For more than 30 years, we have watched while land around the Antietam Battlefield in Washington County, Maryland, and Shepherdstown, West Virginia, was sold off to developers and we have pursued opportunities to get in there and get the land before they could.
And we have been successful, in large part, thanks to you. As of 2022, we’ve purchased and saved 464 acres at the Antietam Battlefield site and 622 acres at the Shepherdstown Battlefield.
Now, what’s at stake? Pivotal parcels of land at Antietam Battlefield and Shepherdstown — two battles of the Maryland Campaign that dramatically changed the course of the war and shaped the destiny of America.
Please, let me explain. In the midmorning of September 17, 1862, the Union armies were gaining ground at Antietam as a large, Northern force entered the West Woods, near the parcel we are trying to preserve. But a powerful counterattack of some 7,000 Confederates fell upon the Union front, flank, and rear, sending them reeling. And the thousands of casualties suffered here comprised just one hour of that long, terrible day that claimed more than 22,000 soldiers, killed, wounded, captured and missing — making it America’s bloodiest day.
Six Acres of Historic Importance to Us All
If we can purchase this parcel, we can unite a significant portion of the Antietam battlefield we’ve already saved. A 70s style brick home, a garage, and a barn that sully the site will be removed to restore an unobstructed view into the past!
After the battle, the soldiers stayed on the field for a day before Confederate forces moved back across the Potomac and into Virginia at Shepherdstown. Part of the Union army pursued and attacked the Confederate rearguard, capturing four guns. The next day, Union forces crossed the Potomac and established a bridgehead as well.
General Lee dispatched General A.P. Hill’s division to counterattack on the very land we hope to save. With fewer casualties than days before, Confederates were able to hold off the Federals and discourage them from further pursuit. Lincoln was so frustrated with General George B. McClellan’s lack of initiative that in November he relieved him of duty and named General Ambrose Burnside the commander of the Army of the Potomac.
Pristine Civil-War Era Land Can Be Saved
Almost miraculously, the 122 acres we hope to purchase at Shepherdstown appears mostly as it did in the battle. It is well-preserved but under constant threat from developers, who are seeking to build a subdivision of McMansions. Digging up and paving over history forever.
While historians and enthusiasts argue to this day about who won the Battle of Antietam or the subsequent fighting at Shepherdstown, Lincoln claimed a strategic victory. On September 22, the President announced the Emancipation Proclamation, and thus changed the course of the war forever and seared the importance of the Maryland Campaign into the American consciousness.
The Long Game
If you have ever wondered how serious we are in our fight to save, protect, and preserve hallowed ground where battles were fought to establish a nation and, later, to preserve it for posterity, now you know. We have played a long game and will unite as much land where the battles of Antietam and Shepherdstown occurred as we can.
Today, we need your support to pull together the $343,837 necessary to secure these vital 128 acres. Each $1 gift you make will be worth $8 toward the purchase price.
Will you please help save 128 sacred acres at Antietam and Shepherdstown?
Yours, ‘til the battle is won,
David N. Duncan
President
American Battlefield Trust