The preservation greatly expands the number of protected acres
at Gaines' Mill, the bloodiest chapter in the Seven Days'
Battles, making it a "monumental achievement" in the trust's
history, president James Lighthizer said. "Prior to this, only
65 acres of this crucial battlefield had been protected," he
said in a statement prepared for the formal announcement. "With
just one purchase, we have more than quintupled the amount of
land at Gaines' Mill preserved forever." The entire 285 acres
are within the boundary of the Richmond National Battlefield
Park, so the trust will turn over the property to the National
Park Service for long-term stewardship and interpretation for
visitors. The preservation was completed with a $1.5 million
transportation enhancement matching grant from the state. The
property's historic significance and the looming prospect of
development made it an ideal candidate for the funding, said
Sean T. Connaughton, Virginia's secretary of transportation.
"The commonwealth of Virginia is commi