23,000 casualties. 160 years. Three weekends of remembrance at Antietam
SHARPSBURG — Sept. 17 marks the 160th anniversary of the Battle of Antietam, fought among the cornfields in southern Washington County as America struggled through divisions that threatened its very existence.
For three weekends in September, the Antietam National Battlefield will host a series of events to commemorate this milestone. They range from a symposium featuring historians discussing the context and consequences of the battle, to special battlefield hikes and demonstrations, to a weekend of programming devoted to the battle's aftermath.
Park officials also plan to unveil updated interpretation activities this fall, revolving around the themes of conflict, terror, survival, freedom and memory. And that begins with the symposium, according to Park Ranger Keith Snyder, the battlefield's chief of resource education and visitor services.
"We have five speakers; each one's speaking on the five universal themes that are represented in our new exhibit plan," he said.
The symposium, presented in partnership with the Shepherd University George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War, is scheduled Sept. 10 at Frederick Community College. It will feature Snyder and fellow ranger Jess Rowley, George Tyler Moore Center Director James Broomall, Howard University Professor Emeritus Joseph Reidy and Caroline Janney, director of the John L. Nau III Center for Civil War History at the University of Virginia.
Reidy and Janney are winners of the Bancroft Prize and the Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize, respectively, for their books on the war and related issues.
The symposium is free; doors open at 8:15 a.m. at FCC's Jack B. Kussmaul Theater, 7932 Opossumtown Pike, Frederick, Md.
Why FCC? Two reasons, Snyder said. One had to do with a scheduling conflict at Shepherd University. But more importantly, park officials hope to expand the audience of people learning about the significance of the battle — and without space on the battlefield site appropriate for the symposium, they had to look elsewhere.
"This actually is an experiment, doing it in Frederick, where we hope to get a larger audience — because it is significant," Snyder said.
Anniversary weekend activities begin with a special Prelude to Battle hike at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16 that focuses on events of the afternoon and evening of Sept. 16, 1862. It will be followed Saturday, Sept. 17 by:
Sunrise at Antietam — Participants will gather at a tour stop in the Cornfield at 6:45 a.m., where the battle was enjoined as Union troops under the command of Gen. Joseph Hooker attacked Confederate troops commanded by Gen. Robert E. Lee.
"It's a tradition we've had now since before the 150th," Snyder said. "That's very, very popular and, I find, very moving to be out here at sunrise."
Ranger-Guided Driving Tours — Car caravan tour of the battlefield; participants follow rangers to three battlefield stops. Offered at 10:15 a.m. and 1:15 p.m.
Orientation Talks — Rangers present an overview of the Maryland campaign at noon, 2 and 4 p.m. at the visitor center.
Weapon Firing Demonstrations — Living history program featuring artillery and infantry at 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. at the visitor center.
Battlefield Hikes — Five hikes follow the battle as it unfolds:Battle for the Cornfield — 8:30 a.m., Tour Stop 4Massacre in the West Woods — 10 a.m., visitor centerStruggle for the Sunken Road — 11:30 a.m., visitor centerAttack and Defense of Burnside Bridge — 2 p.m., Tour Stop 9Final Attack — 3:30 p.m., Tour Stop 9Each hike is a half-mile to a mile long and lasts about 90 minutes
Except for the sunrise program, this schedule will be repeated on Sunday, Sept. 18. And at 12:30 p.m. Sunday at the Newcomer House on Md. 34, sculptor Toby Mendez will unveil his model for a Clara Barton memorial.
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Visitors during the weekend of Sept. 24-25 will learn about the battle's aftermath and legacy:
Grand Army of the Republic — Living history volunteers portray Union veterans who discuss commemorations they conducted in the years after the battle. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. both days, Dunker Church.
United States Sanitary Commission — Living history volunteers discuss the role the commission played in the lives of Civil War soldiers. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday at the Mumma Farm.
Civil War Music — Hear it at 10:15 a.m. both days at the Mumma Farm.
Civil War Photography — Observe the wet plate photographic process Alexander Gardner used to record the famous graphic images of the carnage the battle left behind. 11:15 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. both days at the Mumma Farm.
The Emancipation Proclamation — One of the most significant results of the battle. Learn more about it at 1:15 p.m. both days at the Mumma Farm.
Orientation Talks — Get an overview of the Maryland Campaign at 10 a.m. or 3 p.m. both days at the visitor center.
Aftermath of Battle — How did the battle affect Sharpsburg and the surrounding area? Find out at 11 a.m. both days at the visitor center.
Ranger Guided Driving Tour — A car caravan battlefield tour. Follow the ranger to three stops. Noon both days, starting at the visitor center.
'A Most Disagreeable Task' — A half-mile hike that explores the care of the dead and wounded. Beginnng at 2 p.m. both days at the visitor center.
While renovations to the battlefield's visitor center are on schedule for completion later this fall, the temporary visitor center directly across from it still will be in use during the anniversary commemorations. Snyder said park officials hope to have the permanent center reopened sometime in November.
More information on the 160th anniversary activities is available on the battlefield's website at nps.gov/anti/planyourvisit/160-anniversary.htm.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Park officials plan three weekends of Antietam 160th commemorations
