Evening star., 1937-08-30
1,5DO IN REHEARSAL
OF ANT|ETAM FETE
"Wings of Time" Pageant
to Be Staged Starting
Saturday.
BY w. H. SHIPPEN. Jr..
Stan Correspondent of The Star,

HAGERSTOWN. Md. August 30
The biggest "show" in this vicinity
since the armies of Lee and McClel-
Ian collided at Antietam went into
dress rehearsal yesterday with 1,50O
residents participating.
Across an open-air stage strobe
such personages as Washington and
Lincoln against background repre-
senting 200 years of local history
Indians, pioneers. soldiers and host
Of secondary characters supported the
central figures.
The army Of amateurs was practic-
Ing Wings of Time" pageant to be
presented two or three times daily
during the National Antetam Com
memoration to open Saturday and
continue through September II, 18th
anniversary of the brief but bloody
encounter on Antietam Creek.
The observance will be climaxed on
The closing day. September IT, with
a sham battle by National Guards
men on the field of Antietam
President Roosevelt is expected to
review the engagement" from a hill
near the center of the historic bat
tleground. The some 1000 Guards
men to participate will be drawn
from Washington, Maryland, Virginia
and Pennsylvania.
Sunday Is d. c. Day.
Sunday has been named District
OF Columbia day" at the commemor-
alton here. Invitations have been
Issued to the District Commissioners
members Of the District Committees
Of Congress and other prominent Off
Gals. 1t was announced that enter
tainment features Of especial interest
70 Washingtonians will be presented
The Wings of Time" pageant will
be staged in front of the grandstand
at the Hagerstown Race Track Ar
area 600 feet long has been set aside
within the track for daily and nightly
performances. Scenes will be shifted
behind a steam curtain projected from
underground pipes.
Rails for antique steam locomotives
have been laid along the race track
IN front Of the grandstand Several
pioneer Baltimore & Ohio engines
will play an important part in the
pageantry.
Promoters Of the commemorative
plan to spend more than $50 900 or
stage settings costumes, decorat on.
and other items. They hope to raise
more than half of this sum through
sale Of "Lee-McClellan" commemo.
rative half dollars for sl65 The
State OF Maryland has appropriated
$4,000. the city of Hagerstowr
$4,000, and Washington County
$500.
Sham Battle Is Free.
No admission will be charged to tht
sham battle and grandstand seats
for the pageants are being sold a,
a nominal price.
Among those in the rehearsal yes.
terday was Miss Julia Louise Brandt
22year- graduate of Randolph
Macon Womens College, who wa!
named Miss Antietam" in a popu.
laritv contest. She reigned as queer
OF the pageant, surrounded by &
score Of comely young attendants ir
flowing dresses
In addition to Miss Antietam'
there will be Miss Columbia
.17-year-old Caroline Thompson, .
senior at Hagerstown High School
Miss Columbia" was costumed in red
white and blue.
She and Miss Antietam" shared
applause during the opening dres
rehearsal with 100 girls of under II
years, who came tripping out on tht
race track in dainty white frocks
and held up bunting which spelled
~. S. A." Another round Of ap.
plause greeted the girls when they
turned the bunting over to form ar
American flag, which they held ovel
their heads.
Crowd Largely Parents.
The audience at yesterdays pre-.
view consisted largely OF parent.
watching their children perform, anc
partly Of members of the cast awaiting
their turn in the arena. A number
OF reporters, photographers and new!
reel men also were present by invi.
Sation of the Publicity Committee.
Prior to the preview pageant, the
hewsmen were conducted on a toul
OF Antietam Battlefield by promoters
OF the pageant. The guides explained
there were many flank movements anc
attempted flank movements in con.
nection with the battle, during which
more men fell than in any other one
day Of American history
There was Bloody Lane" and
Bloody Cornfield." In the lane one
could walk, the guides said, on bodies
piled four deep, while a pedestrian
could have crossed the corn field with.
out the necessity Of stepping once or
the loan. 1t was to this stricken
11eld that Lincoln came to visit the
sick and mourn the dead, and Incl.
dentally. to interview a commander
who later was relieved of his high
post.
The experts said the Battle O.
Antietam was more or less of ar
accident. Lees divisions had crossed
the Potomac to weaken rather thar
engage McClellan's forces, and Nc
Clellan, newly appointed, proceeded
to the fray with more caution thai
dispatch. His veterans had beer
slightly intimidated in Virginia ant
his replacements were raw recruits
After the one-day Battle =. Antietam
Lee was able to withdraw his troop
across the Potomac without undu
losses and in an orderly manner
Mcclellan never followed up the re
treat.
Winner of Rattle IInd>c;d.d
It was estimated that Lee had IS, 90
or $4,000 troops and Mcclellan abou
$1,000. Lees dead were 1850 an
McClellan's not quite twice that. A
to who won the battle none of tn
experts could agree. There was a lc
e