A walk to the Hawkin's Zouaves monument

Antietam has plenty of corner pockets where visitors seldom seem to go. The obelisk that is the Hawkin's Zouave monument is one of those out of the way areas.  Although visibile from both ends of the field, this monument exists on a narrow spit of park land surrounded by, and deep within, private property.

A walk of three tenths of a mile down this lane will take you there.

Had this monument been in place on the afternoon of September 17, 1862, this would have been the view of Hill's Confederates, having just rolled up the Ninth Corps line up to this point...

only to be temporarily blunted by the efforts of the veteran 9th New York - "Hawkin's Zouaves",  as indicated by this old park wayside from the Centennial era.

Today, with the National Cemetery in the background, this obelisk provides testimony to the efforts of those men from New York...

and  spells out their sacrifice...

for those few who take the walk down that little lane off Harper's Ferry Road.

Take that walk,

Ranger Mannie