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A Battlefield Landmark Photographs by Alexander Gardner/Library of Congress, and Michael Melford
During the battle at Antietam Creek in Sharpsburg, Maryland, Union troops slaughtered Confederate soldiers (historical photo) near the Dunker Church—named, according to some sources, for its German founders' practice of full-immersion baptism. Destroyed by a storm in 1921, the church was rebuilt in 1961 using many salvaged bricks, beams, and benches from the original. It now overlooks Antietam National Battlefield (present-day photo), where more than 23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded, or captured on September 17, 1862, the bloodiest day of the entire war. The strategic northern victory here gave President Lincoln confidence to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, granting slaves freedom in rebellious states.
Photo Fast Facts
Camera: Canon 1DS Film Type: Digital Lens: 70mm Speed and F-Stop: Two seconds @ f/8
Weather Conditions: Cloudy Time of Day: Afternoon Lighting Techniques: Natural light Special Equipment: Tripod
