Antietam Luminary

[Shiloh]

Just this past July I moved my family from Massachusetts to start a new life farther south with a warmer climate, and of course with prime access to Civil War battlefields. Now I live just 10 minutes drive from Antietam just across the Potomac and I was psyched to see the luminary tonight as I've never been. I heard it was crazy popular but I had no idea.

We headed out at 10:15 with my wife and two kids - 10 and 8 - figuring the later we went, the less crowded it would be. Boy was I wrong. They were so tired but they agreed to go anyhow. The line was still 3-4 miles long just to get in to see it, let alone the hour or so it would take to drive through. My son was losing it and we gave it a go but ended up aborting. We could have toughed it out but my best guess is we would have entered the battlefield at maybe 12:30, and would not been done until close to 1:30 am and it's no fun being in the car with cranky kids if you've ever experienced that.

I regret not seeing it but now that I live here I know the deal. I think I may volunteer next year to help set up and be one of the first to see it. Maybe they'll let me walk the fields like I'd really prefer to and I'll have a much better first experience. Here's a picture taken by a friend. It's not the best but it does capture it. I did get to see some of the candles from a distance and it's hard to believe that each one represents a casualty. It really makes you think and it's sobering for sure even to see it from a distance.

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Here's a few more from prior years.

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[John Jones]

Some nice pictures there, sorry you didn't get to see it yourself but I totally get why you didn't.

My two, also 8 and 10, who are currently ruining a perfectly good Sunday morning by getting up a 05.45 and dancing around to "You spin me right round Baby", are the reason I haven't been able to properly enjoy a museum/historical site for years. Its not that I don't like going with them but they get "soooo bored" when I stop to read all the information and appreciate the location. Going to Tankfest in Bovington this year was torture - so many armoured vehicles to wander around but so much complaining about being tired/bored/hungry. I've resigned myself to skimming the surface of these things until they leave home :)

I'm sure you'll get to appreciate the luminary eventually Shiloh

[Shiloh]

Some nice pictures there, sorry you didn't get to see it yourself but I totally get why you didn't.

My two, also 8 and 10, who are currently ruining a perfectly good Sunday morning by getting up a 05.45 and dancing around to "You spin me right round Baby", are the reason I haven't been able to properly enjoy a museum/historical site for years. Its not that I don't like going with them but they get "soooo bored" when I stop to read all the information and appreciate the location. Going to Tankfest in Bovington this year was torture - so many armoured vehicles to wander around but so much complaining about being tired/bored/hungry. I've resigned myself to skimming the surface of these things until they leave home :)

I'm sure you'll get to appreciate the luminary eventually Shiloh

Sorry some of those days get ruined John Jones. I too 'skim the surface' but I work from home and set my own hours so I do get time now to wander the battlefields an hour a day or so if I want. My son is big time into learning about the Civil War, but he just doesn't have the stamina for that late night stuff. As a matter of fact he asked me if we could do an afternoon hike there just 5 minutes ago so I'll take him up on that as it's beautiful here today. It never rains here. I don't know if it's just this year as I've been here since July but I think it's been rainy maybe 15-20 days since then which is pretty dry considering what I'm used to.

They're getting better about the complaining stuff as they get older so hopefully that works out for you too. I chatted with a friend late last night who works on the battlefield at the Pry House (Civil War Medicine Museum and also McClellan's HQ). He is a "Battlefield Ambassador" which is like a watered down guide. You volunteer when you want, and you can help with the setup for these type of events. Helping with the setup means you get to tour it before they allow the general public in. I think I'll do that as it's just a few hour course I have to take probably on etiquette and that type of stuff. I do like hanging out there - at least a few times per week - so I could easily engage people and discuss the battle when I want with no other commitment to do it unless I want to.

[John Jones]

Sorry some of those days get ruined John Jones. I too 'skim the surface' but I work from home and set my own hours so I do get time now to wander the battlefields an hour a day or so if I want. My son is big time into learning about the Civil War, but he just doesn't have the stamina for that late night stuff.

Well, I'm a professional field archaeologist so I get to 'time travel' anyway and often wander all over hill and dale as a day job. I'm also lucky enough to live a few miles from the former headquarters of the Roman Second (Augusta) Legion and occasionally get to play there. My youngest is learning about the Romans so I got co-opted into giving guided tours of the amphitheater for the school. Normally my girls are not that bothered by my work but Daddy was pretty cool that day! One of my favorite parts of the job is telling people all about it - I hope you get to go on the course - sounds great!

[McMuffin]

Holy shit, I had no idea this existed, and I missed it by a day! I don't live unreasonably far away and I would have certainly gone.

[Shiloh]

Well, I'm a professional field archaeologist so I get to 'time travel' anyway and often wander all over hill and dale as a day job. I'm also lucky enough to live a few miles from the former headquarters of the Roman Second (Augusta) Legion and occasionally get to play there. My youngest is learning about the Romans so I got co-opted into giving guided tours of the amphitheater for the school. Normally my girls are not that bothered by my work but Daddy was pretty cool that day! One of my favorite parts of the job is telling people all about it - I hope you get to go on the course - sounds great!

Good deal on that job and thank you!


Holy shit, I had no idea this existed, and I missed it by a day! I don't live unreasonably far away and I would have certainly gone.

It's a pretty unique thing I believe is only done at Antietam. Just allow yourself 2-3 hours to wait in line on the side of a road in your car, then maybe another 45-60 minutes to go through as people stop to take pictures.

[Poorlaggedman]

Gettysburg does it too, but at the Soldier's Cemetery, to mark the Gettysburg address in November. It was canceled this year because of weather.

[Shiloh]

Gettysburg does it too, but at the Soldier's Cemetery, to mark the Gettysburg address in November. It was canceled this year because of weather.

Good to know!

[VOLCUSGAMING]

Wow, that's cool! It kinda sucks living in Denmark sometimes, the only thing we've got was the Second Schleswig War, and that's not nice to talk about.