Antietam National Battlefield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Antietam National Battlefield |
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Bloody Lane at Antietam
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 Antietam National Battlefield
Location in Maryland
Antietam National Battlefield
Location in the United States
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| Location | Washington County, Maryland, U.S. |
| Nearest city | Sharpsburg, MD |
| Area | 3,229 acres (13.07 km2) |
| Established | August 30, 1890 |
| Visitors | 385,000 (in 2011) |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
| Website | Antietam National Battlefield |
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Antietam National Battlefield
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| Location | N of Sharpsburg off MD 45, Sharpsburg, Maryland |
| Built | 1862 |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000038 |
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
Antietam National Battlefield is a special place managed by the National Park Service. It's located near Sharpsburg, in northwestern Maryland. This battlefield remembers the important American Civil War Battle of Antietam. This huge battle happened on September 17, 1862.
The battlefield is in the Appalachian foothills, close to the Potomac River. Here, you can find the battle site, a visitor center, a national military cemetery, and the historic stone arch Burnside's Bridge. There's also a museum that used to be a field hospital.
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What You Can See at Antietam
The Battle of Antietam was a major turning point in the Civil War. It was General Robert E. Lee's first attempt to invade the North, and it ended right here in 1862.
This park was first set up on August 30, 1890. It became part of the National Park Service in 1933. The battlefield is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a very important historical site.
The National Cemetery
The Antietam National Cemetery is next to the park. It covers about 11 acres. More than 4,976 people are buried here. Sadly, 1,836 of them could not be identified.
The cemetery was started in 1865. Burials began in 1867. Only Union soldiers from the Civil War are buried here. Confederate soldiers were buried in other cemeteries nearby. The cemetery also holds graves of veterans from other wars. These include the Spanish–American War, both World Wars, and the Korean War. The cemetery stopped new burials in 1953. However, two special exceptions were made later.
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The entrance and gatehouse of Antietam National Cemetery.
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The U.S. Soldier Monument, also called "Old Simon." It was finished in 1880.
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The dedication ceremony for the National Cemetery in 1867.
Visitor Center
The Antietam National Battlefield Visitor Center has many exhibits. They teach you about the battle and the Civil War. The center was built in 1962.
You can watch a 26-minute film about the battle. It is shown every half hour. The visitor center is open every day from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Park rangers give talks about the battlefield. You can also buy an audio tour for an 8.5-mile driving tour. This tour has eleven stops. The park grounds are open during daylight hours. There is a small entrance fee for visitors aged 17 and older.
Pry House Field Hospital Museum
The Pry House Field Hospital Museum is in a historic house. This house was the headquarters for Union General George B. McClellan during the battle. The museum shows how wounded soldiers were cared for back then. It also tells the story of the Pry House. The National Museum of Civil War Medicine helps run this museum.
Antietam Battlefield Illumination
Every year, on the first Saturday in December, a special event happens. It's called the Antietam Battlefield Illumination. It started in 1989. Over a thousand volunteers place 23,000 luminaries on the battlefield. Each luminary is a paper bag with sand and a candle. It represents a soldier who was killed, injured, or went missing during the Battle of Antietam. It's a powerful way to remember them.
Protecting the Battlefield
The Antietam National Battlefield was once listed as one of America's Most Endangered Places. This was because there were plans to build a shopping center on battlefield land. But many people worked together to save it. By 2017, it was seen as a success story.
Groups like the American Battlefield Trust have helped protect more land. They have saved over 468 acres of the battlefield. This includes a very important 44-acre area. It's right in the middle of the battlefield, between the Cornfield and the Dunker Church. This land was bought in 2015. Old buildings on it were removed to make it look like it did during the war.
The Battle of Antietam
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The Morning Phase of the battle.
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The Midday Phase of the battle.
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The Afternoon Phase of the battle.
Morning Phase
The battle started at dawn on September 17, 1862. Union General Joseph Hooker began firing cannons at Confederate positions. These were led by General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson in the Miller cornfield. Hooker's soldiers moved forward and pushed the Confederates back. Around 7 a.m., Jackson's troops fought back and pushed the Union soldiers. Then, Union General Joseph K. Mansfield sent his men into the fight. They won back some of the lost ground.
Midday Phase
As the fighting in the cornfield ended, Union General William H. French moved his soldiers forward. They ran into Confederate General D.H. Hill's troops. These Confederates were in a place called the Sunken Road. Intense fighting happened here for four hours. Finally, the Union troops took control of the road.
Afternoon Phase
On the other side of town, Union General Ambrose E. Burnside's soldiers tried to cross Antietam Creek. They had been trying since morning. Only about 500 Georgia sharpshooters held them back. Around 1 p.m., they finally crossed Burnside's Bridge. They then took the high ground. After a two-hour break, the Union soldiers moved up the hill. They pushed the Confederates back toward Sharpsburg. But then, General A.P. Hill's division arrived. They had marched quickly from Harpers Ferry. This stopped Burnside's advance. The Union troops were pushed back to the hills above the bridge.
Conclusion
The battle ended with Union forces surrounding the Confederates on three sides. They waited for the next day. But during the night of September 18, General Lee moved his troops back across the Potomac River. He left the battlefield to General McClellan. This day was the bloodiest single day in United States history. A total of 22,717 soldiers were killed, wounded, or went missing.
