We are pleased to announce that our Membership Incentive Book for 2026 will be McClellan in Command: The Maryland and Virginia Campaigns of September to November 1862 by Marion V. Armstrong, Jr.
What did George B. McClellan truly know—and when did he know it?
Drawing on a career that began in a Vietnam-era tactical operations center and matured in the archives of the Civil War, Marion V. Armstrong offers a groundbreaking reexamination of the Army of the Potomac’s leadership during the tumultuous months of the Maryland Campaign and afterwards. Inspired by the “Commander’s Reading File” system used in modern military headquarters—and echoed in Abraham Lincoln’s own hours spent poring over dispatches in the War Department Telegraph Office—McClellan in Command reconstructs, day by day, hour by hour, the flow of messages into and out of McClellan’s Army of the Potomac field headquarters.
By reassembling telegrams, dispatches, and other communications from the Official Records, McClellan’s Papers, and other primary sources into strict chronological order, Armstrong places readers beside the general himself, seeing each operational dilemma as he saw it. This innovative method reveals not only McClellan’s campaign and battlefield decision-making but also the increasingly political character of his command in the weeks during and following the Maryland Campaign.
Unlike most accounts, McClellan in Command does not end at Antietam. Instead, Armstrong follows McClellan through the quiet but consequential interlude before the Virginia Campaign of late October—and to his final removal on November 7, 1862. Periodic “Reality Check” sections illuminate Confederate actions across the lines, providing essential context without shifting focus from McClellan as army commander.
Comprehensive, original, and meticulously researched, McClellan in Command adds new depth to the story of the autumn of 1862 and offers a fresh lens through which to understand one of the Civil War’s most controversial leaders.
Marion V. Armstrong Jr. (Vince) is a Civil War author, particularly known for his detailed studies on the Battle of Antietam. He is the author of Unfurl Those Colors!: McClellan, Sumner, and the Second Army Corps in the Antietam Campaign and Opposing the Second Corps at Antietam: The Fight for the Confederate Left and Center on America’s Bloodiest Day. His books offer an in-depth operational analysis of Union and Confederate leadership and tactics at the battle, and provide fresh reappraisals of commanders like Edwin Vose Sumner.
A retired U.S. Army Reserve officer and Vietnam veteran, Vince brings a valuable military perspective to his historical writing. He resides in Lewisburg, TN, and teaches history as an adjunct professor at Middle Tennessee State University.
For several years, the Antietam Institute has been committed to supporting the Town of Sharpsburg in its efforts to develop an interpretive plaza in the green space at the corner of Main and Church Streets. Each year, we have made a $2,000 annual contribution for this project.
This year, construction on the park began in earnest, and by Memorial Day, 75% had been completed. The final piece of the park was the installation of interpretive waysides to tell the story of Sharpsburg and the people who have lived there.
Before the installation could begin, the waysides had to be developed. Because of our staunch support of the project since the beginning, the Sharpsburg Mayor and Town Council asked the Institute to help with this undertaking. After an initial concept meeting to develop some themes, we formed a committee of several members to begin formulating these themes and ideas into six distinctive waysides.
The committee included: John Schildt, Steve Cowie, Timothy Snyder, Robert Nill, Jim Buchanan, and Chris Vincent. The committee did an excellent job gathering stories, first-hand accounts, and photos for each panel. By July, the town approved the six draft panels, and they were off to Chris Brown, the Executive Director of Civil War Trails (CWT) for review and development. Civil War Trails, Inc. also collaborates with small parks, museums, and communities to share their history, topics, and sites by providing unique research and development expertise, along with high-quality materials.
To help draw interest to the historical park through the marketing of CWT, one of the six waysides was selected to be a Civil War Trails sign and the Antietam Institute took on the sponsorship and annual membership of that sign. This is the second CWT sign the Institute has sponsored in the Town of Sharpsburg.
Despite the frigid, wet weather, Chris Brown and his CWT crew installed the six waysides at the park the first week of December, just in time for the 35th Memorial Illumination.
The six waysides at the park are:
1- The Piper House: A Historic Connection to the Antietam Battlefield. Refers to the Piper house across the street, the Piper family, and the connection to the battlefield that so many Sharpsburg families had.
2- Canals and Turnpikes Fuel the Economic Growth. Discusses the C&O Canal and the turnpikes that intersect at Sharpsburg, which spurred economic growth of the town.
