~Wyse Fork~ A WIN (for Now) on the Battlefield Issue !!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

The First Battle Of Kinston, By Ted Sampley. Olde Kinston Gazette, September 2001
Ted is trying to sort the two Battles of Kinston for those of us who are
real fuzzy about these battles. He is also going to do an article on WyseFork/Kellys Mill Pond.

 A Bit of History 

The Battle of Wyse Fork took place in Lenoir County in 1865. There were over 20,000 troops in the area. The aftermath of the battle left 2,600 casualties. This battle was important because the Union Forces had to get past Kinston in order to reach the railroad that went north and south.

 
On the first day of the battle the confederates did well and captured over 1,000 prisoners. This took place around Kelly's Millpond. However on the following days the union pushed back the Rebel Army and made their way to Goldsboro. I have been told that this battle has the distinction of being the last mass capture of Union solders in North Carolina.
 
Historic Battlefield?  Trailer Park?

A section of this Battlefield is being sold for the development of a trailer park. The Kinston City Council will vote on rezoning this area for the purpose of this trailer park on Monday night (Aug. 20th.)

 
Join the effort to fight the rezone. . .

A group has formed a committee to fight against the rezoning. The group is called Citizens for the Preservation of Historic Landmarks in Lenoir County. We have a dream of developing the battle- field and sharing it with the world to see and to learn our history If anyone would like to help please e-mail the city council and let them know how you feel.

 
carol.barwick@ci.kinston.nc.us
NO ATTACHMENTS PLEASE.
Direct e-mail to "City Council members".
 
If anyone has any questions or would like to join our group please contact me.
 
Jane Phillips
diamondg@icomnet.com
or
call (252) 522-0540

 

 
From Ted Sampley
February 13, 2001
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO PRESERVE, IMPROVE, AND PROMOTE THE STATE'S CIVIL WAR ERA SITES.
 
Whereas, North Carolina's proud Civil War era history forms an integral part of the State's heritage; and
 
Whereas, heritage tourism contributes significantly to
the cultural and economic well-being of the State; and
 
Whereas, many of North Carolina's Civil War era sites and structures are at risk of damage or neglect; and
 
Whereas, interested parties in the private sector have
expressed a willingness to raise funds to match State
appropriations for the purpose of promoting tourism; preserving, protecting, and improving Civil War era sites and structures; and developing interdependent Civil War era programs for public sites and structures; Now, therefore,

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.
There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Cultural Resources the sum of one million dollars ($1,000,000) for the 2001-2002 fiscal year and the sum of one million dollars ($1,000,000) for the 2002-2003 fiscal year to preserve, improve, and promote the State's Civil War era sites.
 
SECTION 2.
This act becomes effective July 1, 2001.
 
 
Follow the Story in the
"Local Section"
of THE FREE PRESS
 
 
On Friday Aug 17th there was an article on the Preservation Citizen Group organized by Jane Phillips, Cindy Brochure and Pat Faulkner
WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE?

The Citizens for Historic Preservation would like to start collecting information on the History of the Civil War in the area of Lenoir County and near by places. There are many areas in which we need input so would like to start building a base of sources that we may call on for help in our preservation efforts. Please contact me if you would like to help.

Jane
diamondg@icomnet.com

 

A WIN (For Now) on the Battlefield Issue !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Aug 20, 2001

City Council member Joseph Tyson is in favor of preservation of the battle field. On Monday Aug, 20, 2001 The Free Press quoted him saying"It has nothing to do with trailer parks -- it has something to do with the one asset that (Kinston) has and that's real estate," Tyson said. "If we don't keep these areas to tell our children that a battle was fought here, we'll live to regret it."

Preservation of Historical Landmarks committee member Jane Phillips, in the same article said, "We're constantly getting e-mails from all around Lenoir County from individuals interested in this and who have contacted the City Council members with their concerns." Those of us around the world, who have ties to Lenoir County, appreciate the hard work this committee has put forth. We also would like to thank North Carolina Department of Archives and History,the archeologists and historians at East Carolina University and the director of the Civil War Battlefield Preservation Trust in Washington, D.C. for their interest and support.

August 21, 2001
 
The Citizens for Historic Preservation in Lenoir County were excited when told the request for rezoning had been withdrawn. However the applicant can come back and apply in one year. Our group plans to move forward with plans for preservation in Lenoir County. The battlefield is our top priority. Jane Phillips
 
Citizens for the Preservation of Historic Landmarks in Lenoir County
(reprinted with permission from the Free Press)
FREE PRESS (8-16 Historical Committee)
By Steve Martini Staff Writer 
 
A group of Lenoir County residents is trying to stop
Kinston City Council members from turning a former
Civil War battlefield into a trailer park. 
 
The issue was discussed Wednesday at the first meeting
of the Committee for the Preservation of Historical
Landmarks. 
 
"We're trying to secure memories for future generations
that they can hold in their hand," said committee member
Pat Faulkner. "Once something is taken away, it can't be
brought back." 
 
