RICHMOND, Va. — Richmond National Battlefield Park has acquired a large portion of a Henrico County battlefield where one of the largest Civil War battles in the state was fought.

The park says the 251-acre acquisition at Glendale Civil War battlefield brings its total holdings at the site to nearly 400 acres. The park acquired the three-mile swath from the Civil War Trust.

The June 30, 1862 Battle of Glendale was the penultimate in a series of battles known as the Seven Days. The Confederate army was unsuccessful in its bid to cut off a Union retreat. Some historians say it represented one of the Confederate army's best opportunities for a war-changing victory.

Despite its significance, little of the battlefield had been preserved until recently. It will be available to the public.