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 Maryland State Monument (1904 - 2011) - Sharpsburg, MD
N 39° 28.557 W 077° 44.763
18S E 263798 N 4373195
This penny postcard was created just after the installation and dedication of this monument in 1900 and provides a look at what the park looked like in its early years
Waymark Code: WMCA5N
Location: Maryland, United States
Date Posted: 08/15/2011
Views: 5
The postcard provides a scenic, landscaped view of the monument in its early days and looks almost exactly the same today with the exception of a variation in the surrounding trees. The monument is alone in a large grassy area with no obstructions so getting pictures of every imaginable angle was quite easy. I stood with my back facing old Hagerstown Pike and faced northeast, about 30 feet away, with the monument 'front' facing southwest and Dunker Church. My picture was taken Wednesday, August 10, 2011 @ 5:11 PM (EST) at an elevation of 494 feet ASL whilst on Summer Break from teaching. I used my General Electric 10.1 megapixel model # A1050 digital camera. The 1904, public domain postcard can be found HERE.
From another waymark about this monument:
*** For the complete picture gallery of this monument, please visit HERE.
The gazebo/monument faces the Hagerstown Turnpike and is across from the Dunker Church. The Maryland State Monument was dedicated on May 30, 1900. The keynote speaker was President William McKinley, a veteran of the battle. There are a total of 10 Monuments and Markers dedicated to Union and Confederate Maryland troops. This is the only monument at Antietam dedicated to both sides. Some of the highlights of this amazing monument is a beautiful statue of an allegorical woman up top, 4 bronze relief sculptures featuring various scenes of the Battle of Antietam, and multiple bronze plaques inside.
The SIRIS site describes it as a granite gazebo with a domed copper roof topped by a copper figure of female standing on a globe. She is dressed in long robes and holds a wreath and a sword in front of her. The interior of the gazebo features four rectangular bronze relief plaques depicting battle scenes: the Wolcotts, the first Maryland Battery at Antietam; the Fifth Maryland closing in upon Roulette's Barns and House; Brockenbrough's Maryland Battery repelling a charge at Antietam; and the charge of the Second Maryland on Burnside Bridge. [This description is actually in error, the relief plaques are on the exterior and not the interior as described here].
The monument was dedicated on May 30, 1900 by the State of Maryland, rededicated Sept. 2, 1962 and rededicated again in 1989. The female figure is made of copper; the various reliefs are of bronze and the gazebo is of granite. The female figure is approximately 10 feet in height, with a width of 2.5 feet. The reliefs are approximately 2 ft. x 3 ft. x 1 1/2 inches and the gazebo is approximately 30 x 15 x 15 feet.
The various descriptions read:
Baltimore
Light Artillery, C.S.A.
Organized at Richmond, Va.
August 17, 1861
Battles engaged in: Harpers
Ferry; Winchester; Front
Royal; Cross Keys; Port
Republic; Woodstock; Gaines'
Mills; Malvern Hill; Bristoe
Station; Cunningham's Ford;
Groveton; Rappahannock;
Second Mannassas; Antietam;
Yellow Tavern; Carlisle;
Gettysburg; Culpepper C.H.;
Mine Run; Brandy Station;
Chambersburg; Leestown;
Frederick; OldTown;
Waynesboro; Maurytown.
Officers
Captain John B. Brockenbrough
Captain William G. Griffin
Lieut. William B. Beam
Lieut. John McNulty
Lieut. James T. Wilhelm
Lieut. John W. Goodman
Purnell Legion, Maryland
Infantry, U.S.A.
Organized at Pikesville,
Maryland, October 1861>
Mustered out October 24, 1864.
Battles engaged in: Harpers
Ferry, Catlett's Station;
Chantilly; South Mountain;
Antietam; Harpers Ferry,
July 27, 1863; Shady grove;
Bethesda Church; Cold
Harbor; Petersburg, June 18,
1864; Seige of Petersburg;
Weldon Railroad; Popular
Grove Church; Chapel
House; Peeble's Farm.
Field Officers
Colonel William H. Purnell
Colonel William J. Leonard
Colonel Samuel A. Graham
Lieut. Col. John G. Johannes
Lieut. Col. Benjamin L. Simpson
Major William J. Taylor
Major William T. Fulton
Major Robert G. King
"Wolcott's" Battery "A"
8 Guns, First Maryland
Light Artillery, U.S.A.
