Our Country's Fiery Ordeal: Anniversary Weekend at Antietam National Battlefield

Our Country's Fiery Ordeal

A blog about the American Civil War, written and maintained by historian Daniel J. Vermilya, author of The Battle of Kennesaw Mountain (History Press, 2014) and James Garfield and the Civil War (History Press, 2015)

Dedicated to my great-great-great grandfather, Private Ellwood Rodebaugh, Company D, 106th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, killed at the Battle of Antietam, September 17, 1862.

"And may an Overuling Providence continue to cause good to come out of evil, justice to be done to all men where injustice has long prevailed, and finally, peace, quiet, and harmony to come out of this terrible confrontation and our country's fiery ordeal." -- Albert Champlin, 105th Ohio, Diary entry of June 19, 1864 (Western Reserve Historical Society)

Friday, September 16, 2011

Anniversary Weekend at Antietam National Battlefield

Today marks the start of Antietam National Battlefield's remembrance and commemoration of the 149th Anniversary of the Battle of Antietam. For those of us who are fortunate enough to call ourselves rangers at Antietam, we hope you can make it out to the battlefield this weekend with a wide variety of events, programs, and commemorations. You can find a link to the schedules for the weekend here.

I know I speak for all my friends and colleagues when I say that it is an incredible privilege to work at Antietam on any day, let alone days such as the ones we will have this weekend. 149 years ago, brave men consecrated these fields with their sacrifices, making Antietam one of the most hallowed places on American soil.