John Schildt was introduced to the Civil War
by his great-grandmother who fed Union troops on the way to Gettysburg when she was a little girl. While giving tours, he likes to make history come alive by sharing human interest stories about people and places. His fields of specialty are the XII and IX corps, as well as Antietam’s Hospitals and Lincoln’s visit to Antietam in October 1862. So, in addition to the regular Antietam tours John also gives Antietam Hospital tours and “In the footsteps of Lincoln” tours that are approximately two hours long. He offers short tours of the Antietam National Cemetery and Shepherdstown as well.
John has been a lecturer and guide for the Gettysburg College Civil War Institute and Bud Robertson’s “Campaigning with Lee” as well as for the Chicago Civil War Round Table and many other groups. He was the main speaker at the 125th anniversary of Antietam. John led three tours to Normandy and took part in the American and French commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the D-day landing in 1994.
Having been a lifelong student of Antietam, John has written many books on the subject, including September Echoes, Drums along the Antietam, Four days in October, Roads to Antietam, Jackson and the Preachers, Antietam Hospitals, and Antietam through the Years. Other recent publications include Frederick in the Civil War, Hills of Glory and New Hampshire at Antietam, all of which are now available at the Antietam Museum Store.
John can also offer the following Lectures and Tours:
Lectures:
Drums Along the Antietam
A Distinguished Marylander – Henry Kyd Douglas
Tours:
Antietam Hospitals
Four Days in October – Lincoln at Antietam
Twelfth Corps at Antietam
Frederick, Crossroads of the Civil War
Roads to Gettysburg
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 
My husband Joe and I and our grandson Ryan had the pleasure of having John Schildt as our guide for our tour.
Wonderful tour and learned so much more from listening to John. Thank you John great tour.
How do I get a copy of John’s book “The Twelfth Corps at Antietam”? I am particularly interested in Sam Crawford’s role, because I own several of his personal items.
Mitch, you can order a copy of John’s XII Corps book by contacting the Antietam bookstore by phone (866-461-5180 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST), or by email wmia@hughes.net.
Hey thats me!!!!!
John’s tour of the Antietam National Cemetary was a very moving experience…one that I’ll never forget and often recommend to others interested in learning more about the Civil War
Thank you John for an enjoyable tour. You certainly know the battlefield and demonstrated the advantages and disadvantages of the two armies. We were very pleased with your presentation!! March On my new Friend!!
Had a great tour of the Battlefield with John this past weekend. I had brothers and a sister come in from along the East Coast to visit (the Across America Tour as John called it) and they all loved the tour. John is very knowledgeable, funny and passionate about the subject. Highly recommend him and the tour to anyone!
I had the pleasure of having John Schildt as a guide this past Tuesday at Antietam. I couldn’t have been happier. What a wonderful, and knowledgeable Gentleman.
My dogs ( who accompanied me) and I enjoyed his vast intellect, and stories of the battlefield.
I would recommend him to anyone who would visit Antietam.
Took my dad and two 11 year old boys on a perfect June day to see Antietam. The day was made even better by John’s guidance. His insight, stories and willingness to answer all of our questions made it a terrific tour. Thank you, John, so much, for showing us around and educating us. I highly recommend John as a guide.
How can I get in touch with Mr. Schildt? I live in Pleasant Valley and need his help with a newly found dig site of interest.
Thanks,
Ken Ebmeier
Some family members from FL and I were very lucky to have been guided at Antietam recently, by the Rev. Schildt. His many years of study and vast experience made his tour a priceless experience. Unlike some tour guides, he welcomed questions. Every inquiry from was easily used as a takeoff point for more wonderful stories. The most amazing thing, to me, is that someone with no more than a rudimentary interest in CW history ( that would be us) is pulled in so quickly and adeptly. Very, very highly recommended!
We did an amazing tour with Mr. Schildt and could have spent the weekend listening to him. I cannot recommend him highly enough. My wife, a good friend, and I, all Civil War buffs, loved his encyclopedic knowledge of both the big events and the individual stores. He was able to take me to where my great grandfather’s regiment was assembled for the battle. Can’t wait to return.
My wife and I did a tour with John in February of 2023 and we echo Mr. Baldwin’s comments above. I don’t think you could ever tire of John’s knowledge of the battle and its background. John is personable, loves questions and a joy to do a tour with. He earns our highest compliments and recommendation. Simply put, if you are doing a tour, do it with John.