As president of Central Virginia Battlefield Trust, I was pleased to see the recent article concerning the easement on a 104-acre parcel of land called Latimer’s Knoll, ground that played an important part in the battle of Fredericksburg during the Civil War [“Latimer’s Knoll saved by low-profile land deal,” April 22].
It was particularly gratifying to see the owner of this land receive public recognition for his incredible generosity.
I was disappointed, therefore, to read C.L. Brimer’s May 15 letter, which cast aspersions on the deal itself and on the motivation of both parties involved [“A battle that needn’t have been fought—but it’s good to know the knoll is safe,” May 15].
Truth and accuracy and honor demand a response.
Mr. Brimer wrote, “The land itself sits mostly in the 100-year flood plain, which makes it worthless for commercial developmentThe land was never in any danger of being developed.”
This is not true. Approximately 58 acres of the 104 acres are within the flood plain. The remaining 46 acres—including the knoll itself and the land directly abutting National Park land—are not impacted by the flood plain and were definitely subject to development. The owner, in giving us this easement, has seen to it that this important historical ground will be preserved forever.
Mr. Brimer wrote, “There’s probably motive as to why this ‘land deal’ was done on the q.t.”
The implication of this statement impugns both our integrity and honesty. The CVBT goes about its preservation efforts quietly, more interested in substance than in show, more interested in action than in talk, and to mistake quiet labor for subterfuge is both regrettable and wrong.
Mr. Brimer wrote, “Elevating [the CVBT] and the developer to hero status is uncalled for.”
Here I agree. We of CVBT are not heroes; rather, we are local folks who are working hard to save our local Civil War battlefields before development destroys them forever.
In truth, the only heroes involved with our efforts are the men in blue and gray who fought and fell on these fields, men whose blood and bravery consecrated this ground, making it worthy of our every effort to protect.
But now that I think of it, in this age of selfishness and greed, there is something heroic about a land owner willing to sacrifice profit for preservation, don’t you think?
Mike Stevens
Fredericksburg