3- Sharpsburg Architecture and Prominent Citizens. Talks about some of the unique buildings in town and residents like Dr. A. A. Biggs, O.T. Reilly, and Dr. Hal Shealy.
4- Returning Veterans and Remembrance. Shows the connection between veterans returning to Sharpsburg after the war and the tradition of the Sharpsburg Memorial Day parade.
5- Sharpsburg and the Battle. Focuses on the civilians in town, specifically the Adam Michael family, whose house is across the street from the park, and the hardships caused. (Civil War Trails wayside)
6- Sharpsburg and the Civil War. Shares stories of several residents who were caught up in the war, like Barney Houser, Thomas Grove, Judge David Smith, and Jacob Rohrbach.
One final vertical interpretive panel will be added in the spring that will include the founding of the town in 1763 by Joseph Chapline, a timeline of key events, and a map of Sharpsburg. The Sharpsburg Historical Park is a much-needed resource to tell the amazing story of Sharpsburg and its residents and will help interpret this chapter of the Maryland Campaign and the Civil War.
We want to thank the committee members for sharing their time, effort, and knowledge on this project. Thanks to Chris Brown and Civil War Trails for their hard work and commitment in sharing the stories of civilians, soldiers, and communities. More importantly, we would like to thank the Town of Sharpsburg, Mayor Russ Weaver, and Vice Mayor Jacob Martz for the opportunity to support this project and promote the town’s history. We look forward to our continuing partnership with Civil War Trails and the Town of Sharpsburg.
The 2025 Antietam Institute Fall Conference is in the books, and this year is one to remember. Taking place from October 3rd to the 5th, over 100 Institute members came out to learn, share knowledge, and network.
On Day One, we all came together at Shepherd University to hear four different lectures from some of the most sought-after and insightful voices from the Maryland Campaign community.
This year’s theme was “Beyond the Battle: Civilians, Casualties, and Remembering the Bloodiest Day in American History”.
Tracey McIntyre, Lead Educator with the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, kicked off the event with her presentation “One Vast Hospital”: The Advances of Medical Care Before and During the Maryland Campaign. (Click here or photo to watch the talk)
Next, author and historian Steven Stotelmyer discussed the casualties of the battle and how the army’s proximity in the following months affected the local community. Steve’s talk was called, “A Most Disagreeable Task: Burial of the Dead” (Click here or photo to watch the talk)
Due to a last-minute cancellation, renowned historian John Schildt was asked to fill in for the scheduled speaker. With less than two days to prepare, John thrilled the audience with a first-person account of Abraham Lincoln’s visit to Sharpsburg after the battle of Antietam. What a legend. Thank you for stepping up to help John by presenting “Lincoln’s visits Antietam”. (Click here or the photo to watch the talk)
After dinner, it was time for the keynote speaker of the event. Author and historian Steve Cowie presented a point of view of the battle from the perspective of the families who lived on what would become the battlefield of Antietam. These stories of hardship, loss, and terror really summed up the overall theme of the event and brought home to all of those who were in attendance the cost of war for not only the soldiers who fought and died, but the American families who hosted these battles and lost everything in the process. (Click here or photo to watch the talk)
DAY 2 The speakers from Day One left everyone excited for the next two days of traveling the battlefield and surrounding areas. With the theme of the event being casualties and civilians, Days Two and Three focused on hospitals, homesteads, and headquarters. Members were split into three groups, with Chris Vincent, Dr. Tom Clemens, and Dana Shoaf taking turns to show each group various places in and around Sharpsburg.
“Courage Under Fire: The Impact of Antietam on the Civilians of Sharpsburg” – Dr. Tom Clemens, president of the Save Historic Antietam Foundation (SHAF) walked the group around Sharpsburg, giving insightful information on some of the important buildings in town and discussing SHAF and their preservation efforts. This included a walkthrough of historic structures that the general public does not have access to.
One of the highlights of the Sharpsburg tour for me personally was the Kretzer cellar, where at least 75 people hid during the battle for safety. Theresa Kretzer hid in this cellar with her family and other members of the community, and more importantly, she wrote about the experience so we could all have a record of events on the day of the battle from a non-military perspective.
This was a wonderful opportunity for Institute members to see what they are helping to preserve. Thank you to Tom and the wonderful people at SHAF for their support.
