Musings - ACW Battlefields part 2 - Antietam and Manasses

 Next stop Antietam . We drove from Gettysburg via Chambersburg , Hagerstown , Boonsboro and to Fox Gap to visit the small battlefield (the happened 3 days before Antietam ) up in the Appalachian mountains which was following the route of Lee’s Army.  So just a small selection of pictures to wet your appetite 

We stayed at the Inn at Antietam- which was a great base - highly recommend it .

The Inn is located next the National Cemetery and 2 minutes drive from the visitors centre . Great hosts too.

Antietam :- 

Just a selection of key bits 

Looking East to the mountains at Fox Gap from Lee’s position 

We met our guide Mick Priest a local ACW author and lecturer and had a half day explore . It really helped understand why this was the bloodiest one day battle . With the land falling and rising all over , with artillery on high ground all around . 

Interesting that the corn was less densely sown as it was hand , not machine harvested - roughly 2 foot between plants , but with lower planting between . Though still between 4 and 7 feet high . 

There are various interesting monuments all over the battlefield - this one appealed to me 

View from the observation tower at the Angle 

The Bloody lane area - it was even narrower then , not much wider than a cart . 

The Irish Brigade monument 

Next - Burnside Bridge area over Antietam creek 

 

Period building in Sharpsburg itself .

Manasses :-

Gun position around Henry House 

Henry House 

Stonewall Jackson monument 

The Stone house position 

Stone bridge over the Bull Run

Shepherdstown :-

We had crossed the Potomac  river to head to Harpers Ferry 

Crossing the Potomac 

 Harpers Ferry :-

The fort Firehouse from the John Brown raid in 1859 

Confluence of the Potomac and the Shenandoah rivers 

Period townhouses 

Next up some museum visits 

Musings - ACW Battlefield visits part 1

 The second part of the USA trip involved visiting the battlefields of Gettysburg, Antietam and Manasses . We had booked an accredited battlefield guide for a half day at the first two . These were organised by contacting the visitors centre .

The iconic Lutheran Seminary 

Bufords position looking the Chambersburg Pike 

Lee overlooks the area of Pickets charge.

Pickets charge area looking up to Cemetery Ridge.

Mike , our knowledgeable guide 

Little Round Top from the bottom 

In Devils den up to Little Rouhd Top 

Devils Den 

Guys from Alabama and Virginia following in footsteps of their ancestors 

Pennsylvania monument on Cemetery Ridge.

We visited the museum , watched the film ahd the cyclorama with its sound and light show  which was really well done . 

Various pictures of the 360 cyclorama - it’s very well done .

  

Our accommodation was at the Lightner Farmhouse , build in 1862 which was used as Union 1st Corps hospital for about 3 weeks after the Hattie . 

Couldn’t resists the rocking chair on the verandah 

A few minutes with Abe at the museum