O.T. Reilly Monument

Dedicated: 1927
Location: 100 yards west of the flagpole at the Antietam National Battlefield Visitor Center, on the west side of Dunker Church Road.
Map Number: 47
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O. T. Reilly Monument

NPS Antietam/BBaracz

Who was O.T. Reilly?
O.T. Reilly grew up in the town of Sharpsburg. He is considered one of the first battlefield historians and when veterans of the battle returned years later, Reilly guided these old soldiers around the field. During the time spent providing tours, he heard the recollections of the troops; some humorous and others about a comrade's dying moments. Some of these stories have been passed down through the years and still told today.
After surviving the battle, the Dunker Church went into state of disrepair. The local brethren community moved to a church down in the town and the little white building along the Hagerstown Pike became a treasure trove for souvenir hunters. People started to take little pieces of brick from the original church, while others carved their initials into the window sills. In 1921, a heavy storm moved through the area and the church crumbled to the ground.
Reilly was very fond of that building and in an attempt to leave a permanent reminder of that famous church, he erected a monument, a few hundred yards south of the church site, on the 50^th Anniversary of the Battle, in 1927.


Monument Text:

To the memory of the Old Dunkard Church The oak tree that stood in front and the Union Civil War Veterans of Sharpsburg, Maryland.
Erected by O.T. Reilly The Half-Century Antietam Battlefield Guide 1927