Civil War Parks

In April the Postal Service will issue stamps commemorating the 150th anniversary of two important Civil War events, the beginning of the war and the first great land battle. National parks preserve both sites.

On September 17, 1862, savage combat at the Battle of Antietam near Sharpsburg, Maryland, yielded 23,000 casualties. This Friday, on the 148th anniversary of the battle that blunted the first Confederate invasion of the North and opened the way to the Emancipation Proclamation, an all-day guided hike at Antietam National Battlefield will give visitors a close encounter with the scenes of the action on "the bloodiest day in American history."

Sherman needed 100,000 troops to take Atlanta in 1864, and you’ll need patience and good humor today if you visit this park commemorating the Atlanta Campaign. Established as a national battlefield 92 years ago today, Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park offers many delights, despite being engulfed by urban sprawl and plagued with awful traffic.

At Vicksburg National Military Park, a Centennial Challenge project has replaced many of the monuments that honor the brave men who fought there. Unfortunately, inadequate funding and staffing continue to hamper the park’s ability to adequately care for its historic resources while telling the story of the Vicksburg Campaign, the siege of the city, and the Reconstruction period.

The First Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas) was fought near Manassas, Virginia, on July 21, 1861. The Second Battle of Bull Run (Second Manassas) was fought in the same area August 28-30, 1862. Now officials at Manassas National Battlefield Park are fighting to restore the battlefield’s historic sightlines and protect them from encroaching development.

The Battle of Gettysburg, a famously important Union victory, ended 145 years ago on July 3rd. We can more clearly appreciate what happened at Gettysburg by visiting Gettysburg National Military Park and trying to understand the battle as a human experience, not just a mammoth clash of arms.