December 06, 2013

**Antietam Friday **

I’m planning a trip to Antietam sometime next year, and I have a goal: to step foot in the Sunken Road. I don’t need to walk the long haul or say I made the trek from beginning to end, but just to stand there would probably be enough to evoke the incredible sense of loss. Even with various accounts of witnesses, even with photography, it’s difficult to imagine how the Sunken Road (aptly known as Bloody Lane) looked on September 17, 1862. Wounded and dead as far as the eye could see.

Though I haven’t yet made that trek, I *have* visited from the safety of the parking lot, as the photos attest. This is only part of the Sunken Road . . . the rest lies beyond the trees in the distance. To the right of the photo, out of camera range, is the monument to Meagher’s Irish Brigade. The monument in the center of the first photo represents the 2^ND Delaware Infantry, while the four black markers just beyond it are Union position markers. They are: Brooke’s Brigade of Richardson’s Division; Caldwell’s Brigade, same division; Meagher’s Brigade, same division; and a marker just for Richardson’s Division of the 2^ND Corps.


The large statue moment on the right side of Sunken Road is the 132^ND Pennsylvania Infantry. To the left is the 8^TH Ohio Infantry, while two other monuments (and one I can’t identify) can be seen in the distance. The “green” monument at the left-hand fence is a headquarters marker for Confederate Gen. Anderson. Directly above the left-hand wooden fence is probably the 130^TH Pennsylvania Infantry monument. The obelisk visible to the right of the right-hand fence is likely the 14^TH Connecticut Infantry. Also, the Antietam National Battlefield visitor can be seen at center right, between two stands of trees.

The second photo was taken from the top of the stone observation tower. More is visible from here, including the markers closer to the tower. They detail the actions of both the Union and Confederate armies at Antietam.

**HONORED TODAY**

WALTER SCOTT CROSBY

Co. D, 12^TH South Carolina Infantry

Born March 05, 1845 --- Died July 21, 1863 at age 18

Pvt. Crosby’s death at Gettysburg was not the only tragedy in his family; less than a year later, exactly a year after Walter received the wound that would hasten his death, his twin brother Rufus was killed at Petersburg. Though I saw Walter’s rank listed as Private, one of the rosters I referenced described “W. S. Crosby” as “1^ST Sergeant.” 


(c) 2013 Skies of Blue and Gray