the American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP), the nation’s most effective historic battlefield preservation grant program. The bipartisan legislation, which garnered overwhelming support from both parties, marks a major investment in protecting America’s hallowed ground as the nation commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary War. In June, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the ABPP Reauthorization Act with a 404-13 vote. Learn more: battlefields.org/news/senate-co…

October isn’t just for falling leaves and pumpkin spice lattes — it’s also Family History Month! The American Battlefield Trust is excited to help you explore your genealogy and maybe even uncover some hidden history. Family trees can be daunting to work on, but they don't have to be complicated. Check out the Trust’s new guide on military ancestor research at the link below to break down the steps and find a multitude of resources, from the American Revolution to the Civil War. If you’ve already explored your ancestry, drop your stories in the comments below! battlefields.org/making-the-anc…

Ambrosio José Gonzales was a Cuban freedom fighter and a colonel in the Confederate Army. When the Civil War began, he joined the staff of Confederate Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard and participated in the bombardment of Ft. Sumter. His artillery skills helped the Confederacy defend the Carolina coast and achieve victory at the Battle of Honey Hill. #HispanicHeritageMonth battlefields.org/learn/biograph…

#OnThisDay September 30, 1864, five Union divisions attacked the Confederate lines at Squirrel Level and Vaughn Roads. They overran the Confederates’ Ft. Archer and flanked them out of the Squirrel Level Road line. The next day the Union troops repulsed a Confederate counterattack and captured Ft. McRae. After they extended their left flank to Peebles and Pegram Farms, Union Maj. Gen. George Meade suspended the offensive and entrenched the lines. battlefields.org/learn/civil-wa…

🚨 BREAKING — Orange County just filed a motion to change their position in the lawsuit brought by the Trust and its allies to stop the planned Wilderness Crossing mega-development at the gateway of the Wilderness Battlefield. The County, which had previously defended the Wilderness Crossing rezoning, has formally asked to withdraw its opposition to the lawsuit and all its defenses, leaving the developers to defend the project alone. “We have known from the start that the Wilderness Crossing development was not only a detriment to the battlefield, but arose out of an illegal process, and we are thrilled Orange County has reached the same realization,” said David Duncan, president of the American Battlefield Trust. “Hopefully, the developers behind this wrong-headed mega-development will soon also reach the same conclusion. We look forward to working with the county to find a win-win solution that protects the battlefield as well as the interests of residents and park neighbors.” READ THE FULL UPDATE: battlefields.org/news/orange-co…

In September of 1864, Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant wanted to divert Gen. Robert E. Lee’s attention from a movement against the Southside Railroad in Virginia by ordering a diversionary attack against the Confederate fortifications around Richmond. Overnight #OnThisDay September 29, 1864, Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler’s Army of the James crossed the James River to assault the Richmond defenses. Butler’s left and right columns attacked at dawn on the 29th, but the Confederates rallied and contained the break in their lines. The fighting continued the next day. battlefields.org/learn/civil-wa…

At 8:00 am on #OnThisDay September 29, 1862, Brigadier General Jefferson C. Davis shot Major General William “Bull” Nelson in the chest with a borrowed pistol in the lobby of the Galt House Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. Within the next hour, Nelson was dead. Learn more about William “Bull” Nelson here: bit.ly/4rFKWt0

After the Union captured her hometown of St. Augustine, Florida, during the Civil War, Maria Dolores “Lola” Sánchez’s father was imprisoned for espionage. When her attempts to release him failed, she instead turned to espionage herself. 🔗 Click the link below to learn more about Sánchez and her role in the Confederate victory at the Battle of Horse Landing in May 1864. #HispanicHeritageMonth! battlefields.org/learn/biograph…