“Ravages of War: Farmsteads of Antietam” – Next, Antietam Institute Executive Director Chris Vincent took the groups on a tour of the homesteads that dot the battlefield. These stops included the Joseph Poffenberger Farm, the Roulette Farm, the Piper Farm, and the Mumma Farm. Chris provided insight into the history and hardships that these families had to endure during and after the battle. It was a real eye-opener. Thank you, Chris,
“”Thousands of poor, suffering dying men”: Hospitals of Antietam” – Last but not least, Dana Shoaf, Director of Interpretation at the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, led the groups to the various Union hospitals that popped up all around the area in the wake of this terrible battle. Starting with Locust Spring Hospital, which was a Ninth Corps Hospital after the battle, and a rare treat for most of the group, since this location is on private property.
Next, we were off to the Samuel Pry Mill, which served as one of the earliest field hospitals during the battle.
Our last stop of the day was a real treat as the Institute was granted access to the Jacob Cost Farm. This is quite possibly the first field hospital during the battle where the first amputation of the battle is said to have happened. The owner of this private property was generous enough to allow us access to the inside of his home, which was a wonderful example of preservation. Even the old smokehouse is preserved along with the turnstile used to rotate the smoked meats.
Both the Pry Mill and the Cost Farm are north of the battlefield near the Upper Bridge, where the First and Twelfth Corps crossed the Antietam on the 16th of September 1862.
After meeting for dinner back at Shepherd, the group had a special presentation as retired Park Ranger Keith Snyder gave our members an exciting behind-the-scenes look at the making of the new Antietam Visitor Center film that he helped to create. Thanks Keith.
DAY 3 Day Three saw more gorgeous weather in western Maryland and more field excursions. The group met at Ferry Hill, the childhood home of Henry Kidd Douglas, and was split in half and divided our time between Dennis Fry and Kevin Pawlak.
“Following Lincoln’s Footsteps” – Dennis Frye, retire NPS historian took the group on a tour of the army headquarters for the Army of the Potomac in Maryland after the battle, and discussed President Abraham Lincoln’s visit to the area days after signing the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. Starting at the Grove Farm. This was the headquarters of Fritz John Porter, of the Fifth Corps after the battle. The famous photo showing Lincoln with his officers was taken here.
Next, we were off to General Burnside’s Headquarters immediately following the battle. President Lincoln paid a visit to General Burnside at this house in early October 1862.
If you are going to visit General Burnside’s Headquarters, you have to see General McClellan’s Headquarters while you are in the area, so Dennis took us to the site where the famous photo of Lincoln and McClellan in the General’s tent was photographed.
“Shepherdstown: One Vast Hospital” – After touring around with Dennis, the groups swapped guides, and Kevin Pawlak took us on a tour of Shepherdstown. This tour took the group on a walking trail around Shepherdstown, where Kevin pointed out all of the buildings in town that were temporarily used as Confederate hospitals following the battle.
After three days of fantastic presentations, guided tours under amazing weather, and access to buildings rarely seen by the public, it was time to say goodbye and end the Fall Conference.
We did have a chance to talk to a few of the members to get their thoughts on the conference and what they enjoyed about it. Thanks to members William Brian, Paige Troiano, Will Blaney, Michael Diener and Ricardo Valdez for a quick interview.
Everyone was tired, but happy, with smiles all around. With the exchange of hugs, handshakes, and promises to see each other again soon, we departed the event with a new understanding and appreciation for Sharpsburg and its citizens during the Bloodiest Day in American History. Thank you to the Antietam Institute for letting me tag along.
All the locations visited off the Antietam National Battlefield are privately owned. We want to thank each of the property owners for allowing the Antietam Institute to share the story of the civilians and the hardships they faced after the bloodiest day in American history.
This review, the photos, and the videos of the Fall Conference were provided by Institute member Ernie Chase.
Ernest Chase (Ernie) is a commercial trainer in the heating and cooling industry, having travelled to 49 states and three countries over his 31-year career. He continues to instruct technicians in Maryland and the surrounding area, having moved to Sharpsburg in 2024. Ernie is an amateur historian and is actively learning from those who know the Maryland campaign inside and out. He joined the institute in 2024 and volunteers his spare time as a filmographer, helping to bring what we do to remote audiences who could not personally attend our events.
We sat down with some of the contributors of the Commanders of Antietam to give us a little insight in to they commanders the wrote about. We asked the contributors several questions during these interviews. One – what got them particularly interested in the commander they choose to write about. We asked about the commanders background before the Maryland Campaign, how important was this commander’s role in the Maryland Campaign or the Battle of Antietam, and finally to summarize this commander’s career after the battle and his life after the Civil War.
