Emboldened by the Confederate victory at the Second Battle of Bull Run—and determined to take the war into enemy territory—Robert E. Lee moved his Army of Northern Virginia across the Potomac River and into the state of Maryland on September 3, 1862. On September 13, as George B. McClellan and the Army of the Potomac followed in pursuit, two Union soldiers came upon a mislaid copy of Lee’s battle plans in the grass at an abandoned Confederate campground. The papers, which were delivered to McClellan, revealed that the Confederate commander had divided his army, sending one wing under Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson to capture Harpers Ferry. The following day, McClellan’s army battled the balance of Lee’s force through the passes of South Mountain. On the 17th, the armies clashed again outside the town of Sharpsburg. The resulting fight, known to history as the Battle of Antietam, proved tactically inconclusive, but resulted in over 22,000 cas-ualties, making it the bloodiest single day of battle in American history. The following day, Lee began the move back toward Virginia, his army bloodied but intact.
Interested in visiting Sharpsburg? To help make the most of your trip, we’ve enlisted two experts on the area—Thomas G. Clemens and Dennis Frye—to offer suggestions for what to see and do in and around the historic town.
CAN’T MISS
A branch of the Museum of Civil War Medicine, the Pry House Field Hospital Museum (18906 Shepherdstown Pike, Keedysville, MD; 301-432-6352) is located in the historic Phillip and Susan Pry house on the east bluffs of Antietam Creek. Union generals Joseph Hooker and Israel Richardson were treated here for their wounds, and the latter died in an upstairs bedroom weeks after the battle. While the house has a great view of the battlefield and General George B. McClellan did spend time there, it’s a popular misconception that the house served as his headquarters during the battle. TC
Greg DohlerWashington Monument State Park
Washington Monument State Park (6620 Zittlestown Rd., Middletown, MD; 888-432-2267). Located atop South Mountain (about 20 minutes from the Antietam Battlefield), the park offers a beautiful view of the Antietam Valley from the tower of its 40-foot-tall Washington Monument, the first in the country built in honor of the first president. DF
BEST KEPT SECRET
Greg DohlerNutter’s Ice Cream
No question, that title belongs to Nutter’s Ice Cream (100 E. Main St.; 301-432-5809), located just south of Sharpsburg’s town square. Their offerings are delicious and inexpensive, but get there before 8 p.m. to avoid the line out the door! TC
Greg DohlerThe Appalachian Trail at Harpers Ferry
Hiking the Appalachian Trail at Harpers Ferry (304-535-6331). In a short distance, one sees three states (Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia); two rivers (Potomac and Shenandoah); Jefferson Rock (a spectacular view made famous by Thomas Jefferson); a historic town that changed America’s destiny; and John Brown’s Fort, where the beginning of the end of slavery occurred. DF
Greg DohlerThe view from Jefferson Rock.
