A huge battle-space, an appreciation for command and control, and shock at the brutality of 19th-century combat were just a few of the takeaways after a group of Michigan National Guardsmen participated in a staff ride to the Civil War battlefield at Antietam, Maryland, September 9-10.
Noncommissioned Officers (NCOs) from the Michigan National Guard traveled to Maryland to study Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s Maryland campaign of 1862. Over the course of two days, NCOs first visited battlefields around Sharpsburg to learn how a series of actions at Harper’s Ferry, South Mountain, and Fox’s Gap would set the stage for the single-bloodiest day in American military history.
“Reading about a battle in a book or seeing it in a movie is one thing, but actually being here on the ground yourself is completely different,” said Sgt. Stephan Brayden with the 46th MP command. “The whole experience of a staff ride completely changes the way you see the battle.”
Staff rides are professional development exercises utilized by militaries where groups travel to battlefields to analyze the tactics, terrain, the leaders, and the strategic impact of their decisions. To observers, staff rides may appear like a glorified sightseeing tour, but when performed correctly, staff rides teach invaluable leadership lessons that transcend time and tactics.
The staff ride was planned and coordinated by Adam Betz, the Michigan National Guard Command Historian. Assisted by funding from the Michigan National Guard Association of Michigan (NGAM), Betz worked with three licensed battlefield guides from the Antietam Institute to lead the staff ride: Jim Rosebrock, Chris Vincent, and Laura Marfut.
In addition to being licensed battlefield guides, all three are retired Soldiers and provided a tour tailor-made specifically for Noncommissioned officers.
Betz viewed the trip not just as a history lesson but as a powerful teaching tool, especially for NCOs.
“By connecting our NCO corps to their history and showing them the impacts of small-unit leadership, we’re really emphasizing their importance to the organization," said Betz. “Bringing these kids to Antietam and having them interact with the guides is an invaluable tool and great investment."
Retired Lt. Col Jim Roesbruck, a licensed battlefield guide and president of the Antietam Institute, hoped the staff ride would not only arm NCOs with a better understanding of the battle but also change how they viewed its impact on the war.
Roesbruck and the Antietam Institute make the case that Antietam — not Gettysburg — was the turning point of the American Civil War. Repulsing the Confederate invasion gave Lincoln enough political leverage to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, and any hopes of England and France intervening on behalf of the Confederacy evaporated.
Before the battlefield tour, Roesbruck had the NCOs examine the battle through a political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental (PESTLE) analysis — something all NCOs are familiar with. All factors indicated that the situation in the autumn of 1862 was critical for both sides.
After a string of Confederate victories in the summer of 1862, Gen. Robert E. Lee invaded the North and launched his Maryland campaign. Lee hoped winning a decisive battle on Union soil would sway political support from Lincoln in the approaching midterm elections and convince foreign powers to intervene on behalf of the Confederacy. The South hoped to foment a political nightmare for President Abraham Lincoln that would drive him to sue for peace.
“The United States was an economic power, and Europe was watching the war very closely,” said Roesbrock. “A divided U.S. would be very beneficial to them and would be one less adversary they had to keep an eye on.”
Days before the battle, Union troops discovered a copy of Lee's battle plan by chance. Unaware and caught off guard by unusually bold Union troops, the two armies clashed on September 17th, 1862. The ensuing battle resulted in 22,000 casualties and would become infamous as the single bloodiest day in American military history.
Though a tactical draw, Rosebruck argues that the strategic Union victory was the actual turning point of the war, not Gettysburg. Following the preliminary study, NCOs transitioned to the field portion where they traversed the battlefield and learned how terrain, the fog of war, and personalities impacted the day's battle.
The staff ride concluded at the Antietam National Cemetery with the integration session, where participants shared what they learned. In the glow of the setting sun, they read aloud the names of Antietam's fallen NCOs from Michigan. For many, including Sgt. 1st Class Andrea Yearsovich, with Recruiting and Retention Battalion, the vast scope of Antietam’s battle-space was shocking.
“It was surprising, going from each point and seeing how far apart each battle was,” said Yearsovich. “How they were able to move across those huge distances and still maintain morale...it’s impressive.”
For other attendees, the challenges of communicating on a 19th-century battlefield seemed to resonate the most. Matthew Smith, an infantryman with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry, recounted several instances where he believed instant communication could have made an impact on the battle.
“When we’re doing our maneuver drills, it’s [communications] instant,” Smith said. “I don’t think I’ll take comms for granted that much anymore.”
Following the staff ride, the group presented their guides with a signed Michigan flag in front of a large monument, a Union infantryman calmly leaning against his rifle at parade rest.
The American Volunteer statue was dedicated 18 years after the battle and was considered unusually informal for its era. Despite criticism, Civil War veterans came to admire the statue. They viewed its depiction of them as citizen-soldiers, rather than professionals, with pride. Something the visiting national guardsmen from Michigan could identify with.
Regardless of a soldier’s status, the statue’s base bears an inscription that resonates with all service members: “not for themselves, but for their country.”