We want to thank institute members, Ernie Chase and Will Blaney (Chase History) for volunteering to conduct the interviews and for turning them into these first-rate video productions providing us with a behind the scenes look at the Commanders of Antietam.
We kicked off the interviews with Institute President and author of Artillery at Antietam, James Rosebrock. Jim wrote about the artillery commanders for the book and choose to provide a little more insight on Captain Dunbar Ransom.
Historian and author, Matthew Borders talks about Confederate commander Robert Ransom, Jr. and his role at Antietam and the Civil War.
Author and guide, Joe Stahl talks about Colonel William Christian and what happened to him at the Battle of Antietam.
Historian and author, Steven Stotelmyer discusses the life of Major General Jesse Lee Reno.
Historian and author, Sharon Murray talks about Confederate commander Colonel Thomas Munford.
Historian and author, Matthew Borders talks about Union commander George Sears Greene and his role during the Civil War and extortionary engineering career before and after.
Historian and author, James Rosebrock discusses the role of Colonel Stephen D. Lee at Antietam and his career.
Author and guide, Joe Stahl talks about Confederate Colonel Alfred Colquitt.
More contributor interview videos will be add both here and our YouTube channel as they are completed
Once prominently defined as the “Hero of Gettysburg,” General George G. Meade is often obscured by generals deeply embedded into the Civil War narrative–Grant, Sherman, and Sheridan or Lee and Jackson. This program will explore Meade’s role in the Civil War, starting with his appointment as a brigade commander in the Pennsylvania Reserves to his rise as commander of the Army of the Potomac, the North’s principal instrument of war. We will discuss Meade’s leadership during the Gettysburg Campaign, how Grant’s arrival to the Eastern Theater in March 1864 impacted Meade’s place in the army’s hierarchy, and some of the challenges that Meade faced as commander of the Army of the Potomac. Be sure to join us on August 18, as Dr. Jen Murray presents – Meade at War: General George Meade and the Army of the Potomac, 1861-1865
Dr. Jen Murray
Dr. Jennifer M. Murray is an Assistant Professor of History at Shepherd University and the Director of the George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War. Her most recent publication is On A Great Battlefield: The Making, Management, and Memory of Gettysburg National Military Park, 1933-2023, published by the University of Tennessee Press in 2014 and printed as a second edition in 2023. Murray is currently working on a full-length biography of General George Meade, tentatively titled Meade at War. She is the co-editor of the forthcoming, “They Are Dead, And Yet They Live”: Civil War Memories in a Polarized America to be published by the University of Nebraska Press in February 2026. Prior to joining the faculty at Shepherd, Murray taught at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. A native of Maryland, Murray worked as a seasonal interpretive park ranger at Gettysburg National Military Park for nine summers.
Come join leading historians and scholars as they discuss intriguing topics about their latest works and research on the Maryland Campaign and the Civil War during our Civil War Summer Lecture Series. See the complete 2025 schedule.
These indoors programs are held in McKinley Hall at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Monday evenings at 7:00 p.m. The church is located at 209W Main Street with a small parking area off the alley. More parking is available on Main and Hall Streets. These lectures free and open to the public. Each week we hold a drawing in which the proceeds support the Save Historic Antietam Foundation. Be sure to check our Facebook page for updates and changes to the schedule.
“A Fateful Turn” by Captain James Hope (McClellan and staff riding on field)
On August 11, battlefield guide and author, Steve Stotelmyer will discuss some of his latest research in his presentation – Little Mac at the Front. The accepted historical consensus of the Battle of Antietam portrays a sedentary McClellan at Antietam. The notion persists that, unlike his counterpart, Gen. Robert E. Lee, who visited several locations at the front during the battle, the allegedly timid and cowardly McClellan remained at his headquarters at the Pry House. Some authors would have their readers believe that Little Mac never led or observed from the front or was even on the battlefield when his army went into a major action. Using primary eyewitness accounts, Steve’s talk demonstrates conclusively that the accepted consensus does not reflect the historical record.
