Antietam Archives - National Parks With T

NPTC Southeast Convention Road Trip➤

My friend Patty and I travelled to Asheville, North Carolina for the 2023 National Park Travelers Club Convention. The convention rotates to a different region each year. For 2023, it was in the Southeast region. On the way down, during the convention and on the way home we visited nine National Park Service units and some other parks. On the last day of our road trip we visited two parks on the final leg of our journey home: Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park and Antietam National Battlefield.

Battle of Antietam➤

The Battle of Antietam, fought on September 17, 1862, stands as the single bloodiest day in American history, with over 23,000 casualties in just 12 hours. Following this Union victory, President Abraham Lincoln announced the Emancipation Proclamation, aligning the Union with a moral cause against slavery. The battlefield, now preserved as Antietam National Battlefield, was established in 1890 to honor its significant role in American history.

Confederate General Robert E. Lee positioned his army along a ridge west of Antietam Creek on September 15, 1862. Union General George B. McClellan deployed his forces east of the creek, planning a multi-phase attack on Lee’s positions. The battle began at dawn on September 17 with three Union attacks targeting the Confederate left, center, and right flanks. Intense combat ensued across various landmarks, including the Cornfield, East Woods, and West Woods. By late morning, the fight centered on the Bloody Lane, and by afternoon, Union forces had crossed Antietam Creek at the lower bridge. Despite significant efforts, General Ambrose Burnside’s advance was halted by Confederate reinforcements, leading to a stalemate. By the evening of September 18, Lee’s army retreated to Virginia.

National Battlefield➤

After visiting Belle Grove, we drove to Antietam National Battlefield which commemorates the site of the devastating Civil War battle. We watched the film and walked through the exhibits in the visitor center. Outside the visitor center we listened to a ranger talk and visited the Dunker Church across the street. This church survived the fighting raging around it in 1862.

The historic photos on many of the exhibits struck us, so we asked the ranger about them. Photographer Alexander Gardner captured some of the earliest images of the battle’s aftermath. These images were among the first to depict the true cost of the conflict, with graphic scenes of dead soldiers lying on the battlefield, shattered landscapes, and the devastation wrought by the fighting. In the photo below, the surviving soldiers actually got back into formation and posed for Gardner. The photos went on exhibit in NYC a month later, drawing widespread attention to the reality of the war.

Southeast Convention Posts➤

Location: 302 E Main St, Sharpsburg, Maryland
Designation: National Battlefield
Date designated/established: August 30, 1890
Date of my visit: August 6, 2023