Antietam Remembered Trail-Stop 7

Dedication of the 20th New York Monument
Veterans of the regiment and their families return to the battlefield on the 50th Anniversary in 1912.
 
20th New York monument, dedicated in 1887, stands in the National Cemetery.
A second 20th New York monument, dedicated in 1887 to the regiment’s dead, stands in the National Cemetery.

Stop 7 - 20th New York Monument

The 20th New York Infantry was organized in New York City. Most of the recruits were recent immigrants living in New York City or Newark, New Jersey, and spoke only German. During the battle, just after 1 p.m., they charged the Confederates lined along the Hagerstown Turnpike. They drove the Southerners into the West Woods until they were abreast of the Dunker Church, the possession of which had been so fiercely contested throughout the day. They were unable to hold the ground gained and had to fall back. The regiment suffered 145 casualties, some of whom are buried in the National Cemetery. Their veterans’ association erected this monument in 1911.

Conclusion
The greatest success story in the preservation of the battlefield is the acquisition of the land where the battle took place. When the War Department transferred the battlefield to the National Park Service in 1933 it was only about 65 acres. Even as late as 1980, the battlefield was less than 600 acres. Over 60% of the battlefield has been purchased since 1990! Owning the land makes all of the other restoration efforts possible. Today over 3,000 acres are preserved for this and future generations. As you have seen from your walk, there are many ways to honor and remember the tragic and momentous events that occurred here. Placing cannons, restoring buildings, building monuments, even creating this battlefield, are all designed so that we never forget the tremendous sacrifice of those that walked this field before. You have also helped keep the memory of blue and gray alive by taking the time to walk this field — remembering Antietam.
 

Last updated: February 16, 2021

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