Jane Phillips, Cindy Brochure and Pat Faulkner are the
committee's founding members. A recent proposal to
rezone 26 acres of a Civil War battlefield on U.S. 70 to
accommodate a trailer park spawned the group's
interest, Phillips said. 
Finding out how to generate interest in the Lenoir
County's history was a pressing concern. 
Kinston resident Tony Kelly suggested several options: 
 
* place flags from every state that participated in both
Kinston Civil War battles along U.S. 70 to attract beach
traffic; 
 
* build a wharf down to the Neuse River so visitors
could see the battle site of the CSS Ram Neuse and the
Civil War battlefields; 
 
* add benches made of granite donated by Kelly and
place along a self-guided tour. 
 
"You can still see the breastworks in this land where the
guns were laid out," Kelly said. "They're some of the
best anywhere." 
 
The group is focusing on many other historical
landmarks in Lenoir County such as Indian artifacts
found in Snow Hill and the development of a replica
steamboat on the Neuse River. 
 
Non-profit organizations play a pivotal role in preserving
historical landmarks, said Donny Taylor, site manager of
the Bentonville battlefield. 
 
"A private non-profit group has helped expand the
Bentonville battlefield," Taylor said. "We have a
6,000-acre battlefield up there but only 240 acres
belongs to the state." 
 
 

 
 
 
The rest of the land was donated or loaned to the
battlefield through work done by private organizations. 
Artifacts and possibly dead soldiers lie buried on
Kinston's private lands, Taylor said. 
 
A letter was written by a Union soldier describing the
Battle of Kinston in 1862 and supports the presence of
artifacts in Kinston. 
Part of the letter says, " ... we entered the woods where
the battle commenced the boys left the ranks, and
scoured the woods for bullets ... (and) for relics; trees
were scathed by bullets and slivered by cannon-balls,
rebel blankets were found saturated with blood, and
cartridge boxes laid scattered in all directions."  
The letter describes the property to be rezoned,
Sparrow said. 

"There is no doubt in my mind that part of the letter

describes the Lakeside site," Sparrow said. "(The letter)
also insinuates a lot of things could still be found out
there because those soldiers 'scoured the area for
relics'." 
 
Danny White, of Seven Springs, has collected hundreds
of artifacts from former Kinston battlefields after hunting
relics for several years. 
 
"I have cannon balls, medicine bottles, bullets and
buttons from out there," White said.  
 
Those artifacts should be displayed in businesses along
U.S. 70 so beach traffic could see the artifacts and learn
the history, Kelly said. 
 
Also at the meeting were Kinston-Lenoir Parks and
Recreation Director Bill Ellis, PRIDE Chairman Tommy
Sutton and PRIDE Executive Director Terah Archie. 
"We have to focus on the economic development of our
history," Archie said. "That's what people are interested
in." 
 
Steve Martini can be reached at 527-3191, ext. 237, or
Steve_Martini@link.freedom.com.
 
© 2001 Kinston Free Press. All rights reserved.

No text, artwork or images may be downloaded,copied, transmitted, reproduced or printed without the express permission of Kinston Free Press.

 
 
IMPORTANT LINKS to PEOPLE or AGENCIES

American Civil War Site:Wyse Fork

Wyse Fork, Kelly's Mill Pond, Second Kinston North Carolina

American Civil War Site

North Carolina Civil War Battle Kinston

The Civil War Preservation Trust

The Civil War Preservation Trust is America's largest non-profit organization devoted to the preservation of our nation's endangered Civil War battlefield lands. The Trust also promotes educational programs and heritage tourism initiatives to inform the public about the war and the fundamental conflicts that sparked it.
 
The National Park Service

 

Heritage Preservation Services at hps_info@nps.gov

National Historic Landmark designation is an official recognition by the Federal government of a historic property's national significance. Today, fewer than 2,500 historic places bear this distinction. The National Park Service nominates new landmarks and provides assistance to existing landmarks through its National Historic Landmarks Program.

Email for information on technical and financial assistance available to help citizens and communities identify, evaluate, protect, and preserve historic buildings, landscapes, landmarks, archeological sites, battlefields, and tribal communities.

 

The Kinston City Council at

carol.barwick@ci.kinston.nc.us
 Mayor
JOHNNIE R. MOSLEY
City Council Members
WAYNE D. MALONE
GORDON E. VERMILLION
R. VAN BRAXTON
ALICE TINGLE
JOSEPH M. TYSON

The Kinston City Council meets in regular session in the City Council Chambers at City Hall on the first and third Mondays of the month at 7 pm. The meetings are broadcast live on Government Access Channel 2, and replayed at 10 am, 7 pm and Midnight the following Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

 

District

Senate Member

House Member

District

7
8
9
Luther Henry Jordan, Jr.
John H. Kerr III
Ed Warren
Philip A. Baddour Jr.
Carolyn B. Russell
Wainwright
11
77
79

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