The bivouac of the dead - Page 1 - Project Idea

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The bivouac of the dead - Page 1

Photos of Antietam National Cemetery in Sharpsburg, MD. Photos from the 147th Anniversary of the battle on September 17, 2009. The "Old Simon" monument at the center is one of my favorites.

[b]Full layout:[/b]
[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/Yzerbear19/OldSimon-SM.jpg[/IMG]

[b]Journaling says:[/b]
"When we look on yon battlefield, I think of the brave men who fell in the fierce struggle of battle, and who sleep silent in their graves. Yes, many of them sleep in silence and peace within this beautiful enclosure after the earnest conflict has ceased."absorbed in my duties, I do not know how I could have endured the strain."

- President Andrew Johnson, September 17, 1867

When the battle of Antietam was over there were more than 23,000 men killed, wounded, or missing. The tiny town of Sharpsburg was turned instantly into a massive hospital and graveyard. In the days following the battle another 4,000 men would die of wounds or disease. Burying the dead was a grisly task that needed to be done quickly. Some of the dead were buried in single graves while others were laid to rest in shallow trenches that could accommodate hundreds. The graves were marked in a variety of ways from stone piles to wooden headboards.

By March of 1864 many of the graves had become exposed and no effort to locate a final resting place had been made. Maryland State Senator Lewis P. Firey in 1864 introduced a plan to the Maryland Senate a plan to establish a state or national cemetery for the men who died during the Antietam campaign. A site was established on March 23, 1865 for the new cemetery. The original plan was to bury the dead from both sides, but due to the lingering bitterness over the war and the southern state’s inability to contribute funds to the project, only Union soldiers were buried in the newly created cemetery. The Confederate dead were reburied in Hagerstown, MD, Frederick, MD, and Shepherdstown, WV. In the months and years after the battle Aaron Good and Joseph Gill worked to locate grave sites and identify the grave’s occupants. This was no easy task. Many of the dead were identified by artifacts found on the body like letters or photos as well as by interviewing family members and friends. The 18 northern states contributed over $70,000 for the project. The cemetery was completed in September 1867 in time for the battle’s fifth anniversary thanks to the work of honorably discharged veterans. The cemetery was dedicated on September 17, 1867 and attended by President Andrew Johnson and other dignitaries.

At the time of the cemetery’s dedication one item was missing. Standing at the center of the cemetery is the private soldier monument, commonly referred to as “Old Simon.” The monument was first on display at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, PA in 1876. It was then disassembled and began its long journey to Sharpsburg. The journey was delayed when the top part fell into the Potomac River in Washington, DC. The private soldier monument stands over 44 feet high. It was crated by James G. Baterson and sculpted by James Pollette.

Today Antietam National Cemetery is one of 130 cemeteries in the National Cemetery Systems that was created during the Civil War. There are 4,776 Union soldiers buried here. Of those, 1,836 are unknown, marked with small square stones. In addition to the dead from the Civil War are 200 veterans and spouses from the Spanish-American war, World Wars I and II, and the Korean War. The cemetery was closed to new burials in 1953. One exception was made in October 2000 when Keedysville resident Patrick Howard Roy was laid to rest after being killed during the attack on the USS Cole.

[b]Credits:[/b]
-Brown paper from Music and Lyrics by Britt-ish Designs
-Flowers from Kiss that Frog by Britt-ish Designs and DeCrow Designs
-Leaves from I'm Yours by Britt-ish Designs and Decrow Designs
-String and staples from Enchantment by Britt-ish Designs
-Overlays from Something Blue Studios