Founded in 2021, the Antietam Institute is a member-based educational and philanthropic 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a mission to study, collect, publish and teach about the Battle of Antietam and the Maryland Campaign of 1862.
Through membership dues and donations the Institute also financially supports the Antietam National Battlefield, other nearby sites, and other organizations doing good work related to the Battle.
Objectives of the Institute
- Promote and support new historical research into the Battle of Antietam and the 1862 Maryland Campaign
- Publish a bi-annual journal and other publications related to the Campaign
- Host annual seminars, conferences, and educational programs
- Provide a curated repository to disseminate historical information related to the 1862 Maryland Campaign
- Support and promote community activities that provide education about the Campaign
- Promote the preservation of historic property
- Support other groups and non-profit organizations with related goals
- Support Antietam National Battlefield and other local battlefield sites related to the 1862 Maryland Campaign
- Be fiscally responsible so that the Institute can continue to successfully pursue its purpose and functions
Executive Director
Executive Director Christopher Vincent is the Chief Operating Officer of the Institute, managing day-to-day operations and working with members, directors, and committees to ensure its continued success. He reports to the President and the Board of Directors, of which he is a non-voting member.
Christopher Vincent retired after a 24-year career in the U.S. Army as a senior non-commissioned officer with light infantry units including combat tours during Operation Desert Storm and Kosovo with the 10th Mountain Division. He earned a master’s degree in Military History from the American Military University. Chris was drawn to Sharpsburg because his great-great-grandfather served during the Maryland Campaign with the 132nd Pennsylvania Volunteer infantry Regiment. He and his wife Amy also own two businesses in Sharpsburg, the Jacob Rohrbach Inn and the Antietam Mercantile Company. Chris serves as the chair of the Washington County Antietam Battlefield Advisory Board. His research is primarily focused on the farmsteads of Antietam and the impact the campaign had on the civilians of Sharpsburg. Chris was certified as an Antietam National Battlefield Guide in 2015 and has served as the Chief Guide since 2019. Chris was the founder of the Antietam Institute and served as president from 2021-2025.
Board of Directors
Each of the Officers and Directors of the Antietam Institute is an unpaid volunteer with a proven commitment to the cause. They are elected to two year terms. Here are the current Board members:
James Rosebrock | President
James Rosebrock is a retired Army officer and Department of Justice employee, with 45 years of leadership experience in the logistics, security and emergency management fields. Jim graduated from Niagara University in 1976 with a degree in Russian History. Jim served with the 82nd Airborne Division during Operation Urgent Fury in Grenada. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces where he was awarded a master’s degree in National Resource Strategy. Jim was an instructor for Combined Arms and Services Staff School when he retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He is a National Park Service certified battlefield guide at Antietam National Battlefield and served as Chief Guide from 2011 – 2018. He has two Civil War related blogs and is the author of Artillery of Antietam.
Jim Smith | Vice President & Philanthropy Chair
A native of Miami, Florida, Jim began volunteering at Antietam in 2017 and became a certified battlefield guide in 2018. Jim wrote several chapters for Brigades of Antietam and is a regular contributor to the Antietam Journal. He has an MA in history from the University of Georgia and undergraduate and law degrees from Duke University. A corporate lawyer for more than 25 years in the Washington, DC area, he has been with Hilton since 2011. Jim and his family live in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
Miriam Cunningham | Treasurer
Miriam Cunningham spent two decades working with nonprofits and think tanks in Washington, DC, including the American Historical Association and John Hopkins’s Center for Transatlantic Relations. Her portfolio included program management, grant administration, and donor relations. She holds a BA in Modern European History from the University of Kentucky and a MA in Modern European History with an emphasis on the Weimar Republic and Inter-war period from the American University. Originally from Louisville, KY, Miriam fell in love with living in Washington, DC, before moving to Sharpsburg to own and run the Inn at Antietam with her husband. She also sits on boards of the Sharpsburg Historical Society and the Maryland Bed and Breakfast Association. Now, she’s turned her historical interests to the Civil War and the experiences of soldiers and the community during the Battle of Antietam.
James Buchanan | Secretary
A fourth generation Washingtonian, Jim grew up spending many hours playing with friends on the earthworks of Fort [Benjamin “Grimes”] Davis in his Southeast D.C. neighborhood. He graduated from the city’s public schools, and earned a BA and an MA in history at the University of Maryland, College Park. With a teacher’s certificate, he returned to the D.C. schools to teach social studies. He eventually signed on for 11 years as an associate editor on a Supreme Court history project. That led him to a national organization where he developed law-related education curriculum for high school teachers. Then in 1992, he joined the Federal Judicial Center where he worked until retirement in 2017. Currently, he is a volunteer and certified guide at Antietam National Battlefield.
