Burnside Bridge

Sharpsburg, Maryland



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The Burnside Bridge is part of the Antietam National Battlefield in Sharpsburg, Maryland. It's not far from MD-65.

The fighting that took place at the Burnside Bridge was towards the end of the Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862. General Burnside and 12,000 Union soldiers under his command had been trying to cross the bridge for over three hours. It took them so long because the Confederate soldiers, under the command of Brigadier General Robert Toombs, had the advantage of being hidden behind trees and boulders on the hillside. As the Union soldiers would try cross the bridge, the Confederate sharpshooters were able to drive them back. Many Union soldiers were killed while trying to cross the bridge, but they finally succeeded in making it across.

Today many claim the Burnside Bridge is haunted. Visitors and park rangers have claimed to see blue orbs float around the bridge at night, and some have even heard the sound of a drum cadence. And some visitors have even seen ghostly apparitions of the soldiers fighting.



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