In 2005, I visited Gettysburg and Antietam the same day. I was especially impressed with Antietam—Sharpsburg, to Southern partisans. It’s less of a tourist trap than Gettysburg, and the area doesn’t seem to have changed much since 1862. The infamous cornfield where thousands were killed is still used for growing corn.
I just love that area of the country.
My sons, a friend of theirs and I visited Antietam this past March and did the CD-Driving Tour (did a similar trip to Gettysburg last year in late February) — great trips and a great way to get an appreciation of what happened there on those monumental days. It really is amazing how these small obscure towns became such important parts of our history.
One observation: if Stonewall Jackson survived to participate at Gettysburg, I doubt Lee and the South would have made the mistakes they made there... and who knows what the outcome of the war would have been. Jackson being brought down by friendly fire — that may have been the turning point in the Civil War. JMHO.