Even well read Civil War buffs may have only a vague notion of the 1863 battles of Aldie, Middleburg and Upperville, but there were 1,500 combined casualties at these three interconnected battles, more than were suffered at the Battle of Brandy Station, the largest cavalry battle of the Civil War.

Recently, Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell and other state officials joined the Civil War Trust and the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority at the National Sporting Library & Museum to announce an exciting public-private partnership to preserve Mt. Defiance, a key portion of the Middleburg Battlefield.

The news conference took place at the National Sporting Library and Museum. Joining Governor McDonnell was Director of Historic Resources Kathleen Kilpatrick, Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources Doug Domenech, Civil War Trust President James Lighthizer and Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority executive director Paul Gilbert.

"Protecting irreplaceable historic sites like Mount Defiance at Middleburg is always a cause for celebration," McDonnell said. "By working together in partnership to set aside this hallowed ground, we are honoring the Commonwealth's past and simultaneously making an investment in its future."

The commonwealth will provide a $432,000 Transportation Enhancement grant to assist in the permanent protection of the property, according to the governor's office. The site, located in both Loudoun and Fauquier counties was the scene of a Civil War cavalry battle on June 19th, 1863.

"This public private partnership gives us an opportunity to save five key acres associated with the beginning of the 1863 Gettysburg Campaign," explained Civil War Trust President Jim Lighthizer. "This Mount Defiance tract, part of the Middleburg Battlefield, will preserve the key position where troopers from Maine, New York, and Pennsylvania fought Stuart's forces from North Carolina and Virginia."

Join us as we work to save Mount Defiance at the Middleburg Battlefield, to donate, please visit http://www.civilwar.org