The fourth class Antietam staff ride is an annual event that the history department conducts each fall. With financial assistance from the Association of Graduates, the department sent four professors as well as twenty-two cadets to the historic battlefield near Sharpsburg, Maryland over the weekend of 2-4 November 2001. The purpose of the staff ride was two fold: to force cadets to think critically, yet historically, about events that took place before, during, and after the battle, and to allow cadets a medium in which to develop a greater understanding of the military profession and human factors in war. We had a truly observant and interested group of plebes as evidenced by the many insightful comments they provided during the "after-action review" we conducted before we returned. During this AAR, we asked each of them to cite the most significant lesson that they had learned on the staff ride. Their answers - to the cadet - were all very thoughtful and indicated that they had spent a great amount of time critically analyzing the battle and the decisions made thereon.

	An added benefit of the staff ride was the presence of Congressman Charles Norwood of Georgia and a small retinue of aids and friends that accompanied him. Congressman Norwood proved to be a true friend and an avid military historian, and his speech to the plebes at the conclusion of the staff ride really cemented many of the lessons that we had spent the day learning as we poured over the battlefield.
	View from the Sunken road to the intersection of Hagerstown Pike and Bloody Lane.
	Major Phil Cuccia and the cadets discuss the devastation caused by artillery in and around the Cornfield. The cadets received hands-on instruction on Civil War era gun crew drills.
	Major Steve Delvaux, standing in front of the New York monument, discusses the strategic overview.
	This photo shows the view that Confederate skirmishers would have had of Roulette Farm and Brigadier General William H. French's 3rd Division (Union) that advanced to the Sunken Road.
	View from the west side of the Sunken road looking southeast toward Major General Israel B. Richardson's approach.
	View from the tower on Sunken road southeast toward Antietam creek.
	Antietam National Cemetery.

CLICK HERE
FOR MORE PHOTOGRAPHS