Wilderness Battlefield land donated by Wal-Mart Posted at 11:35 AM ET, 11/10/2013 The last chapter of the modern day struggle over possession of a piece of the Wilderness Battlefield land appears to have been written. Nearly five years ago the preservation community was galvanized by news that super-retailer Wal-Mart planned to purchase 50 acres of Wilderness Battlefield land on the edge of the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park to build a super-sized outlet. In the end, it wasn't built there, and on Friday, Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell announced that Wal-Mart had donated the much disputed parcel to the Commonwealth of Virginia. Wal-Mart eventually purchased another parcel about four miles away and opened its store there in July. According to a news release from McDonnell's office, the deal has been finalized, and the Department of Historic Resources will receive and steward the donated land. McDonnell and DHR's director Kathleen S. Kilpatrick both praised Wal-Mart for its gift to Virginia.