The Triangle at Sharpsburg

We're planning on making a visit either this spring or summer. It'll be nice to have a more realistic sightline from Lee's artillery position.

Ryan
 
Someone please post some photos without the house. Facebook link with photo follows:
https://www.facebook.com/shafpage/p...18794480661/10154338238775662/?type=3&theater
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Antietam is the most well preserved CW battlefield I have visited out of about 12 or so - Gettysburg is good also but can be overwhelmed with visitors. The removal of the Wilson house is critical because it sat square in the middle of the Union "avenue of attack" at the start of the battle. I walked the attack from the Union perspective with my oldest brother last year and we had to go around this property. If you have never been there it is well worth the trip right after reading (or re-reading) Stephen Sear's "Landscape Turned Red". It would also be good to first visit the South Mountain Battlefield to understand the whole campaign. This entire area of Maryland has undergone little change since the battles took place.
 
From the other side, there was a great unobstructed view of S.D. Lee's artillery position (visitor's center) from Thompson's battery position in the Cornfield. For the first time, I felt like I could "see it."
 
Returned to Antietam 2 days ago after a while.

Most well preserved? Not by far, until they grow corn in the Cornfield and trees in the East Woods. There are so many false vision lines, including this:

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Returned to Antietam 2 days ago after a while.

Most well preserved? Not by far, until they grow corn in the Cornfield and trees in the East Woods. There are so many false vision lines, including this:

View attachment 134737

The east woods has been replanted and crop rotation requires farmers leasing the land to not plant corn every year. The Piper orchard has also been replanted.

Few parks cut trees. The folks at Antietam are the exception. Given time, the field will be more like it was on that dreadful day in September. It takes time and funding. Removing the Wilson house was a huge gain thanks to the CWT and the hard work of the Antietam staff.

Be patient. Few fields are as accurate or pristine as Sharpsburg.
 
Returned to Antietam 2 days ago after a while.

Most well preserved? Not by far, until they grow corn in the Cornfield and trees in the East Woods. There are so many false vision lines, including this:

View attachment 134737
I have been there in the last couple years where the cornfield was completely grown in - I guess like another post mentioned they have to give the ground a rest at times - my "well preserved" comment was not about cornfields or the exact location of woods, etc - I was really commenting on how the entire area from South Mountain to Antietam (Sharpsburg) has so little development that apart from paved roads, housing developments (and the always poorly placed Visitor Centers) it is remarkable how untarnished this part of Maryland has remained.
 
I have been there in the last couple years where the cornfield was completely grown in - I guess like another post mentioned they have to give the ground a rest at times - my "well preserved" comment was not about cornfields or the exact location of woods, etc - I was really commenting on how the entire area from South Mountain to Antietam (Sharpsburg) has so little development that apart from paved roads, housing developments (and the always poorly placed Visitor Centers) it is remarkable how untarnished this part of Maryland has remained.

Absolutely! I agree with you. If you look at the towns of Sharpsburg and Boonesboro (South Mountain) and compare them to the circus that is Gettysburg, the levels of preservation are pretty astounding.

On the other hand, the areas around the old roads are pretty well preserved in both MD and PA. If you from from Emmitsburg to Gettysburg, for example, via the old Emmitsburg Rd, or from Cashtown to Gettysburg, the level of preservation is similar to MD.
 
View attachment 144318 Here's a picture I took about a week ago from Cornfield Ave. looking towards the Visitor's Center and Dunker Church. The house site was seeded and is all grown up with nice tall grass looks nice.
That's an awesome view of what Hooker's troops could see if they got to the other side of the Cornfield
 
That's an awesome view of what Hooker's troops could see if they got to the other side of the Cornfield

They did. Greene's division was in the swale where the visitors center sits today. The problem was holding it when McLaws arrived.
 
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