Preservationists remove traces of vandalism at Gettysburg battleground, protecting 'hallowed ground'.

Within one week, two incidents of vandalism have been reported at Gettysburg National Park.

The NPS reported that graffiti was inscribed onto the faces of large stones on Little Round Top on August 15, as park officials discovered multiple defaced boulders.

On August 19, graffiti was reportedly sprayed-painted on the historic War Department Observation Tower, which is a second incident.

NPS park superintendent Kristina Heister shared in a press release that our hearts sank when two cases of vandalism were reported within days of each other.

By August 20, vandalism traces were removed by park preservationists.

"Our preservation staff expertly restored the sites, allowing visitors to experience them as intended, and we were relieved that the graffiti carved into the rock would not be there for future generations."

Indeed, they are the heroes of this sacred land!

The Gettysburg Borough Police Department has identified a suspect in the spray-painting incident at the historic military park, police said.

The incident is still under investigation, police have said.

The NPS stated that if someone is found guilty of vandalizing a National Park, they could face up to six months in jail or a fine of up to $5,000.

The Civil War's conclusion was significantly influenced by this significant hill.

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, a Medal of Honor recipient, led his troops in a bayonet charge down Little Round Top, which helped preserve Union victory in the Civil War.

According to Jason Martz, the communication specialist at Gettysburg National Military Park, seeing something like this occur on the sacred ground of Gettysburg caused our hearts to sink.

"For the past two years, this area has been largely deserted, with little to no foot traffic. Discovering this was quite disheartening."

All Americans should be concerned about any form of vandalism targeting historic, irreplaceable objects or structures, as stated by Heister.

"We can't do it alone," she said.

The director emphasized that everyone is a steward of the heritage, history, and resources of Gettysburg during their visit, and we all share in the responsibility of protecting and caring for this special place.

Martz reportedly first saw damage to the site on a social media post.

He acknowledged the significance of Americans in safeguarding historical artifacts and sites, such as Gettysburg National Park.

The Gettysburg Foundations website announced that Little Round Top reopened to the public in late June after being closed for rehabilitation for nearly two years.

The National Park Services and the Gettysburg Borough Police Department were contacted by Planet Chronicle Digital for further comment.