A Barn At The Poffenberger Farm

by Lois Bryan

Title

A Barn At The Poffenberger Farm

Artist

Lois Bryan

Medium

Digital Art - Digital Art / Photography Based Digital Hand-painting

Description

It's a crisp October day. I've been driving for a couple of hours and that "heading for the barn" thing that goes on in my head when I've been behind the wheel too long is like a siren song. Just get home. Unpack. Fix a nice hot cup of tea. But "heading for the barn" was about to turn out a little differently than what I'd planned.

My eyes stray to the left. Antietam Battlefield is coming up ... and the light today is awesome. The sky to the east is dark and brooding, but the slanting autumn sun is still strong. I sigh ... the camera on the passenger seat winks at me. "Come on, you know you want to" I can almost hear it say.

In a day and time when the historical significance of the Civil War ... a milestone in the history of our great Nation ... is becoming controversial and contentious, the simple structures and quiet lanes of the Antietam Battlefield present a somber face to a crazy world. A silent reminder of what was ... and ... of what can happen when emotions overwhelm.

One of the first structures seen, driving south on Route 65 in Maryland is the Poffenberger Farm.

On the afternoon of September 16, 1862, the nearly 8,600 men of General Joseph Hooker's I Corps of General George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac crossed over Antietam Creek and advanced on the farm. The main house was used as command central on the eve of the battle. Hooker selected this location because the North Woods - at the southern end of the farm and at the northern edge of the battlefield - would hide his preparations for an attack on Confederate positions around the Dunker Church about a mile to the south.

In subsequent years, the Poffenberger family told stories of hiding livestock and household valuables from the hordes of soldiers who were plundering farms and homes in the area. Not unlike other stories told in other places during desperate times. In addition to the main house serving as Hooker's headquarters, this barn was set up as a makeshift field hospital.

The still beauty of the scene often baffles the observer. I know it does me.

And the endless questions ... how ... and why ... will ring down the ages. And never really be answered.

Fine art purchases of this image will not include a watermark, and if I may make a recommendation ... this image will look its very best on the fine art paper choice of "picture rag."

This image was NOT created using AI - Artificial Intelligence.


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June 13th, 2018

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