In my time studying the Civil War, I have always wanted to visit Antietam Battlefield near Sharpsburg, Maryland. It seemed unreal to me as we drove out to the battlefield. After arriving, my family and I headed to the Visitor Center and watched a video called "Antietam Visit." This documentary told the story of the battle through President Lincoln's visit to Antietam. Although not detailed in a tactical sense, it did a good job portraying the horrific fighting that took place.
After this, we went out on the battlefield to hear a ranger talk on the role of artillery at Antietam. He discussed the battle and what role the artillery played, including how the cannons were loaded and the different projectiles that were used. He also mentioned that Antietam is the most well preserved battlefield in the country. We stood on the Confederate position near Dunker Church, so we explored this area and some of the monuments within walking distance.
I was struck immediately by how peaceful and quiet the battlefield was. It is difficult to believe that these beautiful, rolling fields were the scene of the bloodiest day in American history. On September 17, 1862, over 23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded, and captured. Places like the Hagerstown Pike, Bloody Lane, and the West Woods were littered with the dead and wounded almost 150 years ago. The Union general, George McClellan had the chance to crush the South at that moment, but failed to do so at an incredible cost of life.
On the other hand, I got a good idea of how such horrific fighting took place there after exploring the battlefield. The rolling hills, the knobs, the line of sight being obscured in some areas offered glimpses. The battlefield is mostly wide open with not much cover. It is nasty ground for such a wide scale battle. Coming up, I will be posting about some specific places at Antietam, such as the Cornfield, Bloody Lane, and Burnside's Bridge.
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Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Antietam Reflections
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12 comments:
Hi Rebecca. I remember when our folks took us up north here in Michigan to the Big Bridge when we were kids. We stopped at Fort Mackinac (http://www.mackinacparks.com/fort-mackinac/) and spent about half a day checking the place out. Built during the American Revolutionary War by Britain, the restored fort is part of the Mackinac State Historic Parks now and is open daily to the public. Beautiful place. It seemed kind of eerie with no soldiers.
Standing at the place where the event happened does help make the image of what occurred there seem more real.
Rebecca,
Sorry I missed you!
Mannie
I am jealous. I have always wanted to visit Antietam. Every American should be able to quickly say what the significance of that battle was.
Doug,
Yes, I went to a fort in North Carolina, Fort Dobbs, where there weren't any activities and it was too quiet.
Fort Mackinac sounds like another great historic place to visit. Thanks for sharing and visiting my blog!
Historical Travels,
Yes, it does! That's a big reason I love going to historical places around the country.
Mannie,
Sorry I missed you too! But my hope is to go back to Antietam someday. :)
Andy,
I completely agree with you. I've met a lot of people that have no clue about Antietam.
Hi Rebecca,
Thank you for this beautifully written description of your visit to Antietam. I visited the battlefield for the first time just this past November. It was a very moving experience for me.
Thanks,
Geoff
Geoff,
You're welcome! It was a very moving experience for me too, which I hope was evident in my post.
Rebecca
Hi, Rebecca...I am one of those people who have no clue about Antietam. The Civil War is not my forte', I guess! But I should know alot more about it than I do...so thanks for your desriptions & information. Your love for history shows...
Christina,
Thanks for your positive comments. I hope I've added to your knowledge about Antietam. I really believe every American should know why it's significant!
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