An Emergency Man Visits Antietam

With the Battle of Antietam over, and the Rebel army back across the Potomac River, the men of the Pennsylvania Emergency Militia who had entered Maryland, even stood poised in line of battle all day on September 19th outside of Williamsport, were finally given orders to return to Pennsylvania.  For one militiaman, coming within ear shot of a battlefield was not enough.  Upon returning to the camps just outside of Chambersburg, PA, Private John Witmer, Co. H, 2nd PA Emergency Militia, decided to once more head south.  Writing to his grandfather on Sept. 29, Witmer described the day-by-day actions of his adventure in the Emergency Militia, including his two day excursion to the battlefield at Antietam.  In his writings, Witmer offers us a fascinating glimpse of what the landscape looked like a full week after the fighting, and gives us insight into the scenes at the many field hospitals that littered the landscape.  At one point a soldier of the 15th Massachusetts acted as Witmer's battlefield guide, showing the militiaman where the 15th had suffered more casualties than any other regiment that day; over 50% (330 men) in roughly 20 minutes of fighting.  One wonders how Witmer's fellow militiamen reacted when he told them what he saw and heard during his Antietam battlefield adventure.  

Monday 22nd     We marched through Greencastle and encamped in a woods about a mile beyond.  Here I left the Regiment, and in company with [Robert] Houston, from the neighborhood...set out for the battle field of Antietam.  We walked to Green Castle and about five o'clock took the [train] cars for Hagerstown where we arrived about six o'clock.  We found all the hotels crowded, and it was with great difficulty that we got room to sleep upon the floor in an entry, and still more difficult to get any thing to eat.  We slept well that night - as it was quite an improvement upon lying on the ground in the open air.

Tuesday 23rd     We had a very scanty breakfast for which and our bed we paid seventy five cents, we then got upon the top of a stage [coach] paid one dollar and were driven out to the battle field, where we arrived about Eleven o'clock A.M.  We immediately went down across that part of the field where our right wing commenced the engagement, and through a cornfield out of which our men had charged the enemy, next through a piece of woods where nearly every tree was shattered by the fire from the artillery.  The ground every where was strewn with broken guns, knapsacks, haversacks, canteens, clothing and every thing that a soldier carries about him.  
                               We passed among the hospitals and found great numbers of wounded, both of our own and the rebels.  The barn floors, stables, hay mow's and in many cases the barnyards were filled with sick and wounded, besides the quantities in all the houses, in the neighborhood of the battle-field.  

an Antietam field hospital

We found Dr. Houston from about the Gap [in Lancaster County, PA], surgeon in charge of Sedgewick's [sp] division hospital.  He received us very kindly, and invited us to take dinner with him, which we did quite willingly.  He went over a part of the battle field with us and about for o'clock in the afternoon in company with a soldier* of the Massachusetts 15th we went over a part of it again.  He seemed interested in showing us where the heavy fighting had taken place, but as for that it was very evident that the ground along the whole line had been fiercely contested.  I picked up a good Enfield rifle which I brought home with me, likewise numerous bullets and such things as trophies.  We stayed all night at the hospital, and on

Wednesday 24th     started to join our regiment which we hoped to join before they were disbanded, we walked across the battle field to the turnpike and got into an army wagon going to Hagerstown and reached that place about 2 1/2 o'clock, just in time to take the cars for Greencastle.

*Could Witmer's guide have been one of these men?
(click "Faces of the 15th")

  Standing in front of the 15th Massachusetts monument, Antietam volunteer Jim Buchanan shares the story of the 15th with Antietam visitors, just as an actual soldier of the regiment had done with militiaman John Witmer.

sources:
Bates, Samuel P. History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5 : prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature. Harrisburg: B. Singerly, State Printer, 1869. 

Witmer, John S. to Grandfather, September 29, 1862. Pennsylvania State Archives, Manuscript Group 7, Military Manuscripts Collection.

Winter at Antietam

Despite the rather mild winter that we in the Mid-Atlantic region have been experiencing this year, winter did indeed make an appearance at Antietam National Battlefield a couple of weeks ago.  Luckily, this peaceful winter storm hit while I was volunteering for the day.  With little to no visitors in the park that day to assist, I took the unique opportunity to venture out from the Visitor Center, and drive around photographing and filming the beautiful scenery.  I put my images together into a film, and posted it to YouTube for your viewing pleasure.

I hope you enjoy it!

Also, check out another film I put together last year in which I drove a portion of Antietam's Auto Tour route.

Antietam Memorial Illumination - 2011

After several attempts in past years (thanks to illnesses and weather), I was finally able to attend Antietam National Battlefield's Memorial Illumination on December 3.  Along with July's 'Salute to Independence' event, and of course Battle Anniversary weekend, the Illumination is a must attend for any Civil War, National Park, or history buff alike.

For the past 23 years, over one thousand volunteers gather in early December, to carefully place 23, 110 luminaries throughout the northern portion of the battlefield.  Each flame represents a casualty from the bloody, one day battle.  As darkness ascends, and droves of park visitors slowly drive through the battlefield, the scale of 23,110 human casualties becomes clearer.  Each curve in the tour road, and the cresting of a hill offers another stunning view.

Staying late into the night with my camera, I walked along the rows of luminaries as the tour roads became more and more still, before finally heading home.  Another amazing weekend at our National Parks.

Please enjoy a sampling of some of my photographs from this weekend (below), as well as photographs taken by the National Park Service's Capital Region Social Media Team: here and here

photo by Dave Maher

photo by Dave Maher

photo by Dave Maher

photo by Dave Maher

photo by Dave Maher

photo by Dave Maher

photo by Dave Maher

Salute to Independence - July 2, 2011

If you haven't yet figured out where to go to see fireworks this 4th of July holiday, fret no longer.  Saturday, July 2nd is the 26th Annual "Salute to Independence" at Antietam National Battlefield in Sharpsburg, MD.  Each year the Maryland Symphony Orchestra kicks off their concert season with a patriotic concert right on the battlefield.  With the beauty and serenity of the Cumberland Valley, and the back drop of South Mountain, the concert venue alone makes the trip worth while.  The Orchestra plays for roughly two hours, with a rousing grand finale of the William Tell Overture, accompanied by the thunderous howitzers of the Maryland National Guard.  This classic event regularly draws twenty to thirty thousand spectators, so get there early, and bring some chairs, blankets, and picnic goodies.  This year's weather looks like it will cooperate once again, so come on out.  Proceeds from the event help continue preservation efforts at Antietam.  For more information, check out Antietam National Battlefield's website here.

In the meantime, enjoy a few photos from last year's event.

photo by Dave Maher - 2010

photo by Dave Maher - 2010

photo by Dave Maher - 2010

photo by Dave Maher - 2010

photo by Dave Maher - 2010