Foreword
This report on archeological work at the Civil War Battle at Monroe's Crossroads was produced as part of the Southeast Archeological Center's interagency assistance program, established in 1975 to better meet the U S. Secretary of the Interior's increased responsibilities, delegated to the National Park Service, to assist other federal agencies in historical preservation and archeological protection. The work was funded by the U.S. Army, Fort Bragg, in fulfillment of its Archeological and Historical Preservation Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-291) compliance responsibilities.
The authors of this report are at the leading edge of the newly emerging subfield of "battlefield archeology." Many of the same investigation techniques used to unravel the mysteries of the Battle of the Little Bighorn have been adapted and applied at the Monroe's Crossroads Civil War site. Archeology provides many of the missing or unknown details of the battle; indeed, archeology provides an opportunity to blend documentary research with the scientific method and therefore to infuse a more objective perspective to historical interpretations.
As pointed out in the Introduction, this report is an assessment and review of the historical record supplemented by significant archeological inventory and excavations. As a contribution to history, our objective has been to build a more comprehensive understanding of the events and movements of Confederate and Union forces. From these studies has emerged a new and more complete account of the battle enhanced by heretofore unknown details as revealed through historical archeology.
Through the years following the battle, the local citizens and property owners have realized the significance of preserving the battlefield. Since 1917, the U.S. Army at Fort Bragg has protected the battlefield. In recent years, the staff at Fort Bragg, in particular Bill Kern of the Environmental Projects Office, has worked tirelessly to promote the educational and training values of the Monroe's Crossroads site. They deserve the heartfelt thanks of everyone who values the historical significance of these unique and irreplaceable historical resources.
John H. Jameson, Jr.
Southeast Archeological Center
