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.

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

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!

(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.

It will be Saturday, November 14th, 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.

If we have enough volunteers we’ll plan to work both at clearing brush and debris along the Piper Farm Lane and planting saplings as part of the restoration of the East Woods.

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.

Reservations are required.

Make a reservation now by visiting http://www.battleofshepherdstown.org/Hats.html.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR RIVER WADING SEPTEMBER 19, 2009

2:30 Wading - Please arrive at 132 Trough Bend Lane between 2 & 2:15 PM

3:30 Wading - Please arrive at 132 Trough Bend Lane between 3 & 3:15 PM

DIRECTIONS TO 132 Trough Bend Lane
From Shepherdstown: 
Leave Shepherdstown by driving east on German St. Continue over the RR tracks and past the Day Care Center. German St. then becomes River Road. After climbing a hill & descending to the river, the road is parallel to the Potomac River. Drive about 0.8 miles to Trough Rd. Turn right onto Trough Rd and continue 1.1 miles to Trough Bend Lane. Turn left onto Trough Bend Lane; 132 is the first house on the right.

From Harper’s Ferry: 
From the intersection of W. Washington St. and Rt. 340, drive on Rt. 340 South 1.7 miles and turn right onto Rt. 230 North towards Shepherdstown. Take Rt. 230 North 7 miles. There will be a STOP sign where Rt. 230 merges with Flowing Springs Rd.; just after the STOP sign turn right onto Trough Rd. Continue on Trough Rd. 1.5 miles to another STOP sign. Turn right and turn left immediately; this is still Trough Rd. Continue 0.6 miles and turn right onto Trough Bend Lane; 132 is the first house on the right.

PARKING
Park your vehicle on Trough Bend Lane and you will be driven to the Maryland side of the Potomac to begin the tour.

MISCELLANOUS
The river at the ford is usually about 2-2 1/2  feet deep and the river bottom is relatively smooth. You will probably need bug spray, foot wear for the river and hiking boots on the trail. The tour will last about 1 ½ - 2 hours and will end near 132 Trough Bend Lane where you will be able to recover and relax with hamburgers, hot dogs, beer, wine and soft drinks.

TELEPHONE CONTACT FOR ED DUNLEAVY
Home Phone: (304) 876-7029 
Cell Phone: (917) 747-5748

I am happy to tell you about some exciting changes at Antietam National Battlefield. The wayside exhibits at the various tour stops in the park have been updated. After much careful research and discussion, new plaques had been placed which aid greatly in enhancing the visitor’s experience. By and large they include a visual representation of the casualties and troops engaged, show some artifacts, and include some pertinent quotations from participants in the battle. They really look great, and are reason enough to visit the field.

If you need more reason, let me tell you about some other changes. Zig-zag rail fences have been added along Smoketown Road, and the Joseph Poffenberger farmstead is being restored and painted. The barn has been dismantled and is being rebuilt. Likewise the corn crib/wagon shed. And the David Miller house is being restored too. Asbestos shingles have been removed and the project will extend over several years to return the house to its war-time appearance. You need to come see these changes!

We’ll be hosting a couple of exciting events this year. The details of the Potomac River Wading are covered elsewhere. We’ll also host a Work Day in the fall. Likely we’ll be working the first Saturday in November but we’ll post this on the website when we know for sure. We’d love to have your help in these scenic restoration projects, they are quite rewarding.

Also, after a long and tortuous ordeal, the Grove Farm Tour stop has been re-configured, see details and pictures in this issue.

As always we appreciate your support and input, so please let us know how we’re doing.

Tom Clemens
President, SHAF

One of the soldiers at Burnside’s Bridge September 17, 1862 was Private Ara W. Adams of Company F of the 9th New Hampshire Infantry. Private Adams had mustered in on August 5, 1862, joining Company F at Concord New Hampshire. He enlisted for 3years and was paid a bounty of $25. He gave his age as 18 although there are some indications in his pension files that he was only 16 or younger. (In the 1850 census Ara is shown as age 2! Which would make him 14 or 15 in 1862)

However, an interesting comment in one of the records in his pension file says that Ara’s father (first name not given just the initials S.E.) was in the same regiment as a musician. In the regimental history roster there is a Sylvanus Adams age 36, principal musician, although his hometown is different.  Also that matches the father’s name in the 1850 census. So his underage enlistment must have been known to some men in the regiment.

