Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell recently announced 10 state grant awards to organizations that are working to conserve historic Civil War battlefield lands – including two sites in Henrico County. The awards are drawn from the Civil War Historic Sites Preservation Fund that McDonnell and the General Assembly permanently established in 2010.

Money from the $1 million in grants will be used to help the Civil War Trust preserve the 104-acre Mansfield Woods Tract, which witnessed the Battle of Glendale on June 30, 1862 (the fifth of the Seven Days' Battles) and also the Deep Bottom I Battle in July 1864; and the 7.2-acre Fort Gregg Tract, one of the smaller artillery positions along the line of Confederate defenses for Richmond at Chaffin's Bluff, which witnessed a battle Sept. 29, 1864.

“Virginia is a premier destination for tourists from around the nation and the world, thanks to our legacy of renowned historic sites, including those connected with the American Civil War,” said McDonnell in announcing the awards. “When we preserve battlefields, we strengthen an important revenue generator in Virginia – heritage tourism – while also keeping historic lands protected.”