Existing comment:
Eastward view:
On the far left -- The East Woods are the continuation of the woods seen in the painting to your left.
The burning structure to the right of it -- The Mumma Farm buildings were set ablaze by Confederates early in the morning to prevent their use by Union sharpshooters.
The horses riding to the left of center -- Gen. George McClellan, Union commander, made his only visit to the battlefield that day at about 2:00 pm.
The mountain range in the shadows in the middle rear -- South Mountain was the scene of heavy fighting three days before the battle of Antietam.
The houses in the middle -- In the fields of the Roulette Farm more than 700 soldiers were buried after the battle.
The horizontal line leading away from the Roulette Farm -- Gen. Richardson's Division was the second Union division to attack Bloody Lane.
The hill on the far right -- On Red Hill, the Union Army had a signal station.
The spread out troops on the far right -- Confederates took position in Bloody Lane, and held it against repeated attacks for nearly three hours.
The Union line on the far right, forward -- Gen. French's Division, in line of battle, was the first Union division to advance on Bloody Lane.
A Fateful Turn:
Amid the smoke, noise and confusion on the northern end of the field, Union troops turned south toward an old sunken farm lane. The rolling terrain helped hide the Southern troops until the Northerners were almost on top of them. Suddenly, the Confederates unleashed a withering fire, leading to a desperate three-hour struggle for control of what came to be known as Bloody Lane.
This painting and the one to the left form a continuous panorama of the northern and eastern portions of the battlefield. |