Happy Antietam Day

[CountDeMoney]

150 years ago today.

SHARPSBURG—

— The fighting that killed or wounded 21,000 Americans in the rolling hills of Western Maryland was over in about 12 grisly hours.

But a century and a half after the bloodiest day in American military history, the struggle to preserve the ground where Union and Confederate soldiers fought the Battle of Antietam only now appears close to a declaration of victory.

As Americans gather to honor the sacrifice of those who fell on Sept. 17, 1862 — as they will do this weekend and Monday on the 150th anniversary — they will do so at one of the nation's best-preserved Civil War sites.

Unlike many of the places where Union and Confederate forces clashed, Antietam offers visitors the opportunity to view the terrain much as it appeared at the time without the visual clutter of the 20th and 21st centuries.

"It's a remarkable success story of historic preservation," said O. James Lighthizer, president of the Civil War Trust. "Antietam is the best-preserved Civil War battlefield east of Shiloh" in western Tennessee.

The prospects for Antietam's preservation didn't always appear so hopeful. For three straight years, 1989 to 1991, the National Trust for Historic Preservation listed Antietam among its 11 most threatened historic places because of the threat of encroaching development.

Now the national trust considers Antietam a model of public-private cooperation to preserve historic land — not just on the battlefield, but in the surrounding area.

"At Antietam, the context for the battlefield also is conserved," said Rob Nieweg, director of the trust's Washington field office. "The public in 2012 or 2050 will have the opportunity to envision what happened here."

Antietam was a turning point. Coming after a string of Union defeats at the hands of Robert E. Lee, it was just enough of a victory to allow Abraham Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation from a position of strength. That act, freeing the slaves in the rebellious states, changed the character of the war and the country.

The battle was the culmination of a campaign in which Lee — fresh off his successful defense of Richmond and a brilliant victory at Second Manassas — launched an invasion of Maryland, a slave state he believed was ready to be detached from the Union.

Over a two-week period, his troops seized Frederick and Hagerstown and fought the second-bloodiest battle in Maryland history at South Mountain – where 4,000 were killed and wounded 150 years ago Friday. Pushed off the mountain by a superior Union force, Lee consolidated his troops in an arc around Sharpsburg, a small Washington County town where some buildings still bear the scars of battle.

Antietam was hell in three phases.

At the Cornfield, where the battle started at dawn on Sept. 17, it is still possible to envision the rustling of fully grown stalks as thousands of attacking Union soldiers moved toward the clearing where Confederate defenders waited to mow them down.

Union troops pushed as far as the historic Dunker Church — now restored — before being thrown back by a deadly counterattack by well-concealed Confederates in the West Woods. The back-and-forth fighting was as deadly as any engagement of the war; one Texas regiment emerged with 82 percent of its soldiers dead or wounded.

Brian Baracz, a National Park Service ranger, said the carnage during the first phase of the battle was some of the worst of the entire war. "There was a soldier killed or wounded every second for four hours straight," he said. The patch of ground became the "bloodiest square mile in the history of the United States."

Along the sunken road where the second phase of the battle erupted in the middle of the field later that morning, it is readily apparent how a strong Southern defensive position became a death trap once two New York regiments seized the high ground and began firing into the Rebel flank. Filled with corpses, a section of the road would forever be known as Bloody Lane.

But by the time Union troops made their breakthrough, they were too shot up and exhausted to pursue the fleeing Rebels. Historians still debate whether Union commander Gen. George McClellan squandered an opportunity to end the war then and there by failing to throw in his reserves.

At the Burnside Bridge, where the Union launched its third attack of the battle, fighting continued through the afternoon. Viewing the bridge today, it is easy to imagine the terror of young Northerners ordered to cross Antietam Creek on a narrow span with the enemy shooting down from the heights. With a superb defensive position, a small force of Georgians repulsed two waves of Union attackers, including the 2nd Maryland.

But the eventual Union breakthrough at the bridge left the exhausted Confederate army in peril. It was only the late arrival of 3,000 troops under Confederate Gen. A.P. Hill, who had made a 17-mile march from Harpers Ferry that day, that saved Lee's army.