Ara’s status is shown “not stated” from August 23 to Aug 31. He is shown as”present” Sept/Oct 1862 and Nov/Dec 1862. The 9th New Hampshire was mustered into the service of the United States between July 3 and August 23, 1862. The regiment arrived in Washington D.C. on August 27, 1862 and went into the defenses of Washington. After the Battle of 2nd Bull Run when the Union Army was reorganized, the 9th New Hampshire was assigned to Colonel James Nagle’s First Brigade on September 6, 1862. In less than a month the 9th including Ara would have its first taste of combat by engaging the Rebels on September 14 at South Mountain.

At Antietam the 9th was ordered to cross Antietam Creek at the Rohrback Bridge. Colonel Nagle’s brigade made the second attempt to cross the bridge. The 9th was placed in support of the attack by the 2nd Maryland and the 6th New Hampshire. The attack was not successful; however, the 9th would cross the bridge after the successful attack by Brigadier General Edward Ferrero’s Brigade. In the fighting the regiment would lose 10 men killed and 49 wounded.  Private Adams was not one of the wounded so he survived his first two combat actions.

Probably in the fall of 1862 Ara [bought this] brass ID tag. It is typical of those sold to the soldiers by the sutlers. This style is based on the U.S. $10 gold coin of the period. Scoville Brass Company of New York made tokens with the same design as early as 1858. On it is stamped A.W. ADAMS CO.F. 9th REGt. N.H.V. ORANGE. He might have bought it before the Battle of Antietam while the regiment was stationed in Washington D.C. This style of ID tag was being sold as early as February 1862 to other units.

After the Battle of Antietam the regiment returned to Virginia and was engaged at the Battle of Fredericksburg. On Jan 24, 1863 Ara is shown as “absent” in hospital in Washington DC. In his pension records he is reported at the Aquia Creek hospital on Dec 29, 1862, then the Armory Square Hospital in Washington. After three months Ara was granted a furlough of 30 days to return to the hospital in Concord New Hampshire. He spent 30 days there and then went to the Convalescent Camp at Lexington from there to the Covington Hospital. On the bimonthly return for July/Aug 63 it is noted that he is sick and in Covington hospital near Lexington Kentucky. At that time Private Adams owed the government $9.22 for transportation. This was probably for his travel while on furlough. Ara moved again that fall and went to the Camp Dennison Ohio hospital remaining at the hospital until Jan 15, 1864 when he was transferred to the Invalid Corps.

After joining the Invalid Corps Ara was in Indianapolis Indiana and while there had a reoccurrence of fever caused by exposure and severe cold while guarding rebels according to a document in his pension file. Some time in this period he had his second toe on his left foot amputated, his files are not clear as to the date. After this Ara was discharged on Nov 14, 1865. His records show that on the regimental muster out roll dated June 10, 1865 he had last been paid on Oct 31, 1862(!!!) and was still due the other $75 of his bounty. On Nov 15, 1865 he began receiving a pension of $2 per month for the lost of the second toe on his left foot. After the war Ara married, possibly twice, and had two children. Ara died on April 25, 1897, his wife survived him until October 4, 1936.

As superintendent of Antietam National Battlefield and National Cemetery, John Howard is responsible for managing 3,288 acres of the National Park Service’s resources; he also offers direction to fifty-four full-time employees and sixty-four part-time while managing a $3.4 million budget each year. It is a far cry from one of his first jobs in high school, which consisted of playing the banjo as well as scooping coal from one pile and feeding it down a chute for others to put into fifty-pound bags for the Blue Coal Company of northeastern Pennsylvania’s anthracite coal region, where John was born in the town of Carbondale.

Eventually it was as a college student that he took a seasonal job with the National Park Service at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Finding that he took great enjoyment from his work for the NPS, John decided “to follow this road as his career.”

Growing up in Carbondale with one brother and three sisters in a close-knit family, John Howard’s hero was his dad, who remains the individual he most admires to this day. Upon completing high school, John attended Penn State University and Mansfield University (Pennsylvania); he holds a degree in special education with a minor in biology. Before being assigned to Antietam fourteen years ago, he worked in nine NPS areas in four different regions of the country, with his assignments focusing on the fields of Natural Resource Management and Visitor & Resource Protection. John also has worked in the National Capital Regional Office as Regional Natural Resource Management Specialist. In total, he has been with the National Park Service for thirty-four years.

John lives in Emmitsburg, Maryland with his wife, Joan, who also works for the NPS–at Gettysburg National Military Park. Their son, Brian, a graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut, is an ensign on active duty in Port Angeles, Washington.

