Civil War Battlefield Conservation: Focus on Antietam
Bloody Lane. Photo by Frank Kovalchek/Flickr
At A Glance
- The Battle of Antietam was bloodiest single day battle in the Civil War.
- We've helped protect several hundred acres in and around the battlefield.
- The Fund has helped protect 83 battlefields in 14 states.
Known as the bloodiest single day battle in the Civil War, the Battle of Antietam took place on September 17, 1862 over 12 square-miles. More than 23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or went missing during the battle.
Since our founding, we’ve worked to protect several hundred acres at Antietam through a variety of projects:
- Grove Farm: This is the site where President Lincoln met with U.S. generals after the battle of Antietam. We were able to add this land to Antietnam in partnership with the state of Maryland and the Save Historic Antietam Foundation.
- Roulette/Callas farm: This 200-acre farm, just outside the National Battlefield, was the site of the Confederate advance on the morning of the battle and the Confederate line at the end of the day-long battle. This is now protected with an easement held by the Maryland Environmental Trust. We helped establish the easement in partnership with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ Open Space Program, the National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program and the Civil War Preservation Trust.
We assisted the Richard King Mellon Foundation in a number of conservation gifts at Antietam including:
- The Cornfield: Site where the Federals were hit by Confederate artillery fire
- The West Woods: Site where U.S. forces suffered more than 2,200 casualties in 20 minutes
- Bloody Lane: An additional 12 acres, in the field of fire where J.E.B. Stuart’s artillery slowed the attacking U.S. troops, was donated on the 135th anniversary of the battle. More than 10,000 U.S. troops advanced across the 179-acre Roulette Farm in such intense fighting that this route became known as Bloody Lane. The farm was donated to the Antietam National Battlefield on the 136th anniversary of the battle.
