At a news conference this morning, advocates for historic preservation gathered to decry the construction of Walmart supercenter proposed for the entrance to Virginia’s Wilderness Battlefield. If built, the megastore would stand across the road from the national park commemorating the bloody struggle, and within the battlefield’s historic footprint.

Robert Duvall, Academy Award-winning actor and descendent of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, led the charge. “The Walmart Corporation has it within its power to be a savior of the Wilderness Battlefield. Simply by moving to an alternate location slightly further from the battlefield, they have the ability to protect this critical piece of American history for generations to come.”

Representative Ted Poe of Texas concurred, saying, “This land, like other battlefields in our country, is consecrated with the blood of Americans. Many are still buried here and known only to God. We owe these Americans the right to keep this battlefield preserved for history and not to have a corporation, like Wal-Mart, lay asphalt over their graves. I feel the definition of corporate responsibility must always extend to respecting America’s hallowed grounds. Those values should not be eroded for the sake of Wal-Mart’s commercial gain.”