Hi all, I plan on going to the Antietam Battlefield for a day or 2. If anyone has gone there before, any advice? What to see or where to spend the most time? Nearby hotels?
Thanx!
Thanx!
Antietam
- Thread starter Hand Sword
- Start date
Shuto
Purple Belt
Antietam is my favorite Civil War battlefield that I've visited. It's not too built up/developed.
Advice? First read/reread an account of the battle so that the details are fresh. Also, I recommend looking at some of the pictures taken shortly after the battle. You can still locate some of the spots today. The church and the bridge come immediately to mind.
Some guy wrote a couple books where he analyzed Civil War battlefield pictures and tried to locate the spot in contemporary times. He did Gettysburg and Antietam, maybe more. I don't recall the guys name and a quick search failed to unearth it. It began with an F IIRC and sounded Italian.
Finally, I prefer to visit battlefields at the time of year that the battle took place whenever possible.
edit - Here's the book I was thinking of.
Advice? First read/reread an account of the battle so that the details are fresh. Also, I recommend looking at some of the pictures taken shortly after the battle. You can still locate some of the spots today. The church and the bridge come immediately to mind.
Some guy wrote a couple books where he analyzed Civil War battlefield pictures and tried to locate the spot in contemporary times. He did Gettysburg and Antietam, maybe more. I don't recall the guys name and a quick search failed to unearth it. It began with an F IIRC and sounded Italian.
Finally, I prefer to visit battlefields at the time of year that the battle took place whenever possible.
edit - Here's the book I was thinking of.
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I've gone twice, and the first time I had the best interpretive ranger I've ever met at a National Park. He did a fantastic job describing the battlefield and the overall situation. And I'd second Shuto's recommendation, visit in September if you can, they keep the fields in much the same conditions as they were historically, including the corn fields.
Sorry, no recommendation for hotels, I was staying at a nearby training center.
Can't recommend hotels, since I live close enough to make it a day trip. But it's well worth the time. As has been suggested, do the research/reading ahead of time to prep yourself. Spend some time at the visitor center, and take the tour. I like the self-guided approach that lets you stop and take the time...
If you like tent camping, you can actually camp on the C&O Canal nearby. That's one of the few spots where the campsites also have vehicle access.
If you like tent camping, you can actually camp on the C&O Canal nearby. That's one of the few spots where the campsites also have vehicle access.
Now THIS is neat! Animated Civil War Battles (using military style maps) with details of the battle over a period of hours and days. Lots of great info on various battles... this is the one related to the topic.
http://www.civilwaranimated.com/index.php/antietam-east-34
Battle map of Antietam animated
http://www.historyanimated.com/AntietamAnimation.html
http://www.civilwaranimated.com/index.php/antietam-east-34
Battle map of Antietam animated
http://www.historyanimated.com/AntietamAnimation.html
Archangel M
Senior Master
Visit the national cemetery. Take the ranger guided tours. A fairly new exhibit that few seem to visit is McClellan's HQ about 2-3 miles east on Shepherdstown Pike.
There are a number of bed and breakfasts in the area, for hotels I can suggest the Bavarian Inn that is a straight drive west down Shepherdstown Pike and just over the Potomac near where Lee crossed his forces after the battle.
Ninjamom
2nd Black Belt
I'll 'third' that recommendation, but not for any 'historical accuracy' reasons - September the surrounding communities will have a fresh crop of apples and home-pressed apple cider available.
OP
OP
Thank You All!
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