Existing comment:
Deliver Us From This Terrible War
-- Hagerstown resident Lutie Kealhofer
Sharpsburg was settled in the mid eighteenth century when tihs land was the western frontier. For years, local residents worked the land, raised families, and worshiped in peace. On one terrible Wednesday in September, the terror of battle forced the 1,300 people of Sharpsburg to take refuge in cellars, caves, and nearby churches.
Returning to their war torn farms, local citizens found extensive property damage and thousands of dead and wounded soldiers. Homes, barns and churches were converted to hospitals and needed supplies were taken for use by the army including food, clothing, blankets, and firewood. Graves replaced crops. Though no civilians were killed during the battle, many died afterward from diseases brought by 80,000 Union soldiers who stayed for six weeks. Residents comforted those searching for loved ones and guided visitors found walking across their farms trying to make sense of this battle. Amid this tragedy, the resilient people of Sharpsburg survived, endured, and rebuilt their community.
The people of Sharpsburg fled the gathering armies and returned to find:
Suffering:
More than one hundred field hospitals were established in barns, churches and woodlots to care for approximately 18,000 wounded soldiers.
Death:
Bodies were gathered for burial. About 4,000 soldiers were killed during the battle.
Destruction:
The Mumma Farm was burned to the ground for Confederate soldiers during the battle. |