Save Historic Antietam Foundation

On Saturday, July 31, 2010, the Save Historic Antietam Foundation (SHAF) will sponsor a tour of “Phase I” of the Maryland Campaign of September, 1862.  The tour will be led by SHAF board members Dennis Frye, National Park Service Chief Historian at Harper’s Ferry, and Dr. Thomas Clemens, editor of Ezra Carman’s “The Maryland Campaign of September, 1862, Volume I: South Mountain”.

The tour will begin at 8:30 AM at the parking lot of the Monocacy National Battlefield Visitor’s Center in Frederick Maryland, where the guides will cover the action up to the discovery of General Robert E. Lee’s “Lost Order” by Union forces.  Then the tour will proceed to Harper’s Ferry, covering the fighting and siege operations and capture of that place, as well as the escape of Union cavalry.

Lunch will be served at The Anvil Restaurant in Harper’s Ferry.  Choices of a wrap, cheeseburger, or Reuben sandwich, each with French fries and drink.

From there, participants will travel to and discuss the importance of the sites of the Battles for South Mountain, including Burkittsville, Gathland, and Crampton’s, Fox’s, and Turner’s Gaps.

This is a “caravan” tour.  Car pooling is strongly encouraged.  Participation is limited to 30 individuals.  Fees, including lunch, are $30 for SHAF members.  Non-member fee is $50, which will include a one year membership to SHAF.  Members receive a quarterly newsletter and member rates for SHAF sponsored events.  Also, copies of Dr. Clemens’ edition of Ezra Carman’s “The Maryland Campaign of September, 1862, Volume I: South Mountain” will be made available at a $5 discount the day of the tour.

A firm number of participants is required by July 21, 2010.  Make your reservations by sending an email with the names of those who will attend to tours@shaf.org.  You will receive instructions on where to send payment.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to tour the sites of the Maryland Campaign of September, 1862 with recognized experts Dr. Thomas Clemens and Dennis Frye.

A reminder for all about SHAF’s next Battlefield Work Day.

new trees at Antietam (2008)

It is set for Saturday, March 27th, 2010, and we’ll meet at the Visitor’s Center Parking lot at 9 o’clock am. Bring gloves, water, and dress for both the work and the weather. We plan to work for 3 or 4 hours but will cancel if there is a steady rain or other severe weather. SHAF members and non-members alike are most welcome.

We plan to work at planting saplings as part of the restoration of the East Woods or along the Creek.

Contact SHAF for more information.

For more details on the tree planting program call 301-432-2243 and ask for Joe Calzarette, Natural Resources
Manager.

(from the December 2009 SHAF Newsletter)
by Tom Clements, SHAF President

In hopes that it may interest our readers, and to give them a taste of the memoirs of many veterans of the battle, we will from time to time run a few letters from men who survived the battle.  These letters come from the National Archives Antietam Studies files, transcribed for clarity.

Here is a letter from Capt. John D. Frank, Commanding Battery G, 1st NY Light Artillery.  Formerly a Private, Corporal, Sergeant and First Sergeant of Light Battery A,  2nd U.S. Artillery, Frank was made Captain of this volunteer battery early in the war.  He served under Brevet Maj. Henry J. Hunt, Brevet Maj. John Sedgwick, Brevet Lieut. Col. Horace Brooks, Capt W.F. Barry and Capt J.C. Tidball before the war, and  commanded his battery with distinction at Antietam.  He was mustered out of the service in the spring of 1863.

Lamartine
Fond du Lac Co Wis.
Aug. 16th. [18]93

Col. J. C. Stearns:

Sir.

Your letter herewith enclosed was received by me yesterday, having been forwarded by Capt. Ames, who as Lieut. in Battery “G 1st NY. Light Arty; was absent during the Antietam Campaign on account of sickness contracted during the Penninsular Campaign. In my endeavor to answer you questions for any practical purpose, I am compelled to violate rules of brevity.

1st On the night of Sept. 16th the Battery was not in line.

2nd On the morning of Sept 17th, when the Battle commenced was advancing to, and in Column of Sections, awaiting orders, about 1/2 mile to the right of and in a direct line with Dunker Church and about 1/4 mile in rear of said line.

3rd Upon Sedgwick’s repulse advanced (without orders) to a Ridge about 1/2 mile in line with and to the right of Dunker Church; to the head of a Ravine, commencing at the foot of Dunker Church Woods, crossing the Ridge and ending in a piece of heavy timber in our rear, said position being taken to prevent the threatened advance of three hostile Brigades forming at the foot of the Ravine behind the Dunker Woods, with the evident intention of taking French (who after  Sedgwick’s repulse and before Smith’s arrival was thought to be our extreme right) in flank and rear.

4th During the night of the 17th bivouac(k)ed on the position held since about 9.30 A.M. of the 17th.

If more accurate information is desired, would respectfully refer you to Col C. D. Green, Adjt. Gen’ls. Dept. who, as Ass’t. Adj’t. Gen’l. of Smith’s Division gave me the 6th Maine of Hancock’s Brigade in support, visited the Battery several times during the heaviest part of the engagement, and for the purpose of his field report would naturally take close notice of topography. He will more readily remember Capt. Frank as the First Sergeant of Brooks’s and Barry’s Lt. Batty in 2nd U.S. Arty, while himself serving as Lieutenant of said Regiment at Fort Leavenworth.

Respectfully
Your Obdt. Servt.
Jno. [John] D. Frank.
Battery “G”
1st N York Light
Capt Jno D Frank

(from the December 2009 SHAF Newsletter)
by Tom Clements, SHAF President

A misty and cloudy day did not dampen the spirits of 15 SHAF members who gathered on Saturday November 14 to replant a section of the historic East Woods.  The last of the three major woodlots on the northern end of the field, East Woods was much larger at the time of the battle than its current footprint.  Starting last year the Natural Resources group at Antietam began to plant seedlings in a five acre patch adjoining the current woodlot.  Our members pitched in with a will, and by noon had planted several dozen seedlings in a cleared lot just south and east of the Cornfield.

Although the weather was moist, no hard rain fell, and the damp soil is ideal for tree planting.  Our work will be obvious to visitors from the Cornfield tour stop, look for the tubes used to protect the seedlings from the many deer that live in the park.

Our semi-annual Work Days have become a tradition at the battlefield, and the effort to restore the historic scenery of the field is appreciated by the park staff and visitors.  We usually work on Saturday mornings, once in the spring and once in the fall.  Watch our website, SHAF.org for announcements of our next date.

Please join us!

Harpers Ferry National Historical Park and the 150th Quad-State Committee, from West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland, are planning and coordinating a range of commemoration events … dramatic productions, exhibits, academic lectures, special tours and much more.

(logo from johnbrownraid.org)

SHAF members are encouraged especially to act as volunteers to assist visitors gathering for and attending the “Proceed to the Ferry” event at and near the Harpers Ferry Park on Friday, October 16th.  Please contact SHAF President Tom Clemens if you’d like to help.

This exciting event will precisely coincide in place and hour with John Brown’s 6-mile travel from the Kennedy Farm to the Ferry on the fateful night of 16 October 1862, as his Raid on the Federal Arsenal began.

A complete schedule of commemoration events at the Park are online from the Park Service webpage and more about the special hike from johnbrownraid.org.