a companion to Antietam on the Web
I greatly enjoyed a rainy afternoon last Thursday in Sharpsburg, spending part of it at the Antietam National Cemetery. I’m working on a project tracing the history and evolution of the Antietam National Battlefield, and the Cemetery, created shortly before the Battlefield was established, is a big part of that story.
But it is also a beautiful place in its own right, so I hope neither of my readers will object if I hit some highlights.
On the return leg of an excursion north to visit family and friends, we made a stop at the Battlefield last Sunday. It was a glorious day, as is so often the case there, and perfect for catching up on some of the changes at the Park.
First stop after checking in at the Visitor’s Center was the recently restored Lower (Burnside’s) Bridge.
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It was another fantastic day in Sharpsburg on the 153rd anniversary of the battle. I was very glad to be there for an early morning visit. Here are some quick snaps and impressions.
Sunrise at Antietam National Battlefield, 17 September 2015
I made it to the Park in time to join the 7am group – off the turnpike and through the wet grass to the Northern edge of farmer Miller’s cornfield – to hear the the now-traditional readings of eyewitness accounts of the long night and early dawn of 16-17 September 1862. (more…)
From the end of the day of the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Antietam, a couple of quick shots of how it looked at its start.
First, early dawn horizon behind the 14th Brooklyn Monument at the south edge of The Cornfield.
Then, the sun slightly higher from within the corn.
Finally, full daylight; a little black powder smoke lying low over the Cornfield.
One of the most moving experiences you can have anywhere is driving through the battlefield during the annual Antietam Memorial Illumination. This year the tradition returns on Saturday, December 5th to the Antietam National Battlefield, Sharpsburg, Maryland.
On that evening, volunteers will light over 23,000 luminaries – candles in small paper bags – distributed across the Park to represent each of the soldiers who were casualties on that ground on 17 September 1862.
New AotW member Tim Dicke has sent us some of his photographs from last year’s event. It can be tricky to capture any kind of image of those little flickering lights, but Tim has done a fine job of illustrating something of what it’s like at the Illumination.
Vermont Brigade Cannon