Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-17
FIELD OF ANTIETAM.
The Scene of Lees Great Fight to
Flank the National Capital

Special Correspondence OF The Evening Star
SHARPSBURG, Nd. September IL, 1896
Thirty.four years have elapsed since the
deadly struggle at Antietam was fought.
yet the history of the conflict being a part
of the national records, can never be for
gotten, and for ages to come the scene of
Its occurrence will be sought for and Wis
TIED with the same earnest curiosity as are
the fields of Gettysburg and Chickamauga
1t is we'll worthy of visit, its vicinity to
Washington end readiness of access max
ing journey there within the reach of an
and the visitor will be amply repaid in
viewing the historical scenes with which i.
abounds. Already the United States gov
eminent has begun to make it one of the
marked fields of the war, and people gen
orally have but little idea of the amount of
work that has been done here in marking
positions, laying out roads and erecting
fences, determining the positions of the
Union and confederate troops and render
ing an idea of the several movements of
this great and bloody battle intelligible to
the mind of the ordinary observer
In fact, l know of no place so easily
reached that will repay the student of his
tory so amply as a visit to this historic
field.
Though over a third of a century has
passed by since that September day, yet
it is brought pretty close to us by such
occurrences as the following: Last Friday
while a shallow gutter was being excavated
in one of the roads forming the west edg.
of the Dunkard Church woods, the scene
Of a tremendous struggle during the bat
tie, a shallow grave was found, and in il
the bodies of six confederate soldiers l
should say the bones, for that was all that
was found, not a vestige of clothing re-
naming, and in the skull of one was found
q canister shot which could have killed an
elephant. Some bullets ard some buttons
were also found. and little cap pouch,
,,g%I, 81 I,..o
ed therein, black with rust-and that was
all! The bones were gathered into two
small boxes, and / saw them standing one
above the other by the little excavation
wherein they were found. awaiting trans
portation to the confederate cemetery at
Hagerstown, Md. They had belonged to
the Mississippi brigade of Gen. Barksdale.
the position in which they were found hav-
ing been fought over by that command. In
front of the Dunkard Church the earth was
covered thick with dead after the battle.
This church, famous in the battle story of
Antietam, was newly whtewashed outside
and was being newly painted within. /
think that the national government ought
to own this church and preserve 1t intact
forever, as it was filed with the wounded
during and after the battle, and many
poor soul went to meet its Maker from its
hard wooden benches and from around its
four plain brick walls.
Further along the road the tall, graceful
obelisk of the Philadelphia Brigade towers
aloft and Is conspicuous object from any
part of the field. 1t is fitting monument
to a noble organization that suffered heayi-
ly on this field. and great credit Is due the
survivors for their liberality and earnest
ness of purpose in erecting such a hand
some tribute to the memory of the heroic
deeds Of their former organization.
The government Is also building large
stone observation tower, standing at an an
gle of the Bloody Lane, near where Rich
ardson's left rested dAring the fierce fight
ing in that famous yet gruesome locality.
l. will be fifty-two feet high, with an iron
staircase inside. and will afford fair view
Of the whole field when finished. Near its
site Grahams battery of the LIST Artillery
stood and behaved SO gallantly, as related
by Porte Crayon in his sketch of the battle.
Bloody Lane itself has been purchased by
the government, fenced in and a road laid
out along it's winding length Gen. E. A.
Carman, member Of the Antietam board,
resides at Sharpsburg, and carefully super
vises the work undertaken by the govern
ment. Great credit is due to his watchful
and economic care, there being but little
| money appropriated for the work. Great
preparations have been made for the cele-
| hration Thursday.
The national cemetery here is beautiful
| enc. and the heroic granite figure of sol
| der standing guard over the graves is a
remarkably fine work. 1t occupies the
spot held by the Washington Artillery dur
| ing the fight. and Gen. Lee is said to have
| spent most Of that anxious day there, over
! looking the various and changing aspects