A nonprofit which preserves U.S. battlegrounds announced Wednesday that it has paid $260,000 to purchase land in Virginia where Black soldiers fought in the Civil War and were honored for their efforts.
American Battlefield Trust, based in Washington, D.C., said the money will help preserve New Market Heights, which is just outside of Richmond.
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Completion of the latest project was made possible by donations made by trust members and private donors, as well as a matching grant awarded by the Commonwealth’s Virginia Battlefield Preservation Fund, which is administered by the Department of Historic Resources, the news release said. The grants have helped protect 9,598 acres.
The battle on Sept. 29, 1864, was key to securing a Union position and eventually helped lead to the Confederate surrender of their capital. That day, 14 soldiers of the U.S. Colored Troops earned the Medal of Honor, more than half the number of Black soldiers who were honored for their valor during the entire war.