Steve Stotelmyer
Steven R. Stotelmyer is a native of Hagerstown, Maryland. He first visited Antietam National Battlefield as a child and has been fascinated with it ever since. After serving in the U.S. Navy, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Frostburg State College and a Master of Arts from Hood College in Frederick, MD. Before retirement, he was employed as a teacher, surveyor, and civil engineer. In 1989 Stotelmyer was a founding member of the Central Maryland Heritage League, a non-profit land trust which helped preserve some of the South Mountain Battlefield. During his tenure with CMHL he discovered significant information regarding the Battle of South Mountain and the Legend of Wise’s Well. This led to the publication of The Bivouacs of the Dead: The Story of Those Who Died at Antietam and South Mountain (Toomey Press, 1992). In 2019 Stotelmyer authored Too Useful To Sacrifice, Reconsidering George B. McClellan’s Generalship in the Maryland Campaign from South Mountain to Antietam (Savas Beatie, 2019). Recently Steve wrote From Frederick To Sharpsburg; People, Places, and Events of the Maryland Campaign before Antietam (Antietam Institute, 2023). Currently, Steve is a National Park Service Volunteer as well as a NPS Certified Antietam and South Mountain Battlefield Tour Guide.
Come join leading historians and scholars as they discuss intriguing topics about their latest works and research on the Maryland Campaign and the Civil War during our Civil War Summer Lecture Series. See the complete 2025 schedule.
These indoors programs are held in McKinley Hall at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Monday evenings at 7:00 p.m. The church is located at 209W Main Street with a small parking area off the alley. More parking is available on Main and Hall Streets. These lectures free and open to the public. Each week we hold a drawing in which the proceeds support the Save Historic Antietam Foundation. Be sure to check our Facebook page for updates and changes to the schedule.
On July 21, author Tom McMillan will present – “Little-Known Antietam: Henry Winters and ‘Mystery and Murder at the Lodge‘.” Tom will take a look at two of the intriguing but lesser-known stories at Antietam. Henry Winters of the 89th New York Infantry carved his name on a windowsill at the Dunker Church — a piece of Civil War graffiti that still is visible to visitors today. But who was Henry? Why did he leave his mark? When did he come back? The second story involves two Antietam-related murder mysteries, one of which took place at the National Cemetery lodge, the other targeting a battlefield superintendent.
Tom McMillan
Tom McMillan has spent a lifetime in sports media and communications – including 25 years as VP of Communications of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the NHL – but his heartfelt passion is history. The author of four books on American history, he has served on the board of trustees of Pittsburgh’s Heinz History Center, the board of directors of the Friends of Flight 93 National Memorial, the marketing committee of the Gettysburg Foundation, and as a docent at the Thomas Espy GAR Post in Carnegie, PA.. Tom and his wife, Colleen, are also volunteer ambassadors at Antietam. A former newspaper sports writer and radio talk-show host who has covered the Olympics, the Super Bowl, the Stanley Cup Finals and the NCAA Final Four, he earned a journalism degree from Point Park University in Pittsburgh.
Come join leading historians and scholars as they discuss intriguing topics about their latest works and research on the Maryland Campaign and the Civil War during our Civil War Summer Lecture Series. See the complete 2025 schedule.
These indoors programs are held in McKinley Hall at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Monday evenings at 7:00 p.m. The church is located at 209W Main Street with a small parking area off the alley. More parking is available on Main and Hall Streets. These lectures free and open to the public. Each week we hold a drawing in which the proceeds support the Save Historic Antietam Foundation. Be sure to check our Facebook page for updates and changes to the schedule.
The storied Texas Brigade had already gained fame as a result of its actions at Elthan’s Landing, Gaines’ Mill, and Second Manassas, but it became legendary as a result of its fight at Antietam. This presentation covers the brigade’s actions before, during, and after the battle, using first hand accounts and maps to describe its actions in the blood-soaked Cornfield. Join us on July 14 for “The Texas Brigade at Antietam” presented by Dr. Brad Gottfried.
Dr. Brad Gottfried
Dr. Brad Gottfried received his Ph.D. in Zoology and worked at seven colleges over a span of 40 years. He retired in 2017 as the President of the College of Southern Maryland. Brad became an Antietam Certified Battlefield Guide in 2019. He is the author of over 20 books, including his most recent, The Maps of Second Bull Run.
Come join leading historians and scholars as they discuss intriguing topics about their latest works and research on the Maryland Campaign and the Civil War during our Civil War Summer Lecture Series. See the complete 2025 schedule.
These indoors programs are held in McKinley Hall at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Monday evenings at 7:00 p.m. The church is located at 209W Main Street with a small parking area off the alley. More parking is available on Main and Hall Streets. These lectures free and open to the public. Each week we hold a drawing in which the proceeds support the Save Historic Antietam Foundation. Be sure to check our Facebook page for updates and changes to the schedule.
