Civil War battlefield looted, described as 'crime scene' - East Idaho News
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Civil War battlefield looted, described as ‘crime scene’

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(CNN) — The National Park Service is calling part of a Civil War battlefield “an active crime scene” following a series of excavations.

Authorities are investigating suspected looting at Petersburg National Battlefield, just south of Richmond, Virginia. The battlefield describes itself as the site of the war’s longest siege, lasting nine months between 1864-1865, and claiming 70,000 casualties.

“Earlier this week, one of the park employees was out doing landscape work and noticed some things were out of place,” park spokesman Chris Bryce said.

The looting happened in the eastern part of the park, officials said, citing a large number of excavated pits. Marked graves were not disturbed.

Park officials have not described what type of items or relics were believed stolen in the theft.

“They are probably doing their homework of the area, probably did research on Civil War …They were in the ground, they likely would have used a metal detector and a digging tool,” Bryce said.

Civil War relics, including uniform buttons, rifle parts and other metallic battlefield items, regularly show up on internet auction sites.

The agency says looting a federal battlefield is a crime, carrying up to a $20,000 fine and two years in prison for a conviction.

The siege of Petersburg is known as the longest military event of the Civil War, pitting Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant against Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

The Petersburg siege and battle over supply lines led to the eventual fall of the Confederate capital of Richmond and the surrender of the Confederacy.

In one of its most infamous battles, called The Crater, Union troops detonated a mine underneath a Confederate fortification.

But poorly led Union troops were repulsed after they rushed into the gap.

Grant called the Battle of the Crater “the saddest affair I have ever witnessed in war.”

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