156.

Driving through and seeing the candles lit in December is definitely a sobering sight

I have visited and walked the ground at many Civil War Battlefields including Gettysburg, but none had the sobering effect on me as Antietam. So much brave American blood lost on that single day.

I have walked Gettysburg at night and it will damn near make you believe in restless spirits.

Burnside's bridge,,, to see the topography, understand why they could not cross,,,,,and then with today's mind asking yourself why, is very sobering.

quote:

and then with today's mind asking yourself why, is very sobering.

Every June 6th I ask myself “how do you wait for the ramp to drop so you get the privilege of running into precision matchine Gun fire aimed and zeroed months prior.”

All I keep coming to is.....they were of WAY WAY stouter stock then I.

That’s sounds better then I am a pussy but I digress.

My grandmother’s grandfather was there with the 8th Pennsylvania Reserves of the 37th Pennsylvania Volunteers


There is a monument to them at the cornfield

Here is his info in the national database

https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/s...11-BF36-B8AC6F5D926A


My sons and I are proud sons of the Grand Army of the Republic.

James John only had daughters after the war, and so from that point on the sons bore the family name of “John”

So my father was John, my older brother was John, my oldest son is John, and his legacy will live on through us.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kevbo,

quote:

Originally posted by cslinger:

quote:

and then with today's mind asking yourself why, is very sobering.

Every June 6th I ask myself “how do you wait for the ramp to drop so you get the privilege of running into precision matchine Gun fire aimed and zeroed months prior.”

All I keep coming to is.....they were of WAY WAY stouter stock then I.

That’s sounds better then I am a pussy but I digress.

I watched an interview Chris Wallace (I know) had with three CMH recipients recently. One was a WWII vet, Iwo Jima as I recall. He made a comment toward the end that stuck with me. Paraphrasing, he said, "Where would we be if we'd have lost?"

I don't think that all of those young men running down that ramp thought that deeply about it at the time, but I sure do now. Thank God they were there to do it.

I've visited several of the battlefields, and was a reenactor in two battles and in a parade once (forever ago), but I've not been to Antietam.

My brother lives less than a mile away from the battlefield. We visited him last week, and early on a couple mornings I jogged thru the very quiet park. It was sad, not as spooky like the site of Custer's Last Stand.

Sharpsburg

quote:

Originally posted by Sigmund:
My brother lives less than a mile away from the battlefield. We visited him last week, and early on a couple mornings I jogged thru the very quiet park. It was sad, not as spooky like the site of Custer's Last Stand.

The spooky thing about Little Bighorn is that there are markers where each man fell. I like it because it definitely gives visitors an idea of the flow of the battle...but it also conveys a gravity of the fact that this exact spot is where a man died. Spooky, sobering, and inspiring all at the same time.

Walking the sunken road at Antietam also gave me chills, though. The massive sacrifice over that single piece of ground...it just blows my mind. As others have already said in this thread...these men were made of stouter stock than I.

quote:

Originally posted by Kevbo:
My grandmother’s grandfather was there with the 8th Pennsylvania Reserves of the 37th Pennsylvania Volunteers


There is a monument to them at the cornfield

Here is his info in the national database

https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/s...11-BF36-B8AC6F5D926A


My sons and I are proud sons of the Grand Army of the Republic.

James John only had daughters after the war, and so from that point on the sons bore the family name of “John”

So my father was John, my older brother was John, my oldest son is John, and his legacy will live on through us.

That's super cool that you're keeping his legacy alive.

I have ancestors that fought for the Confederacy and I think some that fought for the Union side, but I only know about the Confederates.

I've walked Valley Forge (only revolutionary war site), and many Civil War battle fields. IMHO, they are all sacred ground. Thanks for the post.

You know, I've always been interested in US history, especially WWII and the Revolutionary war. I read quite a bit about them. But I've never taken the time to really study the Civil War. Your post sent me to several sites where I learned about Antietam. I may have to get some books on the Civil War now. Thanks for this post.

quote:

Originally posted by Gustofer:
156.

You're back?

I once spent a day driving around and walking the site ( I wish I had spent several). I still cannot fathom the loss of life.

quote:

Originally posted by Kevbo:
My grandmother’s grandfather was there with the 8th Pennsylvania Reserves of the 37th Pennsylvania Volunteers


There is a monument to them at the cornfield

Here is his info in the national database

https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/s...11-BF36-B8AC6F5D926A


My sons and I are proud sons of the Grand Army of the Republic.

James John only had daughters after the war, and so from that point on the sons bore the family name of “John”

So my father was John, my older brother was John, my oldest son is John, and his legacy will live on through us.

My great great grandfather was there also. Vanneman's Battery, 1st MD Light Artillery (US) They arrived in the late morning after the main battle near Dunkard Church and the Cornfield was over but still dueled with Confederate Batteries. They also have a monument on Cornfield Ave.

I’ve been to Antietam once and I too found it very sobering. Whenever I visit a Civil War site a thought goes through my head, but never so strongly as it did the morning of my visit there. It was something my father once said to me: The Revolutionary War ushered in this nation’s principles, but the Civil War and the men who fought in it, they established this country’s metal.

My father was born in 1927 and told me that as child he recalled seeing two surviving Union Civil War Vets in his town parades. Those guys were always given the honor of being at the front, with the SA and WW1 Vets in attendance giving them deference.