Road trip day 7
Well, you knew there would have to be a Civil War battlefield visit sometime during this trip.
So we went to Antietam National Battlefield.
Antietam was one of the bloodiest battles of the war. After a single day of combat, 23,00 lay dead or wounded.
September 17, 1862. Robert E. Lee’s first attempt to invade the North. Lee needed a victory in the North for political reasons — the midterm elections were approaching, and he wanted public opinion in the North to support Congressional candidates who favored a negotiated peace. Also, Britain and France were prepared to recognize the Confederacy if Lee could prove himself.
The North, having sustained several losses in Northern Virginia, needed a victory as well.
Lee, having taken the Union garrison in Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia, marched 16 miles north into Maryland, where he was met by the Army of the Potomac commanded by George McClellan. There was no clear victor. At the end of the day, a truce was called so that both sides could collect their wounded.
The fighting did not resume. Lee moved his forces back across the Potomac, McClellan did not pursue. Later he’d have to explain himself to Congress.
Lee would try to invade the North again the following summer, which led to the Battle of Gettysburg…
Lee’s political objectives were not achieved, of course. And the political objectives of the North? Shortly after Antietam, Lincoln warned the rebels that if they did not return to the Union, he would issue the Emancipation Proclamation.
We started at the Visitor’s Center, of course, with a short film about the battle and its consequences.
You can take a self-guided tour which takes you to multiple locations across the battlefield, but we opted for a ranger-led tour. We’d drive to a location, the ranger would speak for awhile, then we’d drive to another location.
This is a remarkably well preserved battleground. The fighting was done mostly in a corn field, and the National Park Service leases the land to farmers so that corn is still grown on site.
If you see a wooden fence on site, it means there was a fence in that location in 1862.
We thought about driving the 16 miles to Harper’s Ferry National Park. The park is open, but all of the interesting historical sites are closed due to COVID, so …
Sigh.
Well...I've been to both Antietam (twice, including the 150th anniversary commemoration) and Harpers Ferry. At the latter, there was so much to see that we couldn't see it all in the one day we had allotted, plus the hilly terrain did a number on my knee. I think Harpers Ferry would still be worth a visit if you still have time. There's history there not related to the Civil War, including Virginius Island, which has its own fascinating history. There is also Shepherdstown, WV which I hoped to get to one day. Guess it won't be this year. Alana rambinwitham.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteI think we might want to go back eventually
DeleteMy great grand dad fought in civil war, and also he one of the people who fired a volly of shot of President Lincoln grave.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on and stay safe
Cool. My family wasn’t even in this country until the 20th century
DeleteSounds like an interesting tour.
ReplyDelete