Bavarian Inn and Antietam
August 5, 2011
At New Market we did not have time to do the tour, so we just went to the visitor's center and then walked out to see what we could of the battlefield for free. If you're not familiar with the poignant story of the VMI students, I suggest you read about it.
We headed on toward Sharpsburg, MD, and stopped at the West Virginia welcome center. Of the suggestions we got there, the most interesting sounding place to stop for lunch was in Shepherdstown. So with detailed directions we headed toward the Bavarian Inn. We had a fine German meal in the Greystone Mansion building and stayed around to take a few pictures of the other buildings and the setting on the Potomac.
We then went to Sharpsburg and toured the Antietam battlefiled, site of the first major battle on Union soil and the bloodiest day of fighting in American history. The outcome was indecisive, but since Lee withdrew first, Lincoln was able to use it as a propaganda victory, and proceded to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. It didn't actually free anyone, but it served to make the war to be about slavery rather than primarily to preserve the union.
In the afternoon Gen. Burnside's troops captured the stone bridge over Antietam Creek. They were pushed back after the arrival of A. P. Hill and his forces. It is a beautiful and peaceful setting today, as it surely was prior to the battle.
Here Joyce checks her phone in the pastoral setting.
We then headed toward Gettysburg for two nights. We arrived too late to do any battlefield touring, but we did have a very fine meal at a restaurant there.