Susan Trail, superintendent of the Antietam National Battlefield Park, said that after Antietam, it was clear that the North was in the fight for the long haul. "After this point, there was not going to be a negotiated peace," she said. "It was becoming increasingly evident this was an all-or-nothing war."

In the 1890s, Antietam became one of the first five Civil War battlefields — along with Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Shiloh and Chattanooga — to be put under the administration of the War Department as a park. At the time, said Baracz, one of the chief reasons given was to set aside these places as outdoor classrooms for students of military science.

The tower that now stands near the middle of the battlefield above Bloody Lane was built so soldiers in training — not tourists — could study the terrain, he said. Cadets from West Point and Mids from Annapolis still come to learn from the fight.

At the time of the park's creation, a group of historians and battle veterans drew up a map of about 3,000 acres encompassing the main areas of combat. Within that area, the government was permitted to acquire land for preservation as it came on the market and if funds were available.

For many years, the National Park Service, which took over the park in the 1930s, owned only a fraction of the most sensitive sites. But in the two decades since the National Trust's warning, the pace of acquisition picked up as the federal government stepped up funding. Baracz said the park service now owns about 2,100 acres in the core battle area — over half of which was acquired in the past 12 to 15 years.

For visitors to the park, that has meant a much different experience, Baracz said. With more land in public hands, the park has been able to create a 12-mile trail system that allows visitors to trace the course of the battle on foot.

While the park service was increasing its holdings in the core battle area, state officials and private conservation groups were moving aggressively to protect the approaches to Antietam and South Mountain from intrusive development. In the early 1990s, under Gov. William Donald Schaefer, Maryland became a pioneer in the use of federal transportation dollars and Program Open Space to preserve farmland along the roadways leading to battle sites.

Today the battlefield is not only a place of remembrance, but an economic engine for Western Maryland. According to Headwaters Economics, a nonpartisan research firm, attendance grew from about 280,000 in 2005 to more than 390,000 in 2010 with an economic impact that year of almost $20 million.

Tom Clemens, president of the Save Historic Antietam Foundation, said there are still important properties on and around the battlefield he'd like to see conserved – either by acquisition or easements. But he said there is still some local opposition from property rights advocates.

"When you try to save anything, they argue that you're trying to save everything," he said.

Lighthizer said he'd like to see some of the 1950s-era ranch homes that line Route 65 overlooking the battlefield acquired and torn down. Eventually, he'd like to see the visitor center built at the heart of the battlefield in 1961 moved to a less central location. But he sees no imminent threat of a subdivision or strip mall popping up where armies once clashed.

"Antietam is 95 percent of the way there," he said.

[Razgovory]

Could have shaved a year off that war that day.

[Syt]

http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0917.html

Battle of Antietam Creek

Full Particulars from Our Special Correspondent
The Most Stupendous Struggle of Modern Times
The Battle Won by Consummate Generalship
The Rebel Losses Estimated as High as Thirty Thousand
A Great Number of Prisoners Captured

Great Victory: The Rebel Army in Full Flight, Out of Maryland: The Dead and Wounded Left Behind: Our Cavalry Pushing Them Across the Potomac: The Whole National Army in Good Condition: Further Details of the Great Battle of Wednesday: No Fighting of Consequence on Thursday: Official Dispatches from Gen. McClellan: He Announces a Complete Victory

The Battle of Wednesday: Another Detailed Account of the Great Struggle

On Wednesday morning, Sept. 17, the sun rose in a cloudless sky, and all nature seemed to smile as if the world were filled with the elect of God. But its splendors were soon dimmed with the smoke rising from the battle-field.

To enable the reader to understand the events of this day, he should look at a map which has laid out the principal roads throughout the State of Maryland. With a pencil follow the road or "pike" from Boonsboro' direct to Sharpsburgh--which is nearly three miles west of the river, at the point where the road crosses it; the battle-field is on both sides of that road--between the river and Sharpsburgh--the bulk of it being north of the Boonsboro' road, and in the triangle formed by the roads connecting Bakersville and Middletown and Bakersville and Sharpsburgh. The surface is interspersed with hill and vale, and covered with cornfields and grassland, and skirting and stretching toward the centre from different points are thin belts of forest trees--all of which gives advantage to the enemy acting on the defensive, he having an opportunity to select his position for defensive operations, and when forced from one position he has only to fall back a short distance to find a position naturally as strong as the first. The engagement was opened early Wednesday morning by the advance of a strong line of our skirmishers. They were met by a similar movement on the part of the enemy. The latter were forced back until the right of our line (Gen. Hooker's), came into action with the enemy's left, commanded by Gen. Hill, who commands a portion of Long[MISSING TEXT]'s corps. Banks' corp was, within a half an hour, at work, and was followed soon after by Gen. Patterson's command. The first fire was at about 5 o'clock, and at 6 o'clock the infantry arm entered upon its work. The line [MISSING TEXT].

