artillery – Antietam Institute

Organization of the Federal Artillery in the Civil War – Jim Rosebrock

We wrap up the month’s talks on July 28 with battlefield guide and author, Jim Rosebrock presenting – Organization of the Federal Artillery in the Civil War. This talk will examine the role and evolution of the Federal light artillery organization, focusing on the Army of the Potomac. Led by innovators such as William Barry and Henry Hunt, this Army was where the artillery organizations and doctrine evolved, which would ultimately be used in some variations in every other Federal army in the war.
Jim will start with a look at the US. Army’s experience with light artillery leading up to the start of the Civil War, examine the four components of the artillery – men and organization, guns, ammunition and artillery horses, and explore the evolution of the artillery arm by looking at the two major schools of artillery organization: Dispersal and Concentration.

A Union artillery battery in the field.
(LoC)

James Rosebrock is a retired Army officer and Department of Justice employee, with 45 years of leadership experience in the logistics, security and emergency management fields. Jim graduated from Niagara University in 1976 with a degree in Russian History. Jim served with the 82nd Airborne Division during Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces where he was awarded a master’s degree in National Resource Strategy. Jim was an instructor for Combined Arms and Services Staff School when he retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He is a National Park Service certified battlefield guide at Antietam National Battlefield and served as Chief Guide from 2011 – 2018. He has two Civil War related blogs and is the author of the Artillery of Antietam.

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.

Antietam Institute Donates Funds for Artillery Marker Refurbishment at Antietam National Battlefield

This past week we were honored to present Superintendent Susan Trail and the Antietam National Battlefield a $1,000.00 donation to support the refurbishment of the sixteen artillery display plaques that mark key artillery positions across the Antietam battlefield.

(Photo: L-R Keith Snyder, Chris Vincent, Susan Trail, and Miriam Cunningham)

This donation was presented in accordance with our mission to encourage and foster the study of the Battle of Antietam and the 1862 Maryland Campaign.

As part of the sesquicentennial of the Battle of Antietam, the National Park Service in 2012, installed interpretive markers at sixteen locations where artillery batteries played significant roles in the fighting on September 17. The markers have been in place for twelve years and are showing much wear and tear from the elements.

Along with the Institute’s donation to refurbish the markers, Jim Rosebrock, author of The Artillery of Antietam and Institute Vice President, reviewed the narratives on the markers and suggested several updates which have been incorporated into the information that will be displayed on the new markers. The updated markers are expected to be in place by the battle anniversary in September 2023.

For more information on the artillery markers on the field: http://npshistory.com/brochures/anti/antietam-artillery.pdf