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South Mountain Battlefield State Park Commemorates 146th Anniversary of Civil War Battle
Special History Re-enactments & Hikes Offered Sept. 13 & 14
Boonsboro, MD — A South Mountain Battlefield State Park will commemorate the 146th anniversary of the Battle of South Mountain this weekend, September 13 and 14, through free historical re-enactments and outdoor hikes.
"We invite people to experience our history first-hand this weekend by visiting South Mountain State Battlefield, Maryland's first battlefield state park," said Al Preston, Manager of the South Mountain State Battlefield.
On Saturday and Sunday, re-enactors portraying North Carolina Regiments which fought in the battle will provide living history demonstrations. In addition to showing the life of the Civil War soldier, the re-enactors will also present drill and firing demonstrations. The programs will begin at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Sunday at the 17th Michigan Field, across from the Reno Monument in Fox's Gap.
To commemorate the anniversary day of the Battle of South Mountain, local historian and author Steven R. Stotelmyer will lead a real-time hike of the "morning field" at Fox's Gap on Sunday, September 14, starting at 9 a.m. The hike will re-trace the morning battle from the initial shots to the break in the fighting around noon and includes parts of the battlefield not normally accessible to the public, because they are located on privately-owned land. Participants should meet at the parking lot next to the Reno Monument.
The Battle of South Mountain was the first major battle of the Civil War to take place in Maryland. Fought on September 14, 1862, it happened three days before the more well-known Battle of Antietam fought on September 17, and resulted in more than 6,000 casualties. The one-day battle became a pivotal point in the Maryland Campaign, setting the stage for the Battle of Antietam, the bloodiest single day battle in American history.
Future Presidents William McKinley and Rutherford B. Hayes fought in the battle of South Mountain. Hayes was severely wounded and was taken from the field to Middletown where he recovered from his wounds.
For more information call the South Mountain Battlefield State Park office at 301-432-8065 or visit http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/western/southmountain.html.
September 11, 2008 Contact: Olivia Campbell
410-260-8016 office I 410-507-7525 cell
ocampbell@dnr.state.md.usMaryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 449,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 12 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov.