Trust aims to preserve Gettysburg headquarters of Robert E. Lee

The Civil War Trust, a national historic preservation group, is planning to purchase the house Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee used as his headquarters during the Battle of Gettysburg.

The Confederate general occupied the home for four days in July of 1863, making some of the most critical decisions during the deadliest battle of the Civil War, said Jim Campi, a spokeman for the trust.

The organization will pay $5.5 million for the four-acre property on Seminary Ridge.

“In our opinion, it is the most important unprotected battlefield land at Gettysburg, so we’re very pleased that we have been able to work out a contract with the landowners,” Campi said.

The group plans to take down the modern buildings on the site, a brewpub and a Quality Inn, that surround the small stone house on Seminary Ridge.

“What we try to do when we preserve battlefield lands is transport visitors back to the 19th century. We try as best we can to have them see what soldiers did at the time of the battle,” Campi explained.

Eventually, the land will be given to the National Parks Service, which maintains the Gettysburg National Military Park.