The Enemy's Left Was Forced Back

for nearly three miles from the ford, where the bulk of our troops crossed the creek before 9 o'clock, when they were relieved by Gen. Sedgwick's coming to the front. Just previous to this, Morris' Brigade, of Hooker's command, had advanced from a belt of timber across a plowed field into a piece of woods, where the enemy, massed in great force, were repulsed, and the troops fell back to the belt of timber in some disorder, but soon rallied again, and regained the field in front. It was at this time that Gen. Mansfield, in command of Gen. Banks' corps, was mortally wounded, carried from the field and died soon afterward. Gen. Williams succeeded to the command of the corps, and Gen. Crawford took command of Williams' Division until he was wounded and taken from the field. The repulse of Morris' Brigade was accomplished by an old and contemptible trick of the enemy. As the corps advanced to the woods across the plowed field, the rebels unfurled the Stars and Stripes, and waving them, cried out, "What the h--l are you doing? Don't fire upon your friends!" Our troops, deceived by this ruse, ceased firing, when the rebels opened upon them a murderous volley of musketry and cross fire, and creating a temporary [MISSING TEXT]. They rallied and drove the rebels back, but it was done at a great sacrifice of life.

These troops were relieved by [MISSING TEXT].

Gen. Sedgwick's Command

coming up on their left. The enemy who had gained a point of extending some distance in front of our line, at the left of Gen. Banks' corps, were drawn out, and across a plowed field in front, to the center beyond, with terrible slaughter Ayer's battery opening upon them with great [MISSING TEXT] the ground with the dead. At one point, just on the brow of a little [MISSING TEXT] the infantry, emerging suddently upon the open field, supposed that it was a rebel [MISSING TEXT] and the dead rebels got an extra volley;. This corps came into action by brigades, between 8 and 9 o'clock--Gorman's, Dana's and Howard's. While preparing for action, the enemy appeared from an unexpected quarter, and opened a terrific fire with a view of breaking the line by a sudden attack with musketry and artillery, he believing that it was composed of raw troops. But they soon discovered their mistake; these veterans, notwithstanding the sudden attack, though their lines were broken for a moment, were not disconcerted, but received it with cheers. While under this galling fire the Fifteenth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers made a dash forward and seized the battle-flag of one of Gen. Hill's regiments, and now have it to show to their friends as a trophy of the day. In this connection it should be mentioned that Capt. Howe and Lieut. Whitter, of Gen. Sedgwick's Staff, distinguished themselves in the action by rallying the left of Gen. Sedgwick's division, and on several occasions, by their example, they encouraged the men in discharging their duties faithfully. Gen. Sedgwick's horse was killed, and he was wounded twice, but remained on the field until he was ordered to the rear with his command.

French's Division

The division under Gen. French occupied a position to the left of Sedgwick's, and was fairly engaged by 10:30 o'clock. The fighting on the extreme right at this time was confined mostly to artillery, while the tide of infantry fighting swept along toward the left of our line. The left of this division gave way and fell back from the superior force they had to contend against--the rebel hordes making pell mell after them. The left fell back in pretty good order, and upon a walk, under as galling a fire of musketry as is often experienced. This movement was evidently no fault of the men. The rebels advanced, and as they ventured a little to the rear of our line at that point, Col. Burke (acting Brigadier-General in Gen. Richardson's Division,) changed his front, and poured in several volleys upon their flank, strewing the ground with dead. The balance, hastened somewhat by a cross fire from Ayer's battery, fled in utter dismay. The left of French's Division advanced again, and fought like heroes until ordered to the rear.

