STATEMENT OF DE TEEL PATTERSON TILLER, ACTING ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FOR CULTURAL RESOURCES, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS, RECREATION, AND PUBLIC LANDS, OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON RESOURCES CONCERNING H.R. 646, THE FORT DONELSON NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD ACT OF 2003.
OCTOBER 16, 2003
Mr. Chairman, thank you for the opportunity to present the views of the Department of the Interior on H.R. 646, a bill to expand the boundaries of the Fort Donelson National Battlefield and to authorize the acquisition and interpretation of lands associated with the campaign that resulted in the capture of the fort in 1862.
The Department of the Interior supports H.R. 646. Although the Administration’s priority is to focus our resources on caring for existing areas within the National Park System, there are cases where an acquisition or expansion is needed to realize an existing park unit’s mission and can be accomplished with reduced costs. This is such a case. This legislation would enable the National Park Service (NPS) to protect and interpret historical resources that are critical to the Civil War story concerning the surrender of Fort Donelson to Union forces.
Fort Donelson National Battlefield (Battlefield), currently consisting of 558 acres, is located in Stewart County, Tennessee. The battlefield includes the fort, the Dover Hotel (Surrender House), and Fort Donelson National Cemetery. H.R. 646 would allow the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) to expand the boundaries of the battlefield and acquire additional lands as long as the total acreage included in the battlefield does not exceed 2,000 acres. New lands may be acquired by purchase from willing sellers or by donation or exchange. Lands that would be added would include a detached unit of the battlefield at Fort Heiman, in Calloway County, Kentucky and various historical resources in and around Dover, Tennessee. In addition, H.R. 646 would require the Secretary and the U.S. Forest Service to enter into a memorandum of understanding for the protection and interpretation of remaining vestiges of Fort Henry and other Civil War resources in the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area.
There will be no anticipated NPS land acquisition costs for the acquisition of Fort Heiman. West Kentucky Corporation and the Commonwealth of Kentucky have entered into a partnership to secure more than $1,000,000 for land appraisals and purchase of approximately 300 acres at the Fort Heiman site. On September 23, 2003, Calloway County, Kentucky acquired approximately 200 acres of the site and intends to hold it in trust. The remaining 100 acres will also be purchased by this partnership. The intent is for the Fort Heiman site to then be donated to the NPS for inclusion into the battlefield once the boundary is adjusted through this legislation.
The U.S. Forest Service administers the lands on which the outer earthwork fortifications of Fort Henry remain - the fort itself is under Kentucky Lake. Thus, since the land is in current federal ownership, and would continue to be managed by the U.S. Forest Service, land acquisition funds would not be required. However, visitor services, resource protection, and interpretation could be enhanced, and undetermined costs might result, based upon the memorandum of understanding between the Secretary and the U.S. Forest Service regarding the protection and interpretation of this land.
First year personnel costs associated with this proposal are estimated to be $676,000, which would primarily be used to provide staffing for the detached unit that will be created at Fort Heiman. Additionally, a one-time development expenditure of about $325,000 is anticipated to cover maintenance equipment, vehicles, and miscellaneous start up supplies. Operational costs for future years are estimated to be approximately $850,000-$900,000 annually. Since that is roughly equal to the battlefield’s current funding, the expansion would require doubling the annual appropriation for this unit.
Murray State University in Kentucky has approached the park with the offer of office space, telephones, computers, and other office equipment if it would be needed.
In addition to the lands at Fort Heiman that will be purchased by the West Kentucky Corporation and the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the Civil War Preservation Trust (Trust) has purchased about 100 acres near or contiguous to Fort Donelson National Battlefield and holds an option for the purchase of an additional 105 acres. These two parcels contain the portion of the battlefield where 70% of the Union casualties took place. These properties would be included within the expanded boundary and we look forward to the possibility of working with the Trust to preserve and interpret these important lands. The Trust and the State of Tennessee are working on a cooperative venture to purchase another critical site consisting of approximately 7 acres near the current visitor center. There are an additional four sites of historical relevance and integrity near Fort Donelson that could be purchased from willing sellers, should they become available. Together, these parcels consist of approximately 20-23 acres and are estimated to cost less than $150,000.
The capture of the forts (Heiman, Henry and Donelson) that guarded the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers constituted the first major Union victory in the Civil War. The outcome earned Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant his promotion to Major General, the nickname “Unconditional Surrender Grant”, and prominence that led to the Presidency of the United States.
The Confederate capitulation forced the evacuation of Nashville, Tennessee, virtually all of middle Tennessee, and much of western Tennessee. With the capture of the three forts the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers became Union highways for the movement of men and material into the Deep South. The battles at Fort Henry and Fort Heiman were the first time in the Civil War where ironclad gunboats were used and the surrender of the forts ensured that Kentucky would remain in the Union.
The American Battlefield Protection Program has classified the Fort Donelson National Battlefield area as a collection of Priority I sites implying a critical need for coordinated nationwide preservation action. Fort Henry and Fort Donelson are also designated as two of the principle battles of the Civil War and Fort Heiman, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, derives part of its significance from its direct association with them.
The NPS is currently conducting a boundary study of Fort Donelson. Public response has been overwhelming in support of preserving the three forts under an umbrella of federal protection. The draft study is currently under agency review and is expected to be finalized by the end of calendar year 2003.
We suggest some technical amendments to H.R. 646 that provide the map references that are missing from the bill and will provide overall clarification to the bill language. Our suggested amendments are attached to this testimony.
Mr. Chairman, that concludes my statement. I would be pleased to answer any questions you or other members of the subcommittee may have.
Proposed Amendments
H.R. 646, Fort Donelson National Battlefield Expansion Act of 2003
Page 2, line 11, strike “The Fort Donelson National Battlefield shall consist of the site of” and insert “The boundary of the Fort Donelson National Battlefield is revised to include the site of”.
Page 2, line 18, strike “map entitled ‘_____’ numbered _____, and dated _____.” and insert “map entitled Fort Donelson National Battlefield Boundary Adjustment, numbered 328/80024, and dated September 2003.”
Page 5, line 7, strike “2 through 7” and insert “2 through 4, 6 through 8, and 10”.
Page 5, line16, strike subparagraph A and insert, “(A) in section 5 (16 U.S.C. 428d), by striking ‘Provided’ and the last sentence.”
Page 6, line 22, strike paragraph 3 and insert,
“(3) 1960 Law.—Public Law 86-738 is amended—
(A) in section 1 (16 U.S.C. 428k) by striking ‘Fort Donelson National Military Park’ and inserting ‘Fort Donelson National Battlefield’ and by striking ‘, but the total area commemorating the battle of Fort Donelson shall not exceed 600 acres”; and
(B) by striking section 3 (16 U.S.C. 428m).”