ANTIETAM: Where three 8th Connecticut soldiers died

BATTLEFIELD BACKSTORY: Late last month, Robert Anderson, John Rogers and I visited the farm where three soldiers in the 8th Connecticut were killed about dawn during the Battle of Antietam on Sept. 17, 1862. Two others soldiers in the regiment were killed here when Confederate artillery on the other side of nearby Antietam Creek shelled this position.  The visit was special for all of us: I own two images of 8th Connecticut Sergeant George Marsh, who was killed by the concussion of solid shot here as the battle opened on the Union left flank; Anderson's ancestor, 8th Connecticut Corporal Robert Ferriss, camped here on the old Henry Rohrbach farm along with the rest of IX Corps and Rogers owns a Bible that once belonged to 8th Connecticut Private Oliver Case. At about 4 p.m. during the battle, Ferriss and Case were killed near Harpers Ferry Road. Anderson, Rogers and Ann Corcoran, who owns this land and kindly gave us a tour, appear at the extreme right. (Click at upper right to enlarge and click here for all posts on this blog.)