Most Endangered Battlefields 2008
Hunterstown, Pa.
July 2, 1863
Often called “North Cavalry Field,” the fighting at Hunterstown was one portion of the largest battle ever fought in the Western Hemisphere — the three day struggle in and around Gettysburg.
Late on the afternoon of July 2, Union cavaliers under the command of Brig. Gen. George Armstrong Custer dismounted and took positions under cover around the Felty Farm. Custer then personally led a small but daring raid on Brig. Gen. Wade Hampton’s Confederates, positioned further south on the Hunterstown Road. The Rebels took the bait and gave chase back up the narrow, enclosed road toward the unseen Federal force. When the trap was sprung, the Confederates were caught in a deadly crossfire, their lead elements mowed down by artillery concealed inside the Felty’s barn. Thus engaged, Hampton’s force was prevented from fulfilling its original purpose in the area: supporting Lt. Gen. Richard S. Ewell’s assault on strategic Culp’s Hill.
Threat
In the fall of 2006 Hunterstown was officially recognized by the National Park Service as part of the Gettysburg Battlefield, an important step for kick-starting preservation efforts. Located roughly five miles northeast of downtown Gettysburg in Straban Township, Hunterstown is experiencing the rapid growth endemic throughout Adams County.
Though fewer than 400 new building permits were issued for Adams County in 2007, down from about 700 in 2005, the very nature of development in the region has changed. The housing developments now sought are typically in excess of 200 houses, larger than they once were, and set against rural backdrops removed from U.S. Route 15, in areas like Hunterstown. Development in Adams County is expected to get another boost in the near future with the redevelopment of Fort Ritchie in neighboring Frederick County, Md.
Additionally, the entire Gettysburg area lies within the National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor. This potentially allows power companies to trump state and local ordinance and put power lines across preserved land.
CWSAC classified Gettysburg as a Priority I, Class A battlefield — its highest designation.
Resources for Hunterstown
- Hunterstown Historical Society
- Hunterstown Historical Society's Virtual Tour of Gettysburg
- Wikipedia: Battle of Hunterstown
- View CWPT's photos of Hunterstown
MOST ENDANGERED BATTLEFIELDS:
Hunterstown, Pennsylvania
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