The Cornfield and Dunker Church

The Cornfield at the Antietam Battlefield is infamous. There are many cornfields throughout the country, but this one is known as the Cornfield, because some of the most horrific fighting in U.S. history took place there. The North and South battled for control of this piece of land on the morning of September 17, 1862. It changed hands more times than could be counted. Fighting also became brutal in the area of the West Woods and the Dunker Church.

The Cornfield at Antietam

The beginning of our driving tour of the battlefield took us to the North Woods where Union troops advanced into the Cornfield. We then moved into the East Woods where fighting also broke out in the morning. The Cornfield was next on the tour. This cornfield, belonging to David R. Miller, was the scene of incredible carnage. Union forces under Hooker and Mansfield fought Confederates under Jackson for about three hours. Many regiments were cut to pieces for both the North and South.

The West Woods

After these stops, our tour took us into the West Woods near Dunker Church. Fighting shifted here and around Dunker Church later in the morning. Union troops under Edwin Sumner advanced into these woods but were driven back by Confederate artillery and infantry. Over 2,000 Union soldiers were killed or wounded in 20 minutes. The Dunker Church, a recognizable landmark near the West Woods, became the focal point that morning of the Union attacks.

Dunker Church near position of Gardner photo

The Dunker Church belonged to a congregation of German Baptist Brethern that were pacifists. It was badly damaged by bullets and artillery shells. We walked to it from the Visitor Center when we first arrived. Also, the ranger from our ranger talk brought us out to the place on the battlefield where Alexander Gardner took his famous photo of the church. Gardner, a photographer in the new field at that time, took pictures of the battlefield two days afterward. It was the first time an American battlefield was photographed before the dead were buried.

The fighting shifted in mid-morning to the Sunken Road, or more famously called Bloody Lane. It was the next major stop on our driving tour. For a more information about the Battle of Antietam and maps, please visit the Civil War Preservation Trust (link provided below).

Links to Learn More:

• Antietam - Civil War Preservation Trust
• More of my photos of Antietam
  

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Antietam Reflections

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.

Links to Learn More:

• More photos of Antietam National Battlefield
• Antietam National Battlefield
  

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Prospect Hill - Battle of Fredericksburg

One of our last stops in the Fredericksburg Battlefield was Prospect Hill, site of the Confederate right flank. We had a crazy time navigating through the City of Fredericksburg with its busy streets to find the site. Once we arrived through, Prospect Hill is a secluded place with rolling hills, beautiful foliage, and many Civil War cannons. The road leading to Prospect Hill is lined with Confederate earthworks where troops dug in to defend their lines.

During the Battle of Fredericksburg, on December 13, 1862, Federal troops assaulted the Confederate position on Prospect Hill commanded by General Stonewall Jackson. Union General Burnside hoped that a successful attack here would drive Lee off his strong position on the heights of Fredericksburg, but Jackson had no doubt his troops could defend it. Thousands of Federal troops were killed or wounded trying to cross the field known as the Slaughter Pen to attack Prospect Hill. John Pelham, a cannoneer under J.E.B. Stuart, held off the Union advance for nearly an hour with one cannon.

Union troops under General George Meade achieved a temporary breakthrough in Jackson's lines not far from Prospect Hill. This breakthrough took place where the ground was marshy and considered impassible. Meade's men drove through, scattered a Confederate brigade, and seized a road. However, reinforcements did not come to Meade's aide and a Confederate counterattack pushed the disorganized and outnumbered Union troops back. Confederate artillery from the hill drove them back as well. This failed breakthrough was the Union's best chance for success.

On the way back from Prospect Hill, we stopped at Howison Hill. Howison Hill was the site where large seige guns, called Parrot rifled cannon, were placed by the Confederate army. These cannons could fire a 30-pound shell with a range of two miles. One of the large Parrot guns on nearby Lee's Hill exploded and narrowly missed General Longstreet and General Lee. The Confederate guns on Howison Hill fired into advancing Union troops on Marye's Heights, creating a murderous crossfire.

Our visit to Fredericksburg National Battlefield concluded with this stop. After making our way up through Washington D.C. into Maryland, we stopped for the night and prepared to visit Antietam National Battlefield the next day.

Links to Learn More:

• More photos from Prospect Hill and Fredericksburg
• Virtual Tour Stop, Prospect Hill - NPS
  

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Chatham Manor - Fredericksburg National Battlefield

After our walking tour of Marye's Heights, my parents and I jumped back into our car to explore the other parts of the Fredericksburg Battlefield. We crossed the Rappahannock River and stopped at Chatham Manor. During the battle, this Georgian plantation house served as the headquarters for Edwin V. Sumner, commander of the Right Grand Division of the Union army. It also served as a Union field hospital and more than 130 Union soliders who died at Chatham were buried on the grounds.

Chatham Manor was built by William Fitzhugh beginning in 1768 and became the center of a large plantation. George Washington visited Chatham in those early years. Then at the time of the Civil War, the house was owned by James Lacy. Lacy was a slaveholder who sympathized with the South and left to serve as a staff officer in the Confederate army. His wife and children stayed there until they were forced to leave by arriving Union troops. General Irvin McDowell brought 20,000 Federal troops to Fredericksburg in April 1862 to repair railroads and build bridges.

A few months later in November 1862, General Ambrose Burnside brought the Army of the Potomac to Fredericksburg. The soldiers used pontoon bridges to cross the river below Chatham in December, seized the city, and took heavy casualties assaulting the high ground held by the Confederates. Union artillery shelled Confederate troops from the bluffs nearby. Chatham also served a role in the Battle of Chancellorsville a few months later, with General John Gibbon leading a division across the Rappahannock again and driving the Confederates off Marye's Heights.

The Civil War left Chatham Manor desolate and destroyed. Blood stains covered the floor and graffiti marked the walls. The lawn had become a graveyard and the surrounding forest had been cut down. When the Lacy's returned, they were forced to sell it. It remained rundown until the 1920's when the owners restored it and made significant changes. Several important and famous figures visited Chatham over the years, including Robert E. Lee, Walt Whitman, and Clara Barton. President Abraham Lincoln also visited Chatham in 1862 to meet with General McDowell.

When we arrived at Chatham, we went to the house and were greeted by a park ranger. He led us to a room to watch a short video on the history of Chatham. He told us that the room we were in was the same room George Washington stayed in as a guest and was also used for surgeries during the Civil War. We then went around to the front of the house to see the beautiful view of Fredericksburg and the river. Also on the grounds was a replica of a pontoon bridge. We then headed out to our next destination on the battlefield, Prospect Hill.

Links to Learn More:

• More photos of Chatham and Fredericksburg
• Chatham Manor - NPS
  

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