Gary was born and raised in Washington County, MD where his family has lived for at least 225 years. His interest in the Civil War and passion for the 1862 Maryland Campaign go back more than 55 years to his days as a Boy Scout camping on the battlefield in the final attack area near Burnside Bridge and at Crampton’s Gap on South Mountain. There, he listened to the true stories from E. Russell Hicks, noted county historian. Gary also attended Antietam’s Centennial (1962) events as a young Boy Scout passing out brochures for the last re-enactment held on the battlefield. Those wonderful memories came flooding back as he worked alongside of the NPS Interpretive Rangers during the Sesquicentennial in 2012. Since his retirement, Gary has traveled to many of our country’s Civil War battlefields throughout the west and the south in an effort to be as well informed and knowledgeable as possible to further enhance his tours at Antietam. In recent years, he has toured numerous WWI and WWII battlefields in five European countries.
For nearly 36 years, Gary’s grandfather owned the South Mountain House (Tavern) and large tracts of land on the mountain encompassing much of the original battlefield. During his boyhood, he spent many summer days playing in this very historic area. These experiences, together with the Mountain House having served as Confederate Maj. Gen. D.H. Hill’s HQ eventually fueled his thirst to learn more about the events that took place in his backyard.
Gary’s longtime enthusiasm for Civil War history lead him to explore many of our nation’s battlefields. As a registered professional engineer, he is credited for leading the restoration and preservation of many of the county’s 19th century stone arch bridges. Upon his retirement, he became involved as a Battlefield Ambassador while pursuing the National Park Certification for Battlefield Guide. In 2013, he became one of the first four guides ever certified by the National Park Service as a Battlefield Guide at Harpers Ferry National Historic Park for the 1862 Maryland Campaign. He has led hundreds of tours with clients ranging from the very young to the very seasoned students of the battle including retired officers of flag rank, college professors and war college students. He is certified to conduct Military Staff Rides.
Today, Gary is actively involved with the Antietam Battlefield Guides in promoting the history and the true stories of the 1862 Maryland Campaign, particularly at Antietam. Gary is a member of the Washington County Historic District Commission, Save Historic Antietam Foundation (SHAF), a founding member of the Antietam Institute, Inc. and its Board of Directors, and the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area Board of Directors. He resides near Boonsboro, MD with his family. He is also a proud veteran of the U.S. Navy.
Areas of Special Interest on the field: Hood’s Division, The Irish Brigade at Antietam
Presentations: Sumner & French at Antietam, William B. Franklin’s Impact on the 1862 MD Campaign, Maj. Gen. Geo. B. McClellan & the 1862 MD Campaign, Bridges on the Antietam
Contact Info.: Phone: 301-667-7077; email: garyrohrer@ymail.com
Welcome to the official site for the Antietam Battlefield Guide Association. The Antietam Guides are a group of historians dedicated to providing outstanding interpretive tours of the Antietam Battlefield, as well as other sites related to the Maryland Campaign of 1862. The Antietam Guides are booked through the Antietam National Battlefield Museum Store. This site offers a listing of our battlefield guides, as well as updates about our programs, what our guides are up to, and information about Antietam National Battlefield. We hope to see you at the park soon!
Antietam Battlefield Guides 