Antietam Trip
Report from September 15, 2007
by Tom Shay
(Cressona, PA)
EMAIL: rotebaron@comcast.net
Today I
spent the day at Antietam and joined the NPS Rangers for the scheduled
anniversary hikes.
I also visited the Sharpsburg Heritage Festival. Here are few photos from off
the beaten path.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BELOW: Alexander Gardner had
taken the famous photo of Burnside Bridge.
However, until recently, his
view of the bridge was not available to us battlefield stompers.
A new trail follows the Union IX Corps' positions on the eastern side of
Antietam Creek.
Due to a recent clearing of the area east of Burnside Bridge, Gardner's
tremendous view
is now available to those willing to make the trek.
BELOW: My photo is taken from
eastern end of the bridge. It shows the area recently
exposed due to the tree and brush clearing. That cleared area is the site
Gardner's camera for
the above photo. The clearing has also exposed another quarry! Surely everyone
knows of the
quarry on western end of Burnside Bridge (used by Georgian infantry) which
served as source of
stone for the bridge. The newly found quarry is on eastern side of the creek
(half-way up slope).
BELOW: The quarry should
be more apparent from this view (halfway up slope).
BELOW: We are now at top of the slope.
Quarry lies below (not easily seen from this angle.)
However , this view appears to come close to Gardner's view. Burnside Bridge is
seen at top-center.
Note how steep the slope was for the Federal infantry who charged down to the
bridge.
BELOW: This view offers
a clear view of the quarry.
BELOW:
THE
BIG SPRING
Before Sharpsburg was founded, it was
known as Great Spring.
It was a great source of high quality water for the surrounding area.
The water was used for households, gardening, and livestock.
The spring was used until a municipal water system was installed in 1969.
(Source: "A Walking Tour of Sharpsburg")
BELOW:
THE
ROCK LEDGE
In previous reports, I've noted the "Rock
Ledge". However, very recently
the area has been totally cleared of brush and now is easily accessible.
This view is looking south along a section of the ledge.
Same section, but looking
north Notice the new fencing to the east.
BELOW:
German
Reformed Church
The Pennsylvania windows
16th Connecticut window
SHAF website has nice article about
the window at: SHAF
article