In 2017 the Civil War Trust (American Battlefield Trust), the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation and the Kernstown Battlefield Association jointly announced the preservation of a 37-acre parcel on Sandy Ridge as well as another one of 36 acres adjoining the existing 315-acre Kernstown battlefield. The two parcels together cost about $1,040,000 and were paid for through federal government grants and donations raised by the three nonprofits. The deed to the properties was turned over to the Kernstown Battlefield Association (KBA) in December of 2022. Since its founding in 1996, the nonprofit KBA has preserved 315 acres of the battle site. The additional 73 acres, which the Civil War Trust transfered to the KBA, brings the amount of land preserved at Kernstown to 388 acres. The KBA held a grand opening celebration on June I7th, 2023. It was on Sandy Ridge that Stonewall Jackson shifted his 13 artillery pieces to provide suppressing fire onto the Union artillery positions on Pritchard’s Hill. Counter-moves by Colonel Nathan Kimball resulted in a Union victory and ultimately General Jackson’s only defeat. 

Next- The First Battle of Kernstown- Battlefield Tour Part 6- Sites Outside of the Parks