Richardson's Division

Three Brigades of this Division, commanded by Gen. Meagher, Gen. Caldwell and Col. Burke' Tenth Pennsylvania, did not cross the creek until Wednesday morning, when Gen. Richardson was ordered to form on the left of French's Division. The Division crossed the river and moved up with alacrity near the line of battle, ready for action. Having filed about through the valleys to avoid letting the enemy know of the movement, the Division laid down under the brow of a hill, just in rear of the line of battle, until wanted. It was now about 9 o'clock.

The Irish Brigade

In less than half an hour after taking this position Gen. Meagher was ordered to enter the line with the Irish Brigade. They marched up to the brow of the hill, cheering as they went, led by Gen. Meagher in the person, and were welcomed with cheers by French's Brigade. The musketry fighting at this point was the severest and most deadly ever witnessed before--so acknowledged by veterans in the service. Men on both sides fell in large numbers every moment, and those who were eye-witnesses of the struggle did not suppose it possible for a single man to escape. The enemy here, at first, were concealed behind a knoll, so that only their heads were exposed. The brigade advanced up the slope with a cheer, when a most deadly fire was poured in a second line of the enemy concealed in the Sharpsburgh road, which at this place is several feet lower than the surrounding surface, forming a complete rifle-pit, and also from a force partially concealed still further to the rear.

At this time the color-bearer in the right wing advanced several paces to the front, and defiantly waved his flag in the faces of the enemy; as if by a miracle, he escaped without serious injury.

The line of the brigade, in its advance up the hill was broken in the center temporarily by an obstruction, the right wing having advanced to keep up with the colors, and fell back a short distance, when Gen. Meagher directed that a rail fence which the enemy a few minutes before had been fighting behind should be torn down. His men, in face of a [MISSING TEXT] fire, obeyed the order when the whole brigade advanced to the brow of the hill, cheering as they went and causing the enemy to fall back to their second line-- the Strasburgh road, which is about three feet lower than the surrounding surface. In this road were massed a large force of infantry, and here was the most hotly contested point of the day. Each brigade of this Division was in turn brought into action at this point and the struggle was truly terrific for more than four hours--the enemy finally, however, were forced from their position. In this work, the New-York German Battery, stationed on the hill across the Creek, rendered efficient service by pouring in upon their massed forces a constant stream of 20-pound shells.

Gen. Caldwell's Brigade was next ordered into action by Gen. Richardson in person. They two advanced in good order, cheering and were received with cheers by the Irish Brigade. It was at about this time that the left of French's Division, commanded by Col. Brooks, of the Tenth Pennsylvania, was directed by Gen. Richardson to wheel to the right, and a murderous flanking fire was poured into the flank of an advancing division of the enemy, causing him to recoil, and fall back in disorder.

This division was actively engaged for nearly five hours, and lost nearly half of the men taken into action.

The fight, which had opened by five o'clock in the morning, gradually swept down to the left of the main line, where it opened at about 9 o'clock. Soon after this time, Gen. Burnside's guns were heard on the extreme left, on the flank of the enemy, he having obtained possession of the stone bridge across the creek on the Strasburgh road. This seemed to surprise the rebels, and a desperate effort was made to change their line of [MISSING TEXT] so as to repel [MISSING TEXT] movement on their right. To this end their line was extended, and large [MISSING TEXT] were thrown off to meet Gen. Burnside so that by 12 o'clock the rebel line of battle, having been forced back on the right, was [MISSING TEXT]. Toward night our infantry got to work on the extreme left, the rebel ranks gave way at all points--but in good order, and the day's fighting was brought to a close by a heavy artillery fire--and the enemy, in the language of the commanding General, were just where he wanted them.

It was undoubtedly the intention of Gen. Lee to repeat here what he accomplished at Richmond--crush our right wing by throwing upon it the bulk of the force at his disposal; and nothing but the most consummate generalship prevented him from succeeding in his pet scheme. In selecting Gen. Hooker to take the initiative in this important movement, the right man was put in the right place. He soon discovered the intended movement, and he was heavily reinforced during Tuesday night, so that when the enemy marched down his massed columns upon our right, they were everywhere repulsed with great slaughter.