Organized at Baltimore, and
Pikesville, Md., Aug. 1861.
Re-enlisted and Veteranized
Jan. 1, 1864 Mustered
out March 11, 1865.
Battles engaged in: Seven
Days Fighting Before Richmond;
Deep Bottom; Second Bull
Run; Crampton's Gap;
Antietam; Frederickburg;
Marye's Heights; Salem
Heights; Gettsyburg.
Officers
Captain John W. Wolcott
Captain James H. Rigby
1st Lieut. Thomas Binyon
1st Lieut. Lowell A. Chamberlain
2nd Lieut. Edgar G. Taylor
2nd Lieut. Frank I. Witcher
2nd Lieut. Augustine McIntire
2nd Lieut. John F. Daneker
Fifth Regiment Maryland
Infantry, U.S.A.
Organized at Baltimore, MD
September 12, 1861
Re-enlisted and Veteranized
January 1, 1864, mustered out
September 1, 1865.
Battles engaged in: Antietam;
Charlestown, Va.; Winchester,
Va.; June 13, 14, 15,1863;
Stephenson's Depot; Siege
of Petersburg; Battle of
the Crater; Fort Harrison;
Siege of Richmond, 1864;
Fair Oaks, October 27, 1864;
Occupation of Richmond,
April 3, 1865.
Field Officers
Colonel William Louis Schley
Colonel William W. Bamberger
Lieut. Col. John G. Holland
Lieut. Col. Charles A. Holton
Lieut. Col. Salome Marsh
Lieut. Col. Stephen P. Heath
Major Leopold Blumenburg
Major William H. Irving
Major Henry G. Graham
First Maryland (Dement's)
Battery C.S.A.
Organized at Fredericksburg,
Va. July 1861.
Battles engaged in:
Mechanicsville; Gaines Mills;
Malvern Hill; Groveton;
Manassas; Harpers Ferry;
Antietam; Fredericksburg,
December, 1862, Mar. 1863;
Gettysburg; Locust Grove;
Payne's Farm; Cold
Harbor; Petersburg;
Appomattox.
Officers
Captin R. Snowden Andrews
Captain William F. Dement
Lieutenant John Gale
Lieutenant Hill
Third Regiment Maryland
Infantry, U.S.A.
Organized at Baltimore, Md., June,
1861 Re-enlisted and Veteranized
February 1, 1864 Mustered out
July 31, 1865.
Battles engaged in: Cedar
Mountain; Antietam; Chancell
orsville; Gettysburg;
Wilderness; Spotsylvania;
North Anna; Cold Harbor;
Petersburg; Battle of the
Crater; Poplar Springs Church;
Assault on Petersburg,
April 3, 1865.
Field Officers
Colonel John C. McConnell.
Colonel David R. DeWitt.
Colonel Joseph M. Sudsburg.
Lieut. Col. Gilbert R. Robinson.
Major William B. Kennedy.
Major Samuel Kramer
Battery B. (Snow's)
First Maryland Light
Artillery, U.S.A.
Organized at Port Deposit,
Maryland, August 30, 1861.
re-enlisted and Veteranized
January 1, 1864.
Mustered out July 3, 1865
Battles engaged in: New
Bridge; Seven Days Fighting
Before Richmond, 1862;
Antietam; Fredericksburg;
December, 1862, May 1863;
New Market; Piedmond;
Lynchburg; Salem, Va.;
Hanging Rock Gap
Officers
Captain Alonzo Snow
Captain Lucius A. Gerry
1st Lieut. Theodore J. Vanneman
1st Lieut. James H. Kidd
2nd Lieut. John M. Bullock
2nd Lieut. Leonard S. Parker
2nd lieut. William Taylor
2nd Lieut. Enos T. Hall
Second Regiment Maryland
Infantry, U.S.A.
Organized at Baltimore, Md., June
1861 Re-enlisted and Veteranized
January 1, 1864 Mustered out
July 25, 1865.
