photo from Antietam NB Facebook page

Yesterday, collodion artist T.N. Harrington stopped Antietam National Battlefield to capture a few images of the historic landscape, as well as give a quick photo lesson to some of the Park staff.  You can check out photographs of this event on the Antietam National Battlefield Facebook page here.

Sunken Road – Bloody Lane

Of course as we quickly approach the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Antietam on September 17, we will also soon be marking the 150th Anniversary of Alexander Gardner’s powerful photographs of the dead and destruction of Antietam.  Just as haunting and emotional as they were all those years ago, Gardner’s images forever changed the world.  It had been the first time a battlefield had been photographed so soon after the guns fell silent, and the horrific slaughter seen in the photos helped visualize the long lists of casualties the country had been reading in newspapers throughout the War.  Take a few moments and check out a collection of Gardner’s photos on Antietam National Battlefield’s Flickr page here.  Also, Antietam National Battlefield has a great page where you can learn more about photography at Antietam.

Visit soon, and take your own Antietam photographs!

David R. Maher – 2011

If you plan on visiting Antietam National Battlefield in the future, make sure you swing by the Visitor Center bookstore and pick yourself up the latest brochure created by the staff at Antietam.  It’s called “Artillery at Antietam”, and will set you back about $1.

 Inside you will find wonderfull facts, quotes, and images to help you learn about Civil War artillery, and why Antietam became forever known as “Artillery Hell.”  Also inside, you will find a fantastic map noting the positions of all of the cannon now placed on the Battlefield, as well as information about each artillery battery those gun positions represent, and a great ‘range map’ which helps you understand the range and effectivness of artillery during the Battle.

inside the brochure

For the first time, the guns of Antietam have become more than decorations on the landscape.  Thanks to this brochure, and the recent historical repositioning of many of the guns, artillery at Antietam has become a powerful interpretive tool.  So, during your next visit, pick up the brochure, and look for those guns!

With a week to go before the kickoff of Antietam 150th Anniversary Weekend, we at Antietam Battlefield Guides hope you aren’t waiting until the last-minute to plan your Anniversary Weekend itinerary.  Make sure you check out the schedule of events on Antietam National Battlefield’s website.  Click here.

Take note of the call for names of Antietam casualties buried around the country:

Special Note:

As part of the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Antietam, a remembrance ceremony will take place at Antetiam National Cemetery on September 17th. This ceremony will feature a reading of the names of those soldiers killed or mortally wounded in the battle. The ceremony will begin at 3 p.m., and names will be read alphabetically by state, continuing throughout the afternoon. The public is encouraged to participate in the event by taking a turn reading names. We will read the names of those buried in Antietam National Cemetery, as well as in Washington Confederate Cemetery, Elmwood Cemetery, and Mt. Olivet Cemetery, but due to many circumstances some soldiers were buried in other locations.

To provide a more comprehensive list we are asking for your input. If you know of a soldier that was killed or mortally wounded at Antietam and is buried somewhere other than the cemeteries listed above, please send an email to e-mail us providing the soldier’s name, state, and any documentation you have for this information. We will add the name to our list. We appreciate your help as we honor and remember those who gave their lives at Antietam.

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We hope to see you out on the battlefield!

Antietam visitors enjoy a Ranger talk on Anniversary Weekend 2010.
photo by David R. Maher