Tag: ancestors at antietam

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Discovering my Antietam roots: William Campbell, 34th New York and Bennett Livingston, 13th New Jersey

Join us on September 5 as Institute member Cindy Cohrs-Brandt explores the battlefield experiences of two Union regiments at Antietam: the veteran 34th New York and the newly raised 13th New Jersey. Shaped by prior combat in the Peninsular Campaign, the 34th New York entered the battle as seasoned soldiers, while the 13th New Jersey faced its first engagement only weeks after mustering in. Each regiment confronted its own distinct challenges on the field at Antietam. Cindy’s ancestor presentation is called, Discovering my Antietam roots: William Campbell, 34th New York and Bennett Livingston, 13th New Jersey.

A native of New Jersey, Cindy’s interest in the Civil War began in childhood when she walked Pickett’s Charge with her father. That experience left a lasting impression and sparked a fascination that grew into a lifelong passion for Civil War history.

Cindy holds a BA in American History from Drew University, a Master’s in Library Science from Emory University, and a Master’s in Teaching from Montclair State University. After working as a corporate librarian, she now serves as a school librarian, where she enjoys sharing her love of history and research with her students.

Through her interest in genealogy, Cindy discovered two Civil War ancestors—one from each side of her family—deepening her personal connection to the conflict. Antietam is her favorite battlefield, where both ancestors fought in close proximity, and visiting all the battlefields where they served remains a lifelong goal.

Cindy and her husband, Wayne Brandt, visited the New Jersey state archives, and they were fortunate enough to view the battle flag of the 13th New Jersey Volunteer Infantry Regiment.

These monthly “Ancestors at Antietam” talks are free and open to the public – anyone may attend – and you do not need to register. The talks will be held at the Institute’s Education Center at 101W Main Street, Sharpsburg, beginning at 2 pm.

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Union Veterans’ Association of Maryland

Join us on Saturday, August 1, to learn about the Union Veterans’ Association of Maryland by Institute member and relic collector, Kevin Boyer. The Union Veterans’ Association of Maryland was a Civil War veteran’s organization unique to this state. The presentation will discuss the history, badges, ribbons, and ephemera of this group. Several Maryland soldiers (who participated in the Maryland Campaign) whose likeness is shown on some of the UVA of MD badges will be highlighted during the talk.

Howard (Kevin) Boyer grew up surrounded by the history and places of the Maryland Campaign. This fostered an ardent interest in the Civil War and local history. He began collecting Civil War artifacts and ephemera at an early age. Kevin graduated from Boonsboro High School and attended Hagerstown Junior College and the University of Maryland at College Park. He retired in 2021 from Mack Trucks in Hagerstown, MD. Following retirement, he became an Antietam Ambassador at Antietam National Battlefield, a member of the Antietam Institute, and a docent at the Boonsboro Museum of History.

These monthly “Ancestors at Antietam” talks are free and open to the public – anyone may attend – and you do not need to register. The talks will be held at the Institute’s Education Center at 101W Main Street, Sharpsburg, beginning at 2 pm.

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Henry Vincent and the Danville Fencibles: the 132nd PA Vol Inf at Antietam

My interest in the American Civil War and the Battle of Antietam in particular occurred many years ago when I was told the story of a young man named Henry. In August of 1862, Henry, who was from Montour County, Pennsylvania answered President Abraham Lincoln’s call for 300,000 nine-month militia. Henry enlisted in the ‘Danville Fencibles’ which was comprised of men mostly from the Danville Iron Works. Before the end of the month they were mustered into service as Company A, 132nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment and in defensive works outside Washington.

With General Robert E. Lee’s Confederate invasion into Maryland, they were quickly assigned to Brigadier General Nathan Kimball’s First Brigade, 3rd Division, Second Army Corps, alongside three veteran regiments. In just over a week’s time Henry and the 132nd Pennsylvania would receive their ‘baptism of fire’ fighting for a Sunken Road among the fields and farmsteads that reminded them so much of home.

