Antietam Institute

10/21/2026

ANTIETAM JOURNAL VOL 11 HAS ARRIVED!
We are absolutely thrilled to announce that Volume 11 of the Antietam Journal is officially here!
Copies will soon be on their way to our Corporal-level members through to the Honor Guard.
🚙 LOCAL PICKUP THIS WEEKEND
If you live in the Sharpsburg area, you can skip the wait, help us save on shipping, and grab your copy in person this weekend!
📅 When: Saturday, Oct 24 & Sunday, Oct 25
⏰ Time: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
📍 Where: Antietam Mercantile Co. (138 W. Main Street, Sharpsburg)
📦 CAN'T MAKE IT?
No worries at all! We will automatically ship your copy out to you next week.
Thank you so much for your continued support, and we hope you love this latest volume!

10/20/2026

TRIVIA TUESDAY
Sharpsburg is one of Washington County's oldest towns in Maryland.
When was it founded, and who founded it? Who was the town named after, and why?
BONUS - George Washington actually considered the Sharpsburg area for what purpose?

(US Army photo of Sharpsburg, c. 1930; land tracts around Sharpsburg)

10/19/2026

MEMBERSHIP MONDAY: Celebrating the Next Generation of Historians! 🏛️
We are thrilled to announce Brogan Nichols as the 2026-27 Antietam Institute Scholarship recipient! 🎓✨
A native of Jefferson County, West Virginia, and a standout student at Shepherd University, Brogan is pursuing a dual major in History and Political Science. His research focuses deeply on the American Civil War and early American settlement. After graduation, he plans to continue his journey in graduate school, pursuing a degree in history or law.
Through our partnership with the George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War and the Shepherd Foundation, the Antietam Institute is proud to support outstanding students like Brogan who are dedicated to preserving and studying the 1862 Maryland Campaign. Brogan is also the newest member of the Institute!
Join us in congratulating Brogan on this well-deserved honor! 🎉👇
🔗 Read more about his achievements: antietaminstitute.org

10/16/2026

INSTITUTE FRIDAY
Historian and Institute member Tim Snyder recently published a fascinating article about how the Private Soldier Monument, affectionately known as "Old Simon," arrived in Sharpsburg via the C&O Canal. Great job Tim! Read all about it at:https://candocanal.org/atp/2026-09.pdf

10/16/2026

Sneak peek at the next issue of The Antietam Journal! 📰👇
In his upcoming "Then and Now" column, Chris Vincent takes a look at the changing landscape surrounding Burnside Bridge.
What is your favorite part of the landscape? The historic "Witness Tree"? The beautifully preserved stone arched bridge? Let us know in the comments!
An exclusive benefit for our members—look for your copy of the Journal arriving in mailboxes soon!
👉 Not a member yet? Join the Antietam Institute today to receive our biannual journal and support the preservation of this history: antietaminstitute.org/membership

10/16/2026

Be sure to listen to the latest podcast with historian Cory M. Pfarr. Cory will be a guest speaker at our Spring Symposium and leading a bus tour to the U.S. Army Signal stations at Antietam.
John Banks' Civil War blog Author Tom McMillan Cory Pfarr

NEW PODCAST DROPS! — Award-winning historian Cory M. Pfarr joins co-hosts Tom McMillan and John Banks for a conversation about the U.S. Signal Service at Antietam. Plus, Pfarr dishes on James Longstreet’s role in the battle — and that carpet-slippers story.

+ LISTEN: https://antietambeyond.transistor.fm/s3/69

10/15/2026

🚨 PARTIAL CLOSURE ALERT: ANTIETAM NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD 🚨

📅 CLOSED OCT. 27–28:
⛔ Dunker Church
⛔ Dunker Church Road
⛔ Visitor Center
⛔ Trails near the O.T. Reilly Monument

Specialists will remove unexploded projectiles from the base of the O.T. Reilly Monument.

✅ Other battlefield areas will remain open.
🚧 Please follow posted signs and staff directions.

📲 Check for updates: nps.gov/anti
☎️ Questions? Call 301-432-5124.

10/15/2026

QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Was Isaac Rodman's mortal wounding a factor in the failure of the Final Attack?

10/14/2026

UPCOMING REVIEW in the Antietam Journal!
In the next issue of the Antietam Journal, Antietam Institute member Richard P. D’Ambrisi delivers an in-depth review of the latest book by acclaimed author Cory M. Pfarr:
The Federal Signal Service at Antietam: Stations, Officers and Battlefield Intelligence on America’s Bloodiest Day (McFarland Books).

Pfarr’s groundbreaking study dives deep into the high-stakes communication network of the Union Signal Corps. Using flags and telescopes from elevated stations, these young officers provided real-time intelligence that directly shaped command decisions—challenging the long-held "spectator general" myth surrounding Major General George B. McClellan.

D’Ambrisi’s upcoming review will explore how this meticulous research changes our understanding of the battlefield's command and control.

👉 Are you an Antietam Institute member? Make sure your subscription is active so you don't miss this excellent review and a wealth of other new scholarship in the upcoming issue!

10/13/2026

TRIVIA TUESDAY!
These three Confederate brigades from the same division smashed into Sedgwick's Union division in the West Woods after arriving in Sharpsburg on the morning of Sept. 17.
Who were these three brigades, and where were they fighting on September 13-14?
(Photo: NPS Antietam, Brian Baracz)