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The Battle of Antietam, or Sharpsburg, on September 17, 1862, was the tragic culmination of Robert E. Lee's first invasion of the North. That one fateful day more than 23,110 men were killed, wounded, or listed as missing. Approximately 4,000 were killed, and in the days that followed, many more died of wounds or disease. The peaceful village of Sharpsburg turned into a huge hospital and burial ground extending for miles in all directions.
Antietam National Cemetery is one of the 130 cemeteries of the National Cemetery System, a system that began during the Civil War. There are 4,776 Union remains (1,836 or 38% are unknown) buried here from the Battle of Antietam, South Mountain, Monocacy, and other action in Maryland. All of the unknowns are marked with small square stones. These stones contain the grave number, and if you look closely on a few stones, a small second number represents how many unknowns are buried in that grave. There are also a few of the larger, traditional stones that mark unknown graves.
In addition, more than 200 non-Civil War dead are also buried here. Veterans and their wives from the Spanish-American War, World War I and II, and Korea were also buried here until the cemetery closed in 1953. Operating Hours, Seasons
Antietam National Battlefield operating hours: Daily, summer: 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; daily, winter: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.
Getting There
CAR - Traveling east-west on Interstate 70--exit 29 coming west, exit 29A coming east. Route 65 south, ten miles. Traveling north-south on Interstate 81--exit 1, Route 68 east to Route 65. Turn right on Route 65 and travel 5 miles. |
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