Visit to Antietam

[owilliams]

Was very moved when I went to Antietam. My GGrandfather was in the Seventh Indiana Infantry that fought there. Their monument (site at 4PM, as I recall) was pretty far back, but they were listed as a part of Hooker's advance in the morning. They were also favorably mentioned for their role in the battle of South Mountain. So had a personal interest. He survived the battle, was at Gettysburg and the Wilderness, was wounded and left his unit after Spottsylvania. Amazing to see the actual sites of the battles. Jack Williams

[matthew mckeon]

I visited Antietam a few year ago. I was impressed by the NPS presentation of the battle. It was very empty when I was there and the fields and fences quite evocative.

[ole]

And I haven't visited that many of the great battlefields, but Antietam certainly must rank among the best. Its been years and years, but it seems like yesterday. I can still see myself standing where hood did and see those damyankees comin' thru the corn. And I can stand in that ditch that was a road and see those Irishers breasting the rise in front of me.

Besides which, you can get a really decent burger in Sharpsburg.

Ole

[matthew mckeon]

Several years back, I visited the four major Northern Virginia battlesfields, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, the Wilderness and Spotsylvania. Although I had read about them of course, I was unprepared for how close they were. It made a real difference in how I understood the war in the East.