Antietam battle photo

My biggest surprsie when examining this photo was the troops along the road, and the lean toos they had set up...Though, I can't figure out where the heck this picture was taken from, it doesn't look familiar to me of the area around the battlefield...
 
Thanks for all the replies and enlarments. Very interesting.

When I first saw the photo I thought it was of the firing line with the smoke being rifle and a battery about to go into position behind it. I figured the relative lack of movement on the battleline would account for the picture being able to be produced.

Thanks again and I love this forum so far!

It is a great forum, though some debates will have you pulling out your hair...:smile: Kind of like a big disfunctional family lol But, I seriously think you will find some of the finest research being done on the war right here in this forum.. There are some top notch people here and if theres a question on the war they will be able to answer it..
 
welcome aboard!
thanks for the detail zooms on this...I have seen it before but not with thus resolution...it makes more sense now
 
This photo was indeed taken after the battle of troops and artillery held in reserve. I'm can't recall for sure but they may be members of the 5th Corps. The photo was taken from the grounds of McClellan's HQ located at the PRY House about two miles or so from the battlefield. It's located on the modern Route 34 on the left as you head into Keedysville. I volunteer at the Pry House during the summer and the NPS has removed many of the trees that blocked the view of the battlefield so you can now get a better idea of what McClellan saw. We did a Signal Corps event there last year and were able to send signals from Pry House over to the New York monument by the visitor center on the battlefield.
 
This photo was indeed taken after the battle of troops and artillery held in reserve. I'm can't recall for sure but they may be members of the 5th Corps. The photo was taken from the grounds of McClellan's HQ located at the PRY House about two miles or so from the battlefield. It's located on the modern Route 34 on the left as you head into Keedysville. I volunteer at the Pry House during the summer and the NPS has removed many of the trees that blocked the view of the battlefield so you can now get a better idea of what McClellan saw. We did a Signal Corps event there last year and were able to send signals from Pry House over to the New York monument by the visitor center on the battlefield.

Thanx. My mention of Fry house has been changed to Pry house. I look forward to see the results of tree removal. McClellan's view of the battle was obscured by trees and other obstacles, even from his perch on the rooftop trapdoor. It was said that he was able to see half to 60% of the battlefield. He could not see from the sunken road to Burnside Bridge and some northern parts of the battlefield.
 
It is a great forum, though some debates will have you pulling out your hair...:smile: Kind of like a big disfunctional family lol But, I seriously think you will find some of the finest research being done on the war right here in this forum.. There are some top notch people here and if theres a question on the war they will be able to answer it..
Just ask Wilber. :bounce:
 
Wilber's #8 -- Photograph of dismounted artillery horses, if you look close, there is 'a' driver near the head/lead team. So they are attended but, certainly not under live activity. Be it reserve or pre/post battle, they are ready to go--

Wilber, should you be able to focus around the rear towards the artillery piece/canon wheels, it appears that some are around the back of the pieces. If so, this could be the removal/replacing the various sponges, screws and other working necessities of the piece. They would also be moving 'blocks' that the weight of the artillery piece wouldn't constantly be a strain on the horse's chests. The traces (straps and chains linking the horses to the limbers) seem slack. This would be a time for the artillery horses to rest as much as the drivers getting off the horse's backs which needed the rest as well. Might be a 'lunch' when eating was done from the haversacks.

You have a rider (independent of the artillery pieces/battery) that have their horse's facing towards the artillery battery 'teams' some distance away--in the 'line of battle'/'battle formation.' Facing forward--that rider would probably shout out should a team on a piece start moving off without the drivers (riders). But, the lead horses would probably stay quiet and rest. If a team of horses did manage to bolt--that rider would ride hard and get control of them. Being faced towards the batteries--this supports the 'at rest' but not parked, in my opinion.

Sacks on the side of the horses were the grain rations for that team. (Each horse was saddled should the one be killed that the rider/driver was on, they could cut the traces and leap on the living horse, leaving the wounded/dying/dead horse behind).

Should Wilber be able to enhance the various pieces--might be able to see other men all around and under these batteries.

M. E. Wolf

Oh, yes--by the way--I saw the #7 on the flank.

Great job as always Wilber!

M. E. Wolf
 
Just ask Wilber. :bounce:

Thank you, but I'm not even on the same level as some of the fine researchers on this forum, but for some reason I think I've found a niche where it concerns the Sumter crisis.. Now dissecting these images on the other hand, well heck this is just pure fun and I could do this for hours.. :smile:
 
It does look like theres men lying on the ground around the cassons...

Antietamreserve9-X3.jpg
 
If you look closely at that 7 you will more than likely find that it is piece of dust on the image or on the plate. When I had my photo lab, I found all kinds that dust that looked like numbers and other things.
 
Is that a river to the right of picture above? The structure to the right of center seems to be reflected..

It looks more like a pond to me in that it doesn't seem to continue in the way a river would.

And yeah, it really is neat to see all the things that are happening in the background when the photos are blown up. Thanks for doing this.
 
Wilber again I am amazed. Just when I thought we had seen it all in this picture you bring out more. I had wondered where the crews were and there they were the wole time. Bravo my friend. I would agree with the pond assesment maybe Pvt Mcintire can confirm that for us if the feature is still there.
 
There were 8 men or so in a gun crew and the blowups only show two, maybe three at some guns. The horses do not appear to be restrained. Wonder where the other 70 or 80 battery members are?
 
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