A once sleepy crossroads town in Pennsylvania where the blood of 50,000 Americans was shed, a fertile valley in Virginia where armies clashed for four long years, and a little-known New Mexico battleground known as the "Gettysburg of the West," were today announced as some of the nation's most endangered Civil War battlefields.

At a news conference this morning, the Civil War Preservation Trust (CWPT) unveiled its annual report on the status of the nation's historic battlegrounds. The report, entitled History Under Siege: A Guide to America's Most Endangered Civil War Battlefields, identifies the most threatened Civil War sites in the United States and what can be done to rescue them.

"Today our Civil War battlefields are being destroyed at an alarming rate," warned CWPT President James Lighthizer during the news conference. "Hallowed ground, where more than 600,000 Americans gave their lives, is being paved over in favor of shopping malls housing tracts, and even gambling casinos. These endangered battlefields are irreplaceable treasures and now, more than ever, we must work to preserve and protect these sites because once they're gone, they're gone forever."

Joining Lighthizer at the news conference was writer, economist, commentator and well-known actor Ben Stein. In addition to appearing in dozens of movies, and hosting Comedy Central's Emmy award winning quiz show, "Win Ben Stein's Money," Stein is an active battlefield preservationist.