The Battle of Antietam Creek
July 19, 2011A quiet tributary flows from its source in southern Pennsylvania, winds its way through Washington County, Maryland, and finally joins the Potomac River just south of Sharpsburg. It is spanned by three picturesque stone arch bridges, foot-worn but well-preserved relics of the farmers’ routes to Sharpsburg markets. The tributary is Antietam Creek; the southernmost bridge is Rohrbach’s Bridge (since renamed Burnside’s Bridge); and, with a total of 22,717 documented casualties, they were the setting of the bloodiest day of fighting in American history, The Battle of Antietam (also known as The Battle of Sharpsburg in the South). Afterward, the Union buried 2, 108 of their soldiers and the Confederacy buried 1,546 of theirs.
The battle began as an invasion, part of General Robert E. Lee’s larger Maryland Campaign, and the first of his attempts to take Northern soil. He was confident after a string of Confederate victories in Virginia and he hoped to further demoralize the Union army, as well as restock his own forces’ scant provisions. He lost the element of surprise, however, when Union General George B McClellan accidentally intercepted his battle orders and moved to repel them. Historians believe the battle could have been a death blow to the Confederacy, given McClellan’s advantage, but he squandered the opportunity. Paranoid, he estimated the opposing army to be composed of 120,000 men (compared to the actual 38,000) and consequently his leadership was fear-driven and defensive against a force the Union outnumbered two to one.
Heavy losses on both sides led to an unspoken stalemate, neither side pressing forward to their original objective. The battle has been considered tactically inconclusive, but nonetheless a major turning point in the war. Stonewall Jackson’s victory at Harper’s Ferry and the Northern retention of Antietam spurred Lincoln to announce the executive order that would become the Emancipation Proclamation, altering the purpose of the war to one of abolition, and thereby eliminating European support of the Confederacy. Abraham Lincoln relieved General McClellan of command, following his ineffective generalship in Antietam and his failure to pursue Lee’s forces afterward. Burnside’s Bridge continues to be one of the Civil War’s most photographed bridges.
To learn more about this historic landmark, including how you can visit it, call 1-877-680-TOUR or visit our website!
Sallie
June 14, 2011The 11th Pennsylvania Infantry is known for many things including courage, persistence, and success. They fought in the first and last infantry battles of the Civil War, including the Battle of Gettysburg on July 1st, 1863. There are many stories that we could share about this brave group however, we could only pick one. So we want to tell you about the infantry’s courageous little friend whose memory is honored to this day.
Situated along Oak Ridge, there stands a monument to honor those, from the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry, that gave their lives. This includes a beloved brindle bull terrier named Sallie. She joined the infantry as a pup and grew up with the 11th as her family. It is said that during the fights she frequently stood at the end of the line barking furiously at the advancing opposition.
On July 1st, 1863 the men of the 11th discovered that their faithful friend was not to be found amongst them after relocating away from the heavy fighting of the Battle of Gettysburg. Days later, after the confederate retreat, she was found laying amongst the fallen soldiers from the first day’s conflict, just barely alive herself. Her comrades nursed her back to health and she served with them for another 2 years!
For the 11th infantry, the Battle of Hatcher’s Run was a sad day only made worse by the loss of their loyal Sallie. Despite a dangerous and murderous battle, the men buried their friend as the battle raged on around them. When they erected their monument, Sallie was not to be forgotten and was included on the front!
Have you seen the monument? If not, we want to invite you to check it out! Even if you have, we’d love to see you again. The monument faces away from the road, towards the field, so make sure you don’t miss the front which is where Sallie’s likeness is depicted. Need more details? Call us at (717) 334-1156 or visit our website.
History of the Soldier’s National Museum
March 8, 2011The Soldier’s National Museum has a history steeped in both the good and the bad. And, like all good stories, it has a happy ending. Do you have your cup of coffee? Great, now settle in and let us tell you all about this national landmark.
The Soldier’s National Museum was originally the headquarters for Major General Oliver O. Howard, the commander of the Union Army’s 11th Corps. Additionally, it contained a unit of sharp shooters firing on the Confederates hiding on the south side of town. After the Civil War ended, the loss of over 51,000 lives resulted in a large number of orphans. In response, a board was created and the Soldier’s Orphanage was established in 1866. The doors officially opened on November 20th accepting 22 children.
The first few years went well as there was adequate funding. The children were well taken care of and each year, to commemorate the lives lost, they would lay flowers on the graves of the soldiers. This tradition continues to the present day. By 1869 the facility was overcrowded so an expansion of the facility took place to accommodate the growth. One year later Rosa J. Carmichael was hired as a teacher and disciplinarian much to the chagrin of the orphans. The next few years proved to be horrible as allegations of child abuse, at the hand of Rosa, surfaced. While she was arrested and fined, the abuse continued until the Sheriff closed down the facility.
In the 1950’s Cliff Arquette, aka, Charlie Weaver, purchased the building and established Cliff Arquette’s Soldiers Museum. The museum features hand carved wooden soldiers in battle dress. In 1997 more than 40 Dioramas were added featuring over 5,000 military miniatures, actual headgear, and weapons. All of these additions took over 35 years to accumulate from all over the world. The dioramas highlight many wars including Custer’s Massacre, The Revolutionary War, WW1 and WW2.
The Soldier’s National Museum has seen many different types of days, both happy and sad, however, it ultimately succeeded by becoming a goldmine of historically accurate information through spectacular Dioramas. We invite you to visit us so we can share more information and stories surrounding this national landmark.