On Wednesday afternoon as the storm of battle passed to the left, Gen. McClellan rode along the lines at the right and was received with the greatest enthusiasm by the forces at that point. While Gen. Sumner actually had charge of the field operations, Gen. McClellan visited every part of the field in person, and by his presence encouraged the troops to deeds of valor. Gen. Sumner more particularly paid attention to the right, for he saw Gen. Richardson was on the left with his own (Sumner's) old corps and his services were not particularly needed there.

As a whole, officers and men all did their duty. As there are exceptions to all rules, so there is to this. Two regiments, at least, marched from the field during the hottest of the conflict; and, in one instance, at least, the officers with the lead in this apparently disgraceful movement. We refrain from indicating these regiments until such time as their conduct is officially noticed.

Gen. Richardson

Gen. Richardson was everywhere conspicuous during the action, up to the time when he received a gunshot would in the left breast. While being removed from the field he said to the surgeon in attendance, "Tell Gen. McClellan I have been in the front rank, doing the duty of a Colonel. I have done a hard day's work, and have worked all day. I am wounded, and he must detail some one to take my command."

Gen. Hancock was ordered to take Gen. Richardson's command.

The Losses

Of course, at this time of writing, it is impossible to accurately estimate the losses on either side. In the opinion of those best capable of judging, our loss will not exceed 10,000. Some brigades lost very heavily, while others lost but few men. Gen. Richardson's and a portion of Gen. French's command, suffered the most. They actually lost nearly one-half the men into the field.

The loss of the enemy was necessarily much larger than ours. We had heavy guns located in distant and elevated positions, constantly throwing shells into their columns, massed at the rear of strong fronts.

They massed their forces to take batteries, but were in every instance repulsed with terrible slaughter. Coffin's First New-York Battery, supported by the One Hundred and Seventh New-York, was charged upon seven times in this way, and each time the attacking force repulsed. The corn-field in which the battery was stationed is covered with dead rebels. Ten horses attached to the battery were killed. Some of the rebel officers who fell into our hands estimate their loss as high as 30,000 men. This may be true, including the men who voluntarily came within our lines; for thousands of prisoners were taken, and some of them came in very willingly. They are tired of the war, and particularly such fighting as that of yesterday.

The Operations of Thursday

To-day we have had out a strong line of skirmishers, and, up to 3 o'clock, there was constant firing going on in front. Our troops are all lying upon their arms, ready for action. Burial parties are engaged in burying off the dead and removing the wounded.

At 2 o'clock a flag of truce was sent in by Gen. Hill, giving us permission to bury our dead within their lines. As our forces were in possession of about nine-tenths of the battle-field, this proposition was considered, no doubt, a cool one, and was promptly declined.

Subsequently, a flag of truce came in, bearing word that they would cease firing if we would, of which no notice was taken.

The enemy subsequently ceased firing, and under a flag of truce, came within our lines and removed the bodies of some of their officers.

Everything is in readiness for action, but the indications are that the enemy have had pretty much all the fight whipped out of them.

To-day is being devoted to burying the dead and caring for the wounded. To-morrow our army will advance and the rebels will have either to fight or run. Possibly they may not find either expedient to their liking.

[Razgovory]

Typical Liberal bias from the NYT

[garbon]

All that missing text sickens me.

[jimmy olsen]

My Antietam thread was better!

[Ed Anger]

My Antietam thread was better!

Nobody likes you.

[Caliga]

Next month it'll be the 150th anniversary of the more-important Battle of Perryville.

[Viking]

Next month it'll be the 150th anniversary of the more-important Battle of Perryville.

Whenever I look at Bragg (or Hood's) invasions north I keep thinking "thats what the EU A.I. would have done". Attempt to siege the least defended province only to have it's army defeated and then ping-pong'ed out of existence.

[Caliga]

I should go to the Perryville re-enactment.  I wonder if I'm free that weekend.   It'd be good to see how all my comically fat brothers-in-reenactment portray the battle.

[Ed Anger]

Show up in your centurion outfit.

[Caliga]

"I thought you meant Leonidas, not Leonidas Polk."

[Ed Anger]

I could show up as the dashing earl van dorn and seduce any ladies in the nearby towns.

[PDH]

I would show up as a Union soldier and spend the entire time talking to people about how, yes, Kentucky was a Union State.

[Caliga]

While true, THEM'S FIGHTIN WORDS round these parts.