Henry survived the battle at Antietam as well as the battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville unscathed. After being mustered out, he returned home to Danville to become a successful businessman, farmer, and family man. This story was passed down to me through the generations, as Henry Vincent was my great-great-grandfather.

Join us on July 4, as Antietam Institute founder and battlefield guide, Chris Vincent, shares the story of his “Ancestor at Antietam” in his presentation – Henry Vincent and the Danville Fencibles: the 132nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry at Antietam.

Christopher Vincent retired after a 24-year career in the U.S. Army as a senior non-commissioned officer with light infantry units, including combat tours during Operation Desert Storm and Kosovo with the 10th Mountain Division. He earned a master’s degree in military history from the American Military University. Chris was drawn to Sharpsburg because his great-great-grandfather served during the Maryland Campaign with the 132nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment. He and his wife, Amy, also own two businesses in Sharpsburg, the Jacob Rohrbach Inn and the Antietam Mercantile Company. Chris serves as the chair of the Washington County Antietam Battlefield Advisory Board. His research is primarily focused on the farmsteads of Antietam and the impact the campaign had on the civilians of Sharpsburg. Chris was certified as an Antietam National Battlefield Guide in 2015 and has served as the Chief Guide since 2019. He was recognized as the Guide of the Year, receiving the 2017 O.T. Reilly Award, and is the recipient of the National Park Service’s 2022 Hartzog Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service. Chris was the founder of the Antietam Institute and president from 2021-2025 and is currently the Executive Director of the Institute.

These monthly “Ancestors at Antietam” talks are free and open to the public – anyone may attend – and you do not need to register. The talks will be held at the Institute’s Education Center at 101W Main Street, Sharpsburg, beginning at 2 pm.

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“They have killed me boys but stand by your guns!” Lt. Samuel McBride Pringle and Garden’s Battery in the Final Assault at Antietam

Drawing on decades of research in original letters, diaries, and archival records, this presentation tells the story of Lieutenant Samuel McBride Pringle, set within the decisive stand of Captain Hugh R. Garden’s Palmetto Light Artillery during the Final Assault at Antietam. Under devastating Union fire across Antietam Creek, Garden’s Battery held Cemetery Hill until A. P. Hill’s arrival turned the tide. Mortally wounded, Pringle—great-great-uncle of the presenter—attempted to rise three times before being carried from the field, calling to his men, “They have killed me, boys, but stand by your guns!” Join us Saturday, June 6, as Institute member, Susie Ingles shares the story of her ancestor during her talk called, “They have killed me boys but stand by your guns!” Lt. Samuel McBride Pringle and Garden’s Battery in the Final Assault at Antietam

Susie Ingles is a legal aid lawyer in Greenville, South Carolina, practicing consumer protection law.  She obtained a B.A. in History from Clemson University and her law degree from the University of South Carolina. She has spent many years researching and eventually writing the story of her great, great uncle, Confederate 1st Lieutenant Samuel McBride Pringle, the namesake of her father and brother, who was mortally wounded at the Battle of Antietam. She has traced his life through his original letters preserved by her family from his college years at Furman University in Greenville, through the 1st and 2nd Battles of Bull Run, and finally Antietam, where he was mortally wounded, then on to Winchester, Virginia, where he ultimately died and was laid to rest.

These monthly “Ancestors at Antietam” talks are free and open to the public – anyone may attend – and you do not need to register. The talks will be held at the Institute’s Education Center at 101W Main Street, Sharpsburg, beginning at 2 pm.

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Virginia Mumma Hildebrand: The 70 Year Journey of the Antietam Remembered Manuscript

