16 U.S.C. § 423: Petersburg National…

Summary

Creates a national battlefield to honor the 1864–1865 Petersburg campaign and to protect the trenches, earthworks, walls, and other battlefield defenses. It covers one hundred and eighty-five acres near Petersburg, Virginia, and becomes official only after the United States gets the land by gift and Virginia gives usual control, and the Interior Secretary may limit the acreage.

Title 16, §423

Conservation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

In order to commemorate the campaign and siege and defense of Petersburg, Virginia, in 1864 and 1865 and to preserve for historical purposes the breastworks, earthworks, walls, or other defenses or shelters used by the armies therein, the battle fields at Petersburg, in the State of Virginia, are declared a national battlefield whenever the title to the same shall have been acquired by the United States by donation and the usual jurisdiction over the lands and roads of the same shall have been granted to the United States by the State of Virginia—that is to say, one hundred and eighty-five acres or so much thereof as the Secretary of the Interior may deem necessary in and about the city of Petersburg, State of Virginia.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

“National battlefield” substituted in text for “national military park” in view of redesignation of Petersburg National Military Park as Petersburg National Battlefield by Pub. L. 87–603. See section 423h–1 of this title. Transfer of Portion of Lands to Secretary of the ArmyAct June 5, 1942, ch. 345, 56 Stat. 322, provided: “That the Secretary of the Interior shall transfer to the Secretary of War [Army] jurisdiction over all lands owned by the United States lying south and east of the Hickory Hill Road within the Petersburg National Military Park in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Upon the date of the transfer, the lands shall cease to be a part of the Petersburg National Military Park and the Secretary of War [Army] shall thereafter administer the lands for military purposes.”

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

Administrative functions of Petersburg National Military Park transferred to Department of the Interior by Ex. Ord. Nos. 6166 and 6228, set out as notes under section 901 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. National Park Service substituted for Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations referred to in Ex. Ord. No. 6166, § 2, by act Mar. 2, 1934, ch. 38, § 1, 48 Stat. 389.

§423 Petersburg National Battlefield; Establishment