Battled engaged in: Groveton;
Bull Run; Chantilly; South Mountain;
Antietam; Fredericksburg; Blue
Springs; Campbell's Station; Siege
of Knoxville; Spotsylvania; Totopotomoy;
Cold Harbor; Petersburg;
Battle of the Crater; Siege of
Petersburg; Weldon Railroad; Pop-
lar Springs Church; Hatcher's Run;
Assault of Petersburg.
Commanding & Field Officers
Colonel John Sommers, Oct. 8, 1861
to April 21, 1862 ,
Brevet Brig. Gen. J. Eugene Duryee
to September 22, 1862
Colonel Thomas B. Allard
to January 19, 1864.
Lieut. Colonel Henry Howard,
to July 30, 1864
Brevet Colonel Benjamin F. Taylor,
To July 25, 1865
Major David P. DeWitt.
Major Andrew B. Brunner.
Major James H. Wilson
Antietam
Battlefield Commision of Maryland
Benjamin F. Taylor, Second Maryland Infanty, U.S.A.
Joseph M. Sudsburg, Third Maryland Inafantry, U.S.A.
George R. Graham, Fifth Maryland Infantry, U.S.A.
William Gibson, Purnell Legion, Maryland Infantry, U.S.A.
William H. Parker, Battery "A" First Md. Light Artillery, U.S.A.
Theodore J. Vanneman, Battery "B" First Md. Light Artillery, U.S.A.
Henry Kyd Douglas, Staff Gen. Thomas J. Jackson, C.S.A.
Osmun Latrobe, Staff Gen. James Longstreet, C.S.A.
William F. Dement, First Maryland Battery, C.S.A.
Lloyd Lowndes, Governor of Maryland
Erected by
the State of Maryland
to her Sons,
Who on this field offered
their lives in maintenance
of their Principles
The granite gazebo is also a contributing structure to the Antietam National Battlefield Historic District. The Maryland State Monument is significant under Criterion A because of its association with the commemoration of the Battle of Antietam. The monuments and markers at Antietam represent a wide sampling of late 19th and early 20th century military memorialization from the period when such monumentation was in its heyday. The monument is referred to as structure number 035.
The Maryland State Monument was listed on the National Register on October 15, 1966, with a confirmation National Register form updated and approved by the Keeper on February 10, 1982.
From the nomination form:
Short Physical Description
The Maryland State Monument is located on the southeast side of the Smoketown Rd/Old Hagerstown Pike intersection. It is an octagonal granite pavilion, with an 8-column arcade supporting a copper domed roof. Four bronze tablets depict battle scenes and 8 bronze tablets bear informational text.
The Maryland State Monument is located on the southeast side of the intersection of Smoketown Road and Old Hagerstown Pike. It is an octagonal granite pavilion with a two-step base, eight column arcade, and copper dome. The monument stands a total of 40' tall.
The two-step rough-cut granite base measures about 15' wide and supports eight columns that form an arcade. Four sets of steps lead up to the platform, alternating with four bronze bas-reliefs placed on granite blocks around the arcade. The bas-reliefs depict battle scenes. On the opposite side of the granite blocks, in the interior of the pavilion, four pairs of bronze tablets describe the Maryland units and troops.
Long Physical Description
The columns have composite capitals, and the spandrels of the arcade are decorated with bronze ornaments of crossed flags with circular medallions in the center. Directly below the pediment, the names of all the Maryland military units have been carved in relief. Above the pediment is the copper dome. At the top of the dome is a bronze female figure standing on a globe, encircled with a band of stars, holding a sword and wreath down at her waist.
The monument is surrounded by a brick walkway and a granite bench which curves a portion of the way around the monument. New stainless steel framework constructed as part of contract to repair monument in 2005. Monument rededicated by state in June 2006.
My Source
1. NRHP Nomination Form
2. SIRIS
3. Stone Sentinels
4. Virtual Antietam
5. Historical Marker Database
Physical Address:
Antietam National Battlefield
Across from Dunker Church; Old Hagerstown Pike
Sharpsburg, MD USA
21782
Description of Postcard Location:
This is a picture of the Maryland State Monument located to the left of the present-day visitor center. To my rear was the Dunker Church and Old Hagerstown Pike. I faced northeast when I snapped my photo as did the creator of the postcard.
Parking Coordinates: N 39° 28.438 W 077° 44.710
Related Web Site: Not listed
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