I am a lifelong student of military history with particular interest in the Battle of Antietam. I work for the federal government in Washington DC and have two young adult children who I love very much. I currently volunteer at Antietam and devote much time to the study of this battle and the Maryland Campaign. I enjoy collecting notable contemporary quotations by and about the men of Antietam. Since 2013 I have been conducting in depth research on the regular artillery companies of the Union Army and their leaders. I hope to turn this into a book on this subject in the future. My perspective comes from a 28-year career in the U.S. Army. Travels took me to World War II battlefields in Europe and the Pacific where American valor ended the tyranny of Nazism and Empire. But our country faced its own greatest challenge 80 years earlier during the Civil War. And it was the critical late summer of 1862, when Robert E. Lee launched the Maryland Campaign. It is an incredible story of drama, carnage, bravery, and missed opportunities that culminated around the fields and woodlots of peaceful Sharpsburg MD. So join me as I make this journey South from the North Woods.
I would like to extend a belated thank you to Antietam Ranger John Hoptak for kindly mentioning this blog at The 48th Pennsylvania Infantry/Civil War Musingsthe other day.One of the great things about volunteering at Antietam has been meeting and getting to know the truly outstanding rangers who work at the park.Over the past year, I have been fortunate to get to know the rangers who usually work there on Sunday afternoons.Guys like John, Mannie Gentile, Mike Gamble, Brian Baracz and volunteer coordinator Christie Stanczak, have freely given of their time and expertise to make my volunteering at Antietam a truly outstanding experience.I have found that I share with John a great interest in the stories of many men who served their cause faithfully and well, but who are not generally recognized by most folks.The lives of these men who played an important role at Antietam and other battles needs to be known by a wider audience and John’s sketches at his blog do a great service to the civil war community.
Love seeing pics of the battlefield... but could you put a caption or something with them telling us what we are seeing, and maybe where the view is coming from?
Sure thing...I am still learning about the blogging and adding captions. That picture was taken from Smoketown Road looking east at the Mumma family cemetary. I took it on Sunday, December 28.
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Love seeing pics of the battlefield... but could you put a caption or something with them telling us what we are seeing, and maybe where the view is coming from?
ReplyDeleteSure thing...I am still learning about the blogging and adding captions. That picture was taken from Smoketown Road looking east at the Mumma family cemetary. I took it on Sunday, December 28.
ReplyDelete