BEST FAMILY ACTIVITY
There are lots of outdoor activities for the whole family, including biking or walking the nearby Chesapeake & Ohio Canal towpath (301-739-4200), and vendors can arrange tubing or kayaking on Antietam Creek or the Potomac River. On a rainy day try Discovery Station (101 W. Washington St., Hagerstown, MD; 301-790-0076), a hands-on museum designed with young people in mind. TC
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park (767 Shenandoah St., Harpers Ferry, WV; 304-535-6029), located about a half hour away from Sharpsburg, is a very good option for families. There are spectacular views that feature rivers and rocks and rapids and ruins. The place is naturally wild, with miles of trails, and the historic town (including its souvenir and ice cream shops) is juxtaposed into a mountain river gap. DF
BEST CIVIL WAR SPOT
The Maryland State Monument on the Antietam National Battlefield (302 E. Main St.; 301-432-5124) is a special place. Located across from the famed Dunker Church, it is the only monument erected by a state to honor the men from Maryland who fought on both sides at Antietam. Dedicated in 1900, with veterans of both armies present, its message of reconciliation is eloquently expressed on a plaque on its northwest side. TC
Greg DohlerBurnside Bridge
Burnside Bridge is the most iconic landmark on the Antietam Battlefield, and it’s isolated from all 21st-century intrusions. It’s the best place at Antietam to time-travel back to battle day. Even more compelling, it’s the original bridge that witnessed the fighting on September 17, 1862. When you stand on that bridge, it feels as though you’re part of the action. A bonus is the tremendous sycamore “witness tree” that is still standing today, connecting us with life in 1862. DF
BEST EATS
Greg DohlerCaptain Bender’s Tavern
For breakfast, I recommend Bonnie’s at the Red Byrd (19409 Shepherdstown Pike, Keedysville, MD; 301-432-5822), located only three miles outside of Sharpsburg. It’s a small, friendly place with good food. Try the chipped beef on toast. Captain Bender’s Tavern (111 E. Main St.; 301-432-5813) serves a wide selection of sandwiches and several local microbrews on tap. Their fresh-cut French fries are my favorite. For a more upscale meal, try the Bavarian Inn (164 Shepherd Grade Rd., Shepherdstown, WV; 304-876-2551), located just across the Potomac River. German food is my favorite, and theirs is wonderful (especially the sauerbraten). There is formal dining upstairs, and a more relaxed Rathskeller downstairs. TC
Greg DohlerBavarian Inn
The Bavarian Inn in Shepherdstown is a very good option for breakfast. Only about a five-minute drive from the Antietam Battlefield, it offers a great morning atmos-phere overlooking the Potomac River. The omelets are superb, and the stacked pancakes are the best in the area. Blue Moon Cafe (200 E. High St., Shepherdstown, WV; 304-876-1920) boasts a creative and eclectic sandwiches and salads menu, featuring many locally raised farm products. There’s also wonderful outdoor seating along the Town Run stream. For dinner, visit the Old South Mountain Inn (6132 Old National Pike, Boonsboro, MD; 301-432-6155) and dine in the building atop Turner’s Gap that Confederate general D.H. Hill used as his headquarters during the Battle of South Mountain. People travel for hours for the prime rib and the escargot appetizer. DF
BEST SLEEP
Greg DohlerJacob Rohrbach Inn
The Jacob Rohrbach Inn (138 W. Main St.; 301-432-5079), a bed-and-breakfast set in an 1804 home, has several very nice rooms that are well furnished with antiques. Innkeepers Chris and Amy Vincent sponsor a free Wednesday night lecture series in the summer. Chris, quite well versed in local history himself, is also a National Park Service-approved battlefield guide. TC
Greg DohlerThe Inn at Antietam
The Inn at Antietam (220 E. Main St.; 301-432-6601), a bed-and-breakfast located in a Victorian masterpiece on an eminence near the Antietam National Cemetery, is beautifully restored and furnished. Set back from the main highway, the inn provides guests with a peaceful and restful environment. The innkeepers are excellent hosts. DF
BEST BOOK
Carol Reardon and Tom Vossler have written a very good battlefield guide, A Field Guide to Antietam (2016), which focuses solely on the battle of September 17. Ethan Rafuse’s guidebook of the entire Maryland Campaign, Antietam, South Mountain & Harpers Ferry (2008), is also very useful. For a short and well written narrative of the battle, I recommend Daniel Vermilya’s That Field of Blood: The Battle of Antietam, September 17, 1862 (2018). TC
James Murfin’s The Gleam of Bayonets (1965) is an easy read full of soldiers’ reflections that personalize the Battle of Antietam. The book also contextualizes the battle’s transformative national and international consequences. DF
About Our Experts
Thomas G. Clemens (above left), a resident of the Sharpsburg area for 30 years, is a retired history professor, president of Save Historic Antietam Foundation, and an Antietam Battlefield guide.
Dennis Frye (above right), a native of the Antietam Battlefield area, is a co-founder of the Save Historic Antietam Foundation and the American Battlefield Trust. He recently retired as the chief historian at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park after 42 years as a professional public historian.