When this writer asked Supt. Howard what Civil War battlefields mean to him and to the American people, his eloquent response defied paraphrasing or summarizing, so he will speak for himself:

“This morning I am sitting in my office involved in the daily bureaucratic paperwork and e-mail that make up a good part of my activities. Each time I finish something, from signing payroll to approving a project to go forward, I look up and out my window and I see the headstones in the National Cemetery.  And it provides me a very quiet reminder of the fact that every thing I do, I am working for them. I am working so that these men and this place will never be forgotten.”

“In this fast-paced world of Blackberries, Twitter and blogs I am looking at sacrifice, real sacrifice. It reminds me that this place is real; it is not some virtual simulation or photo on a website. It reminds me that this place is unique to the point that it can never be ‘recreated’ even by the most advanced technology, because that technology will never be able to instill into its bytes and chips the pure sacrifice that took place here.”

“I am not a historian, and will never claim to be one. I am just a person who has the best job in the world. I have been entrusted by the people of the United States to care for a piece of their history. This is the one place in the universe where you can see and hopefully feel what these men felt–a place where you can step away from our modern world and learn about Sharpsburg. Yesterday I accompanied a group of World War II veterans from the Yankee Division that was with Patton in the Battle of the Bulge. Here was a group of men who fought through that winter of 1944 in terrible conditions. When we were through with the tour one of them, a Purple Heart recipient, came up to me and said, ‘Man, I thought we had it tough.’ He understood. This is my goal: to help our visitors understand, one at a time if necessary. If we can make them understand we can continue to preserve and protect.”

“So why are the Antietams, Shilohs, and Monocacy important? My answer is that they are a unique part of our history, a history that shows that the fabric of this nation can be ripped and torn, and then through the blood of human beings be repaired–hopefully to be a better nation. But we cannot forget–never forget.”

At last, a long, difficult, issue for SHAF has finally been resolved. Please indulge me for few moments as I review the whole thing. One of the first great successes of SHAF was the purchase, in 1991, of 40 acres of land on the farm where President Lincoln met with General George McClellan in October of 1862. Slated for development, we were able to utilize a grant from the Maryland Environmental Trust and grants from the founders of Civil War Preservation Trust. We eventually placed easements on the land and re-sold it. While this process was in progress the state of Maryland purchased a 5 acre adjacent tract also designated for development.

In 1999 we were offered for purchase this five acre parcel by the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT), pursuant to a protective easement which they required as a condition of the sale. We negotiated an easement with them and with Maryland Environmental Trust (MET) which ultimately allowed a small, 300 sq. ft, parking lot.

Several years later we actively supported the Civil War Trails program to mark the significant Civil War sites in Washington County. When the Trails committee expressed a desire to place an interpretive stop on this land, we reminded the assembled representatives of MDOT, Office of Tourism Development (ODT) and other agencies about the easement and the limitations of using that land.

When we signed the permission for MDOT to build the lot we had no knowledge that anything other than the 300 sq. ft. lot was planned for this land. We never saw a plat, a plan, nor any design showing what was intended for our land. You can imagine our shock when we saw a large, approximately 1,000 sq. ft., asphalt paved lot under construction in early 2006. We also objected to the out-of-context rail fence and trees, neither of which were there in 1862.

We immediately contacted all the parties involved, discovered the large lot was a result of miscommunication and recommendations for highway safety.

After several discussions and meeting SHAF made our point clear that we need to rigorously protect our easements. We were assured in late 2006 that the lot would be removed, but it would take “several months.” Our concern was that amending the easements to include the expanded lot, would not serve our interests, nor the interests of MET since they own easements on nearly 5,000 acres around the battlefield.

Yet we were reluctant to cancel out the tour stop which explained what happened there on the Steven Grove farm in 1862.  It was at this farm where Lincoln met with wounded soldiers of both side shortly after the battle of Antietam. It was also at this site that Lincoln urged McClellan to pursue the Confederate army into Virginia before the weather turned too cold. Thus we faced a real dilemma of balancing the interpretation of the campaign and the limits of the easements.

Finally after, much discussion, some very clever suggestions for alterations, some delays for finalizing the design, solicitation of bids, bad weather and the usual red-tape, the parking lot has been re-sized to meet the legal parameters of our easement, but still preserves the final stop of the Civil War Trails driving tour for the Maryland Campaign.

Although the process has been long, slow and complicated, we are thrilled to finally have it resolved. We really see this effort as a win-win effort as the Civil Trails still has the plaques there, and we have protected the integrity of the state land easements.

Our thanks go to everyone for their patience and perseverance through this multi-year process.