On June 30, author Darin Wipperman will discuss a unique individual he came across during his research in his presentation – “I Am Bullet Proof:” The Last Four Months of a Fifth Corps Soldier.
A tremendous resource for students of the Civil War, the Huntington Library, San Marino, California, houses an array of excellent manuscripts. One of the library’s many highly impressive collections includes more than 200 letters from Captain Joseph Collingwood, who joined the 18th Massachusetts Infantry in August 1861. Collingwood and soldiers in his Company H became original member of the Fifth Corps the following May. This presentation discusses the Bay State warrior in the last four months of his life, from the catastrophe at Second Bull Run to Collingwood’s sad destiny below the stone wall at Fredericksburg. His perspectives from ten September letters – before and after the battle of Antietam – offer especially interesting thoughts from a frazzled yet resolute American warrior.
Darin Wipperman
Darin Wipperman’s first two books on the Civil War discussed the histories of the First and Ninth Corps. His most recent book, Thunderbolt to the Rebels: The United States Sharpshooters in the Civil War, was released in February 2025. Darin completed nearly 17 years of service in the federal government, then moved to northern New Hampshire, where he was a reporter and editor for weekly newspapers. Continuing his lifetime of studying the Civil War, Darin’s fourth book on the conflict is currently entitled, A Dangerous Man: Major General Joseph Hooker and the Civil War. Darin plans to complete his manuscript on “Fighting Joe” by the end of 2025.
Come join leading historians and scholars as they discuss intriguing topics about their latest works and research on the Maryland Campaign and the Civil War during our Civil War Summer Lecture Series. See the complete 2025 schedule.
These indoors programs are held in McKinley Hall at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Monday evenings at 7:00 p.m. The church is located at 209W Main Street with a small parking area off the alley. More parking is available on Main and Hall Streets. These lectures free and open to the public. Each week we hold a drawing in which the proceeds support the Save Historic Antietam Foundation. Be sure to check our Facebook page for updates and changes to the schedule.
Regimental flag of the Fifth Texas Infantry (Texas State Library and Archives)
Texas’s history often has deep roots in lore and tall tales. The author John Steinbeck once said of The Lone Star State, “Texas has its own private history, based on but not limited to the facts.” Sometimes, the truth about Texas and Texans feels torn from a tragic Greek legend. Such is the case of Hood’s Texas Brigade and the Fifth Texas Infantry, a regiment that left an indelible mark on history. These young men from Texas left their homes in 1861 and were everywhere. The odds are excellent if you can name a famous battle in the East; the “Bloody 5th,” as they were sometimes called, were there, charging headlong into a storm of enemy fire.
Regimental flag of the Fifth Texas Infantry (Texas State Library and Archives)
In this narrative, we will follow this regiment from its formation near Houston in 1861 to the surrender at Appomattox four years later. Of course, no retelling would be complete without recounting its historic counterattack across a blood-strewn cornfield in western Maryland on September 17, 1862. Be sure to join us on June 23 to hear author, Michael S. Lang present – From The Brazos To The Antietam & Beyond: The Story of the Fifth Texas Volunteer Infantry Regiment.
Michael S. Lang
Michael S. Lang has worked as a manager for Federal Express for 38 years and is also a successful photographer. Capturing images of Civil War battlefields is one of his favorite subjects.
Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, Michael moved to Frisco, Texas, in 2017. As relative newcomers to the great state of Texas, he and his wife, Rebecca, have spent the last seven years exploring the state and learning about its unique and rich history, including sites related to the Civil War. Michael has loved history since a young boy and has been a student of the Civil War for just as long.
Michael is the author of three books, Decisions at Antietam and Decisions of the Maryland Campaign, and Decisions of the Red River Campaign. These books are all part of the Command Decisions of America’s Civil War series published by the University of Tennessee Press.
Come join leading historians and scholars as they discuss intriguing topics about their latest works and research on the Maryland Campaign and the Civil War during our Civil War Summer Lecture Series. See the complete 2025 schedule.
These indoors programs are held in McKinley Hall at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Monday evenings at 7:00 p.m. The church is located at 209W Main Street with a small parking area off the alley. More parking is available on Main and Hall Streets. These lectures free and open to the public. Each week we hold a drawing in which the proceeds support the Save Historic Antietam Foundation. Be sure to check our Facebook page for updates and changes to the schedule.
