Located only about three miles away from The River Bend Retreat, Antietam National Battlefield is a wonderful place to visit while you’re in the Sharpsburg area.
Steeped in both natural splendor and historical significance, the 3,230-acre National Park offers an array of opportunities for exploration and education. Hiking, biking, and auto touring combined with the visitor’s center, park ranger programs, and a multitude of informational markers scattered throughout the park create a great American history lesson and a lot of outdoor enjoyment for thousands of visitors every year. Make plans to count yourself among them!
You will surely be awed by the serene beauty of the battlefield’s hallowed grounds – the land that veils the haunting memories held by the rolling hills, the picturesque old barns, and the county farmland. So spend a few hours, a day, or a few days touring, learning, and reflecting all in the midst of this gorgeous setting.
Touring the Battlefield . . .
You can drive, hike, bike, or even ride your horse through the battlefield while you learn about the bloodiest one-day battle in American history – The Civil War’s Battle of Antietam.
. . . By car
Because the Battlefield covers such a large area, touring it by car is a great way go (especially if the weather isn’t perfect on the day of your visit). So, if you’re planning to do your sightseeing by car, be sure to download the National Park Service’s auto tour map or purchase a copy of Travel Brains’ “Antietam Field Guide” auto tour book & CD either on-line or in the visitor’s center. Pop the CD into your car’s player and listen to the story unfold as the narrator guides you through various waypoints across the battlefield. The accompanying book adds pictures, illustrations and loads of extra information. We have a copy and highly recommend it!
. . . on Foot
Another great way to explore the battlefield and delve into lots of details about both the battle of Antietam and the Civil War in general, is to hire a private battlefield guide or take part in one of the many “Ranger Walks” that are offered as a part of your admission fee.
If you’d prefer to go it on your own, there are several hiking trails of varying lengths from which to choose. Each trail focuses on a different aspect of the battle. We especially liked the Three Farms Trail which led us by the homes, barns, and outbuildings of several local farms which have been preserved for visitors to view.
. . . on Horseback
Horseback riding on the Battlefield is permitted along the shoulders of the all the paved park roads and The Final Attack Trail. If you have six or more horses in your group you’ll need to arrange for a NPS permit beforehand. Horse trailer parking is available in the field on the south side of Dunker Church or in the overflow field at Burnside Bridge.
Points of Interest
Here are a few of our favorite points of interest on the battlefield grounds:
Visitor’s Center
To begin your day, it’s a good idea to stop by the park’s Visitor’s Center on Dunker Church Road. While you’re there you can learn a bit about the battle, note the locations of various landmarks you’d like to see, and check the park’s schedule for any special programs or events that might be happening while you’re there. As an introduction, you can watch a short (and very well done) movie about the battle and view several exhibits. Check out the gift shop too! It’s stocked full of interesting books and souvenirs. During your visit you might even get lucky and catch a presentation by one of the park rangers!
Burnside Bridge
Burnside Bridge is one of the most famous sites on the Antietam Battlefield. On the morning of the battle, a relatively small group of Confederate soldiers held off thousands of Union army troops and prevented them from crossing the bridge for several hours. It wasn’t until the early afternoon that the Union Army was finally able to take the bridge and cross over Antietam Creek. It is often recalled that the creek ran red with blood on that terrible day.
Now you can take a quiet walk across the beautiful stone bridge, stand in the shade of the “Witness Tree”, and try to imagine the scene of combat that took place on that very spot over 150 years ago.
Observation Tower
Observation Tower at Antietam National Battlefield 
View from a window of the Observation Tower at Antietam National Battlefield
Another “don’t miss” stop on your battlefield tour is the 60-foot-tall observation tower. The tower was not present at the time of the battle, but was built in 1897 by the U.S. War Department to provide views of the battlefield in order to aid in studying the battle.
Climb the stairs to the open-air observation deck to see the amazing panoramic view of the battlefield and the surrounding area. Bring your camera and a pair of binoculars too!
Dunker Church
The little church that was a place of worship for local families found itself surrounded by two raging armies on that late summer day in 1862. The churchyard were parishioners gathered just days before had transformed into a bloody field of battle. There the Dunker Church stood with rifle fire, cannon fire, agony and death all around. By the end of the day the building was riddled with scars from the impact of bullets and artillery. In the aftermath of the battle, it became one of the many rudimentary field hospitals that dotted the region.
Over the next decades the building fell into disrepair and finally toppled in 1921 during a heavy storm. It was rebuilt in 1962 as part of the 100th anniversary commemoration of the battle. It stands today, like it did way back then, a peaceful and comforting sanctuary to those in its presence.
Bloody Lane
It was known as The Sunken Road previous to the battle – just a narrow dirt lane traversed by the local farmers and their wagons. But on the morning of September 17, 1862, viscous fighting raged for over four hours along the little road. In the end over 5,500 men were either killed or wounded at the site, and the name was forever changed to “Bloody Lane”.
Now, even on the sunniest and most gorgeous of days, a walk down “Bloody Lane” evokes a kind of eerie quietness that seems to envelope the place where so many were lost. Some have even reported a light smell of gunpowder and faint echos of rifle fire as they pass through . . .
The Newcomer House
The Newcomer House is another excellent place to either start your day or stop by during your battlefield tour. The house is located at 18422 Shepherdstown Pike (Rt. 34), right along Antietam Creek.
While you’re there you can learn about the history of the house and its role in the Battle of Antietam. Step inside the house where three exhibits present Civil War related topics. They are titled “In the Heat of the Battle”, “On the Homefront”, and “Beyond the Battlefield”. Don’t miss chatting with one of the knowledgeable volunteers. They are a wealth of information and are eager to educate and answer questions. And finally, plenty of useful and interesting brochures are available to further enhance your visit.
The Pry House Field Hospital Museum
Pry House Field Hospital Museum 
View from the back of the Pry House
One last not-to-miss stop is the Pry House Field Hospital Museum. The house not only served as a field hospital after the battle, it was used by General George McClellan as the Union Army’s headquarters immediately prior to and during the battle. The stately home sits high on a hill overlooking the Sharpsburg area. The position being excellent for observing the battle, General McClellan spent the day of September 17th watching the events unfold from the property.
A reporter with the Boston Journal wrote:
I . . . forded the Antietam and ascended the hill east of it to the large square mansion of Mr. Pry, where General McClellan had established his headquarters. The general was sitting in an arm-chair in front of the house. His staff were about him; their horses saddled and bridled, were hitched to the trees and fences. Stakes had been driven in the earth in front of the house, to which were strapped the headquarter’s telescopes, through which a view of the operations and movements of the two armies could be obtained.
It was a commanding situation. The panorama included fully two-thirds of the battlefield, from the woods by the Dunker Church southward to the hills below Sharpsburg.
So, stop by and roam the grounds. Walk in the footsteps of the soldiers, lieutenants, and generals – and even in those of Abraham Lincoln who visited a wounded officer there a few weeks later.
As I stood in the yard behind the residence, I could almost see the Union soldiers walking up the long, tree-lined lane to the house.
And Finally . . .
Definitely try to catch some demonstrations, reenactments, cannon firings, or a park ranger presentation before you head home. And don’t forget to check out the Junior Ranger program for the kids!