Virginia Mumma Hildebrand (1901–1982) grew up in Sharpsburg, Maryland. Virginia’s grandfather was Samuel Mumma Jr. (1838–1925), and her grandmother was Frances Reichard Mumma (1844–1883). Virginia’s great-grandfather was Samuel Mumma Sr. (1800–1876), and great-grandmother was Elizabeth Miller Mumma (1816–1886), owners of the Mumma farm in the middle of the battlefield.
The September 17, 1862, Battle of Antietam destroyed Samuel and Elizabeth Mumma’s family of ten’s home, barn, outbuildings, crops, and all of their personal property, save a few personal items and the clothes they were wearing when they evacuated.
Over her lifetime, Virginia Mumma Hildebrand listened to stories from family members and residents of Sharpsburg who were present during the battle. In her youth, she attended reunions held on the battlefield by past combatants from the North and South and listened to and recorded their stories. Many of these veterans convalesced from horrible wounds and illnesses in local homes and field hospitals for months and formed lifelong friendships with residents.
Between 1956 and 1960, Virginia developed a draft manuscript for a new book called “Antietam Remembered” with plans to release it in time for the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Antietam held August 31 through September 17, 1962. Unfortunately, after five years’ work and bringing the manuscript to near completion, she took ill, and a series of circumstances left the work unpublished.
Despite her best efforts, her manuscript was never formally published as a finished work. One bound copy of the 1959 draft resides in the Western Maryland Room of the Washington County Free Library in Hagerstown, Maryland. In 2024, Virginia’s grandson Michael Hildebrand took on the task of updating and completing Antietam Remembered.

Join us on Saturday, May 2, as Institute member, Michael Hildebrand, discusses how his grandmother, Virginia, researched and prepared her original manuscript, and how he brought new life to Virginia’s original work after seventy years. He will provide an overview of the voices used to tell the story of Antietam in first and second person accounts and share some stories told in the book, Antietam Remembered.

Mr. Michael Hildebrand had a fifty-one-year career in hazardous materials emergency planning and response. During his career, he held professional positions with the National Transportation Safety Board, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, and the American Petroleum Institute. He was a successful consultant for 27 years, completing more than 700 emergency planning and response projects throughout the United States and internationally.
Michael is an experienced technical writer and has worked on 18 different textbook projects. He is the co-author of six textbooks currently in print on emergency response, including Hazardous Materials: Managing the Incident, 5th edition (2024), now in its 37th year of continuous print.
Michael grew up in Hagerstown, Maryland, and spent many days visiting Sharpsburg, the Antietam Battlefield, and hunting relics on the Mumma family farm. He is a self-described Civil War history buff.

These monthly “Ancestors at Antietam” talks are free and open to the public – anyone may attend – and you do not need to register. The talks will be held at the Institute’s Education Center at 101W Main Street, Sharpsburg, beginning at 2 pm.

Categories
Programs

“Rediscovering William” Lt. William Alden Horton and the 16th Connecticut at Antietam

Our First Saturday programs are back, and this year’s theme is “Ancestors at Antietam”. We’ve invited several Institute members who had ancestors who fought at Antietam, or have unique connections with Sharpsburg, to tell us a little about their ancestor and/or their experiences. Join us on April 4, to hear Laurie Buckler Mack share the story of her ancestor called, “Rediscovering William” Lt. William Alden Horton and the 16th Connecticut at Antietam“

Laurie is a native of Maryland and lived in the Boston area before moving back to Maryland and settling in Annapolis. Laurie has a BA in English and AA in Veterinary Technology and has enjoyed a second career as a RVT at a Veterinary Surgical Referral practice for the last 25 years. She grew up in the suburbs of Washington DC surrounded by references to the American Civil War: Attending Walt Whitman High School, learning to drive on the Clara Barton Parkway and taking endless trips across the Potomac River on the Jubal Early at White’s Ferry are just a few. Her father Don was a huge history buff and loved to talk about family history, reminding Laurie that she had an ancestor who was killed at Antietam. Laurie was finally able to visit Antietam during Covid in August of 2020, sparking an interest in the Maryland Campaign, Lt. William Alden Horton, and the 16th Connecticut. Laurie is currently a member of the Jamestowne Society, the Maryland Mayflower Society, Society of New England Women, Daughters of the American Revolution, National Society United States Daughters of 1812, Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War and the New England Historic Genealogical Society. Hobbies include fulfilling Find-a-Grave requests, exploring historical sites, and reading.

These monthly talks are free and open to the public – anyone may attend – and you do not need to register. The talks will be held at the Institute’s Education Center at 101W Main Street, Sharpsburg, beginning at 2 pm.