Wal Mart vs. Civil War

The Overland Campaign, a major thrust by General Ulysses Grant to defeat the Confederate forces during May and June 1864, was one of the most horrific confrontations of the Civil War. One event in particular, the Battle of the Wilderness, was a panorama of immense bloodshed, leaving 26,000 soldiers dead or wounded in two days. Now, Wal-Mart wants to erect a SuperCenter next door to the battlefield.

Situated in Orange County, Virginia, the proposed SuperCenter would pave over 55 acres of green land. The Civil War Preservation Trust (CWPT) is leading the primary campaign against this sprawl, but several other organizations are involved. Even the Vermont Legislature is officially on board! As a disclosure, I am a member of the CWPT; several of my direct ancestors fought in the war, and I try to honor their memory by supporting programs that conserve and restore America's battlefields. Whether or not you can trace your heritage back to this volatile era, all who call themselves Americans should hold these places in high esteem. Valley Forge and Gettysburg, Yorktown and Appomattox Courthouse: these are the crucibles from which the modern United States was forged. The final sacrifice of 600,000 American soldiers lead to the abolition of slavery and the preservation of the Union. Their resting places should be given absolute respect.

Some might say, "Well, the Wal-Mart would not actually be on the battlefield, so why is it harmful?" Firstly, this SuperCenter will be 141,000 square feet. Secondly, large tracts of pristine acres will be converted into parking lots. Many people just love to shop at Wal-Mart, so you need substantial space to accommodate those eager customers. This will escalate traffic, urban sprawl and pollution. Other chain store franchises like to situate their facilities near a SuperCenter, as that would mean more "foot traffic" for their businesses. Eventually, this beautiful historic area will be choked full of cars and overdevelopment. The peace and solemnity of that battlefield will be forever lost. Would we tolerate this if Wal-Mart attempted to build on land adjacent to Grandfather Mountain? Imagine if a Taco Bell was placed in the middle of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The essence, the "otherness" of such areas would disappear.

This is not a "ban all big box stores" proposal. Even the petition to halt Wal-Mart's intrusion on sacred American battlefield clearly states this. If the projected deal was for a housing subdivision, a funeral home, or a billiards club, I would be just as furiously opposed. Sadly, this is not the first time, nor is it the last, that battlefields will be threatened. According to the CWPT, nearly 20 percent of all Civil War sites have vanished due to urban sprawl. My core principle is that some things in this life are worth saving, regardless of the circumstances. A battlefield cannot be relocated for convenience's sake or because people grow bored with it. It is in that spot for eternity, serving both as a hallowed sanctuary for the glorious dead and as a physical history lesson for the present living. There are some places that you simply don't build upon or near, period.

Ultimately, I feel that this is indicative of modern American society. Love and awareness of history is fading in the United States. Most of my peers probably can't trace their lineage beyond their grandparents, and they probably don't care. It seems that the only "history" most Americans are interested in is when Coldplay's latest album will be released or by how much Carolina beat Duke in their latest altercation. I am not demanding that people avoid or disengage from "up-to-date" culture. But when infatuation with all things "brand new" obstructs an intimate connection with our past, I think we've reached a critical point of national tragedy. We live in a contemporary society that ascribes to nothing intrinsic value or being worthy of preservation. Otherwise, Wal-Mart and other developers would never get away with destroying these sites of cultural and historical significance.

If you find yourself outraged about development threats to any historic battlefield, please visit www.civilwar.org.