Help Save Two Battlefield Properties at Antietam!

A Critical Window to Save Two Key Battlefield Properties

The Opportunity

Two historically significant properties at Antietam — located at the heart of the battle’s Final Attack — are under threat. These tracts, just over two acres combined, represent a pivotal moment in American history. Though modest in size, their importance is immense.

One property was nearly lost, with the landowner just hours from listing it for sale. A contract has now been secured for both sites, but preservation depends on raising the remaining funds before the year ends.

An anticipated federal grant and support from the Save Historic Antietam Foundation have secured $510,000. Just over $500,000 remains to fully fund the $1,025,000 purchase and protect this ground forever.

The Historic Stakes at Antietam

On September 17, 1862 — the bloodiest day in American military history — Union and Confederate forces clashed at Antietam in a battle that would shape the future of the United States.

Late in the day, Confederate forces faced potential defeat. Union troops had crossed Burnside’s Bridge and advanced on the Confederate right, threatening to collapse the line and trap General Robert E. Lee’s army against the Potomac River.

Then, in a moment of dramatic reversal, General A.P. Hill’s Light Division arrived from Harpers Ferry after a grueling 17-mile march. With only moments to spare, Hill’s forces launched a counterattack at the very location where these two properties now stand.

“My lines advanced… in the face of the most tremendous artillery fire I ever saw… It was as if each man felt that the fate of the army centered in himself.”

General A.P. Hill

This action, known as The Final Attack, altered the course of the battle. In its wake, President Abraham Lincoln claimed a strategic victory and issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation just days later — transforming the Union’s war aims and the nation's future.

Preservation is Still Possible — But Only with Immediate Action

These properties sit adjacent to Antietam National Battlefield. They are at risk of being lost if funding is not secured in time.

Every dollar contributed will be matched $2-to-$1, multiplying the impact of each gift. The opportunity is urgent: funds must be raised and in hand by year’s end.

Once acquired, plans call for restoring the land to historically accurate battlefield conditions, ensuring the story of The Final Attack at Antietam Battlefield can be told with authenticity and reverence for generations ahead. 

The Question is Not "What If?" — But "What Now?"

History often hinges on narrow margins — a delayed march, a missed opportunity, a moment seized. This is such a moment.

What happens next depends on those who understand the value of preservation. With support, this land can be protected from development and permanently conserved as part of America’s story.

Honor the past. Protect the future. Preserve the ground where history turned at The Final Attack on Antietam Battlefield by giving back today.  

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