Categories: Fun & Games; Arts & Culture; Sports & Recreation; Outdoor Adventures; History & Heritage; Local Highlights
Overview. On September 17, 1862, Robert E. Lee led Confederate forces into Union territory and clashed with George McClellan's troops near Sharpsburg, MD, beside Antietam Creek. This day, the bloodiest of the Civil War, claimed over 23,000 casualties: more than 12,000 for the North and close to 11,000 for the South. Federal troops won a strategic victory by driving Lee and his forces back over the Potomac into Virginia. The battle prompted President Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed all slaves in states "in rebellion" against the Union. Today, more than 200,000 visitors a year visit the battlefield to take the self-guided driving tour and learn more about the Battle of Antietam and its repercussions. What to see and do. Before you tour the battlefield, be sure to stop by the visitor center and museum. There, you can see Antietam Visit, a 26-minute film that is shown throughout the day, or the one-hour documentary film that is shown each day at noon. Pick up a brochure detailing the 8.5-mile driving tour. The museum at the visitor center has numerous artifacts on display, including paintings by an eyewitness to the battle, weapons, and uniforms. A variety of ranger programs are offered throughout the year. There is a well-stocked bookstore at the visitor center where you can rent an audiocassette tape to enhance your drive though the park. On the first Saturday in December, the battlefield glows with the light of 23,110 candles, one representing each casualty, during the annual Memorial Illumination. On the Saturday closest to July 4th, the park hosts an Independence Day Commemoration, complete with a concert by the Maryland Symphony Orchestra and a fireworks display. In September, the park commemorates the battle anniversary with special ranger programs and events. Antietam National Battlefield is approximately 70 miles northwest of Washington, DC, and approximately 15 miles north of historic Harper's Ferry, WV. The visitor center is open from 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM from June to August, and to 5:00 PM the remainder of the year. Park roads are open until dusk. The park is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. Group tours should call several weeks in advance to be registered.
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