Hello folks,

I just wanted to bring you up to date with SHAF activities and what we have been doing lately.  And of course any time you have questions about hat we’re doing feel free to drop an email to antietam@verizon.net, or send a Facebook message, etc.

For the past year and a half the purchase and disposition of the Boyer House/War Wounds house has been keeping us busy. As you may recall, it was our intention to hold onto the house until the town of Sharpsburg could buy it from us. The intent was to use it as a stabilized ruin under the supervision of the town museum. To make a long story short, after protracted discussions, lawyers’ advice and a lot of other complications, that deal was terminated. We have agreed to let the town museum take documents and ephemera that pertain to the town, and SHAF is retaining ownership, for now. Once all the historic material is removed, we plan to clean out the house, place restrictive easements on it, and sell it. When that time comes, soon we hope, we will first list it to SHAF members so that anyone of you who wants to live in a very historic house in a very historic town, will get first chance at it. After a set amount of time (undetermined at this point) we will list it with a real estate agent. As you know, SHAF has never held property, especially structures; we place easements and sell property. This is how we have been so effective for a small organization with no paid staff. We will let you know ASAP when we are ready to sell.

As you know, we have worked cooperatively with the American Battlefield Trust for many years. The ABT recently purchased an 11-acre property directly behind the Dunker Church, extending to the bypass. This property, now used as farmland, constituted the lower portion of the West Woods at the time of the battle. Rather than contribute money to ABT for purchase, we have proposed to restore the land to its war-time appearance. This will entail planting hardwood saplings spaced widely apart to give the appearance of the original wood lot. This will be pricey, but we plan to ask for individual donors and place a plaque somewhere on the land to acknowledge those donors. All this will be done before ABT transfers the land to the NPS, which will happen eventually.

Speaking of property in that locale, the 9-acre Poffenberger tract, west of the Hagerstown Pike and across from the Visitors Center has already been transferred to the NPS. The non-historic house and dilapidated barn and shed have been approved for demolition by the NPS. We do not know when this will happen, but will let you know as soon as we know.

We are making plans for a Fall Work Day, hopefully some time in October. The tentative plan is to aid the NPS in removing non-native brush and trees from the East Woods. Antietam Battlefield has hired a biologist who is planning a restoration of the East Woods and has begun some clearing already.  We will announce the date as soon as we know it.

And, as always, we are grateful for any and all donations as we build up our treasury for the next purchase. We have a PayPal account and you can always send a check to PO Box 550 Sharpsburg MD 21782.

Reminder – SHAF Annual Membership meeting Saturday, April 20, 12:30 p.m. Boonsboro Branch of the Washington County Free Library

We will have updates on SHAF activities, financial reports, elections and a speaker, Steve Stotelmyer, who will talk about his new book, From Frederick to Sharpsburg: People, Places, and Events of the Maryland Campaign before Antietam, which will also be available for purchase.

Here is a brief discussion of Steve’s book:

The Battle of Antietam stands out as the single bloodiest day’s combat in American history. More people were killed or injured on September 17, 1862, than any other day in our nation’s entire history. With 23,000 casualties it is understandable that this single event tends to take the spotlight in the Maryland Campaign of 1862. Consequently, because of the enormous carnage around Sharpsburg, a shadow has been cast over other people and places involved in the days leading up to that momentous event. However, Robert E. Lee did not begin crossing the Potomac on September 4, 1862, just so he could fight at Sharpsburg 13 days later with his back to that same river. For those who gave that last measure of devotion, Jug Bridge was just as dangerous as Burnside Bridge. One could end up just as dead at Quebec Schoolhouse as Dunkard Church. “From Frederick to Sharpsburg” sheds light on some of the other participants and events long obscured in the shadow cast by America’s bloodiest day.

Steven R. Stotelmyer is a native of Hagerstown, Maryland. After serving in the U.S. Navy, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Frostburg State College and a Master of Arts from Hood College in Frederick, MD. Stotelmyer was a founding member of the Central Maryland Heritage League in 1989 which helped preserve some of the South Mountain Battlefield. He is also the author of The Bivouacs of the Dead: The Story of Those Who Died at Antietam and South Mountain (Toomey Press, 1992), and Too Useful To Sacrifice, Reconsidering George B. McClellan’s Generalship in the Maryland Campaign from South Mountain to Antietam. (Savas Beatie, 2019). Steve is a National Park Service Volunteer as well as a Certified Antietam Battlefield and South Mountain Battlefield Tour Guide.

We hope to see you there!

SHAF is pleased to announce our 2024 Annual Membership Meeting will be held on Saturday, April 20. We will meet at 12:30 p.m. at the Boonsboro branch of the Washington County Free Library in the public meeting room. The library is located on MD Rt. 34, just on the west edge of Boonsboro.  We will hear a report from the SHAF board, including financials, hold our annual elections, and answer any questions from the membership. Steve Stotelmyer will provide a short talk, the topic TBA.

After our meeting, we will visit the historic Avey farm, recently acquired by the American Battlefield Trust, and the site of our recent Work Day. All SHAF members are welcome to attend, and comments, questions, and statements can also be sent to our website.  As always, our warmest thanks for your support and donations.

Space is somewhat limited but should be sufficient. It would help if you would let us know you’re attending, but not required. We hope to see you there!

For many years SHAF has marked the sites of Headquarters and Hospitals related to the Maryland Campaign of 1862. Of course we do this only with the property owners’ permission, and at no cost to them. We also put ” private property” on the signs to protect the privacy of the residents 

This farm belonged to Jacob Funk Miller, brother of David R. Miller, the owner of the famous Cornfield on Antietam Battlefield. Soldiers of the Ninth Corps were treated in the barn and Gen. Burnside used the house as his headquarters. The current owners are very happy to display these signs to illustrate the historical importance of their farm. If you, or someone you know, own a property that is connected to the  Maryland Campaign, and would like a sign, please let us know.