On September 17, 1862, savage combat at the Battle of Antietam near Sharpsburg, Maryland, yielded 23,000 casualties. This Friday, on the 148th anniversary of the battle that blunted the first Confederate invasion of the North and opened the way to the Emancipation Proclamation, an all-day guided hike at Antietam National Battlefield will give visitors a close encounter with the scenes of the action on "the bloodiest day in American history."

At Vicksburg National Military Park, a Centennial Challenge project has replaced many of the monuments that honor the brave men who fought there. Unfortunately, inadequate funding and staffing continue to hamper the park’s ability to adequately care for its historic resources while telling the story of the Vicksburg Campaign, the siege of the city, and the Reconstruction period.