Preserving the Battlefield Monument Moratorium

June 6, 2005

The New Hampshire delegation in the House of Representatives have entered a bill, HR 1084, to overturn the monument moratorium at Antietam and force the NPS to accept a new monument for the 3 NH regiments and 1 battery present at Antietam. Obviously this would open the door for other states and groups to demand “their” monuments and would eventually lead to the “marble forest” look of Gettysburg.

Gettysburg monuments

It also imposes a burden on the NPS to care for and restore this monument as time goes by. It is a bad idea and SHAF, who advocated for the moratorium, and steadfastly abhors any and all “new” monuments, is opposed to this power play.

If you agree with our position please contact your Congressional Representative and let them know your thoughts.

Tom Clemens, President.

SHAF logo in white

SHAF has been preserving and protecting historic sites related to the Battle of Antietam, the Maryland Campaign, and other Civil War activity in the region since 1986. We need your help to keep it going.

Col. Strong's horse

Antietam Witness

The number of dead horses was high. They lay, like the men, in all attitudes. One beautiful milk-white animal had died in so graceful a position that I wished for its photograph. Its legs were doubled under and its arched neck gracefully turned to one side, as if looking back to the ball-hole in its side. Until you got to it, it was hard to believe the horse was dead.


- Alpheus Williams

September 22, 1862