Chapter 448. To establish a national military park at the battle field of Moores Creek, North Carolina
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CHAP. 448.— An Act To establish a national military park at the battle field of Moores Creek, North Carolina.June 2, 1926.[[H. R. 3796](/us/bill/69/hr/3796).][[Public, No. 324](/us/pl/69/324).] *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*,Moores Creek, N, C.National Military Pork established on battle field of, in Revolutionary War. That in order to preserve for historical and professional military study one of the most memorable battles of the Revolutionary War, the battle field of Moores Creek, in the State of North Carolina, is hereby declared to be a national military park whenever the title to the same shall have been acquired by the United States; that is to say, the area inclosed by the following lines: 685 Those tracts or parcels of land in the county of Pender, andTracts of land to be acquired.
State of North Carolina, more particularly described as follows: First tract: Beginning at a stone at the ran of Moores Creek, onFirst tract. the east bank of same, about twenty poles (in a straight line) above the new iron bridge, and running thence parallel to William Walker’s line, south sixty-two and one-half degrees west eleven chains to a stake; thence south seven and one-half degrees east three and six-tenths chains to a stone at the south edge of the old stage road; thence along the south edge of said road south forty-six degrees east about five chains and eighty links to a stone; thence south thirty-seven and one-fourth degrees west fourteen chains and twelve links to a stone; thence north sixty-two and one-half degrees west ten chains and seventy-five links to a stone, a corner
(4)of an eight-acre tract which the parties of the first part conveyed to Governor D. L. Russell, for the purposes aforesaid, by a deed dated January, 1898, and recorded in Pender County; thence with the lines of said tract north thirty-nine and one-half degrees east thirteen chains and twenty-seven links to a stake, the third corner of the said eight-acre tract; thence north fifty-one degrees west four chains to a stake about twenty feet from the old entrenchment (the second corner of the eight-acre tract); thence with the first line reversed north forty-four degrees west two chains to a sweet gum at the run of Moores Creek (the first corner of the eight-acre tract); thence up and with the run of said creek to the first station, containing twenty acres. Second tract: Beginning at a sweet gum on the eastern edge ofSecond tract. Moores Creek, running thence south forty-four degrees east two poles to a stake; thence south fifty-one degrees east four poles five links to a stake; thence south thirty-nine degrees west thirteen poles twenty-seven links to a stake; thence north fifty-one degrees west nine poles thirty-one links to a stake in the edge of Moores Creek; thence northerly with the creek to the beginning, containing eight acres more or less. Third tract: Beginning at a cypress on the edge of the run ofThird tract. Moores Creek about twenty feet from the west end of the old entrenchments and running thence in a line parallel to and ten feet distance from the outside or east edge of the old line of entrenchments in all the various courses of the same to a stake ten feet distant on the east side of the north end of said entrenchments; thence a direct line to the run of said Moores Creek; thence down said creek to the beginning, containing two acres, be the same more or less (the intention is to include all lands now known and designated as Moores Creek battlefield and now so recognized as such and owned by the State of North Carolina), together with all the privileges and appurtenances thereunto belonging. The aforesaid tracts of land containing in the aggregate thirtyArea to be known as Moores Creek National Military Park. acres, more or less, and being the property of the State of North Carolina, and the area thus inclosed shall be known as the Moores Creek National Military Park. Sec. 2. The establishment of the Moores Creek National MilitarySecretary of War to control, and accept conveyance of land from North Carolina. Park shall be carried forward under the control and direction of the Secretary of War, who is hereby authorized to receive from the State of North Carolina a deed of conveyance to the United States of all the lands belonging to the said State, embracing thirty acres, more or less, and described more particularly in the preceding section. Sec. 3. That the affairs of the Moores Creek National MilitaryMaintenance, etc.*Post*, p. 879. Park shall be subject to the supervision and direction of the Secretary of War, and it shall be the duty of the War Department, under the direction of the Secretary of War, to open or repair such roads as may be necessary to the purposes of the park, and to ascertain andMarking with historical tablets. mark with historical tablets or otherwise, as the Secretary of War 686 may determine, all lines of battle of the troops engaged in the Battle of Moores Creek, and other historical points of interest pertaining Employment of services, etc.to the battle within the park or its vicinity; and the Secretary of War in establishing this military park is authorized to employ such labor and services and to obtain such supplies and material as may be considered best for the interest of the Government, and the Secretary of War shall make and enforce all needed regulations for the care of the park. Sec. 4.Marking lines of battle by State troops. It shall be lawful for any State that had troops engaged in the battle of the Moores Creek National Military Park, to enter upon the same for the purpose of ascertaining and marking the lines *Proviso*.Submission for approval by the Secretary.of battle of its troops engaged therein: *Provided*, That before any such lines are permanently designated the position of the lines and the proposed methods of marking them by monuments, tablets, or otherwise, shall be submitted to and approved by the Secretary of War; and all such lines, designs, and inscriptions for the same shall first receive the written approval of the Secretary of War. Sec. 5.Defacing monuments, injuring property, etc., prohibited. If any person shall, except by permission of the Secretary of War, destroy, deface, injure, or remove any monument, column, statues, memorial structures, or work of art, which shall be placed upon the grounds of the park by lawful authority, or shall destroy or remove any fence, railing, inclosure, or other mark for the protection or ornamentation of said park, or any portion thereof, or shall destroy, cut, hack, bark, break down, or otherwise injure any tree, brush, or shrubbery that may be growing upon said park, or shall cut down or remove or fell any timber, battle relic, tree, or tree growing upon said park, or hunt within the limits of the park, any person so offending and found guilty thereof before any justice of Penalty imposed by a justice of the ponce of Pender County, N. C.the peace of the county of Pender, State of North Carolina, shall, for each and every offense, forfeit and pay a fine, in the discretion of the justice, according to the aggravation of the offense, of not less than $5 nor more than $50, one half for the use of the park and t he other half to the informer, to be enforced and recovered before such justice in like manner as lines of like nature are now by law recoverable in the said county of Pender, State of North Carolina. Approved, June 2, 1926.