Antietam National Battlefield, MD (6-27-09)
Read MoreUnion Advance - 9:30am
Over 10,000 Union soldiers advanced along this lane passing the Mumma and Roulette Farms. Their objective was the center of the rebel line positioned along an old sunken road to the south. In 1862 this line of trees did not exist and the Union troops would have had a clear view of the Confederate lines at the edge of the field just visible in the distance between the trees...
The Sunken Road (Bloody Lane) - 9:30am to Noon
This is the view the Confederate forces manning the sunken road would have had of the advancing Union troops. While the Federal soldiers would have been in plain sight of the rebels as they topped the rise in the distance the Union troops would only have sight of thousands of muskets pointing at them from behind the fence...
The Sunken Road - 9:30am to Noon
Another look at the Sunken Road looking northwest from the base of the observation tower. The Union advance would have been perpendicular to the angle of this photo directly against the Confederates positioned at the road. Nearly 6,000 men (30%) died or were wounded during the three hours of fighting here...
Observation Tower View - Looking East(?)
I didn't take good notes on this shot but I believe it to be to the east from the tower along the approximate route of the Boonsboro Pike towards the site of Middle Bridge... Middle Bridge in September 1862.
Observation Tower View - Looking Northwest
The Mumma Farm is clearly visible in this shot to the north. This picture encompasses much of the terrain that was fought over during the first half of the battle. The Cornfield is located in the center of the photograph at the top of the far ridge. Later Union forces marched across the fields between here and the Mumma Farm against the Sunken Road off to the left...
Final Attack - 4:30pm
Just as the Confederate cause seemed lost General A.P. Hill's Corps, marching all day from Harpers Ferry, arrived and struck Burnside's exhausted forces, pushing them back to Antietam Creek. With dusk the fighting died out and over the following days the Confederates withdrew back south to Virginia...
D. Weemhoff
on July 30, 2009Yes, quite a reminder--- rather a miracle that we are still one after all bloodshed on both sides! Those old shots really add to the album--- thanks so much! m