America's battlefields teach us about some of the most
important events in our history. We also value them because they
commemorate the selfless sacrifices made by our ancestors who fought
there. They inspire us to contemplate the meaning of the battle, its
causes, its cost, and consequences. They connect us to our past with
such timeless virtues as duty, loyalty, honor, and courage, as well as
cowardice, brutality, fear, and despair.
No battlefield stands today exactly as it did at the
time of war. Many changes have taken place since that time. A cover of
grass has grown. Fields have been planted. Fortifications have eroded,
wood lots have been planted or cut down, and new buildings have been
erected.
Today's battlefield is a record not only of the
conflict, but also of change, some of which may be important in its own
right. The battlefield we see today is a sum of many parts, all of which
teach us about our past.
Look out over the land where warriors and soldiers
bravely fought and died, the old farmhouse where the wounded were
treated by nurses and volunteers, the church on the hilltop where
commanders planned their strategy, or the remnants of a fortification
once so strong it held safe the future of a nation.
You can almost see the bayonets flash, hear the guns and war cries, feel
the cannon roar, and sense the bravery, pain, and suffering.
Battlefields are special places because they evoke vivid images and
awaken our shared emotions. Here is the sacred ground where we honor
those who fought and feel a connection to our past. By visiting these
sites, we gain a greater understanding of and appreciation for what took
place.
There is more to a battlefield than immediately meets
the eye. An important piece of this irreplaceable landscape is the
reality of that long-ago battle that lies hidden underground.