Adam Betz | Director
Adam Betz is a retired military officer with over 22 years of service, including leadership roles in the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army, and the Michigan Army National Guard. Beginning his career as an enlisted Marine Infantryman, he was later commissioned as an Army Infantry Officer, leading soldiers in combat deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Pacific Theatre. His extensive experience spans unit leadership, strategic planning, and military history research.
Through his current role as the Command Historian for the Michigan National Guard, he supports senior leadership with development programs, historical research, battlefield analysis, and programming support for the River Raisin National Battlefield Park.
Adam is an avid battlefield preservation advocate, fly fisherman, and outdoorsman. He is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University (B.S. History & Secondary Ed.) and Central Michigan University (MBA) and is currently working on his Master of History at Central Michigan University. He resides in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, with his wife, Tisa.
Brian Downey | Information Management Chair
Brian Downey is a retired information technology manager from Washington, DC now living in Northeast Florida, which is entirely too far from the Battlefield. He is a Cold War era US Navy veteran and former Maryland Terrapin. A life-long student of the Maryland Campaign of 1862, he is the developer and author of the Antietam on the Web site and blogger on behind AotW, sharing his passion for the battle of Antietam online since 1996. He is proud to be a founding member of the Institute.
Michael Froning | Director
Michael Froning is an accomplished marketing and communications professional with nearly 30 years of leadership experience in non-profits, higher institutions of learning and the healthcare industry. Throughout Michael’s career he has spearheaded efforts in brand management, storytelling, graphic design, event planning, development of communications plans and creating/executing targeted marketing campaigns.
Beginning his career at the University of New Hampshire mentoring emerging engineers and leading a research laboratory’s communications efforts, his lifelong passion for history and the American Civil War took off as he enrolled in graduate-level courses. Although never graduating, academia cultivated a hunger for historical research, public history and historic preservation that continues today. Being an avid learner and frequent participant in academic and public history conferences, Michael became exposed to scholarship around the Maryland Campaign. He now actively looks for opportunities to use his professional skills to further the understanding of this critical period of our history. Spending every moment he can “walking the field” and studying the campaign, he is a Maryland Campaign “geek” in every sense of the word.
Michael is currently the Communications Director at Nasson Health Care and is a graduate of Bentley University in Waltham, MA (B.S. Marketing). He and his wife, son and two beautiful granddaughters live in Maine where he enjoys distance running, fishing, watching the Boston Red Sox baseball team and devouring a good book.
Brad Gottfried | Programs Chair
After earning a PhD in Zoology from Miami University in 1976, Brad Gottfried went on to a 40-year career in higher education, first as a faculty member, then as an administrator, and finally as college president. After 17 years as college president at two colleges, Brad retired in 2017 and moved to Pennsylvania (where he was born). Brad and his wife, Linda, continue to be active in assisting nonprofits with strategic planning at no cost.
Brad’s interest in the Civil War has been life-long. He has written or edited 23 books, and is probably best known for his map studies of Eastern Theater Campaigns. Nine have been published (First Bull Run, Second Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Cavalry in the Gettysburg Campaign, Bristoe Station/Mine Run, Wilderness, and Spotsylvania). Two others are in the works. He has also published a variety of other books on brigade-level histories, Lincoln and the Gettysburg National Cemetery, the retreat from Gettysburg, the Point Lookout Prisoner of War camp, and several other topics.
He assisted Chris Vincent in forming the Antietam Institute and has chaired the Program Committee since its inception. Brad kicked off the Antietam Institute’s publication arm, by editing The Brigades of Antietam and most recently assisted Kevin Pawlak in editing The Commanders of Antietam. He has also contributed to the Antietam Institute Journal.
Aside from his writing, Brad is a Gettysburg Licensed Town Guide and an Antietam Certified Battlefield Guide. He will always be an educator in one manner or another.
Brad is married and lives in Fayetteville, Pennsylvania.
Michael Hill | Director
A native of Atlanta where he grew up on the battlefield of Peachtree Creek, Michael Hill attended the Johns Hopkins University where his favorite course was Civil War and Reconstruction taught by David Donald. He edited the student newspaper there and after graduation worked for one year at the Fredericksburg (VA) Free Lance-Star before settling in Baltimore, spending 35 years as a journalist at The Evening Sun and The Sun, including four years as the Africa correspondent based in Johannesburg where he covered Nelson Mandela’s election as president. Michael’s last decade of work was with the overseas aid agency Catholic Relief Services. As retirement approached, a tour of Antietam with Jim Buchanan inspired him to begin volunteering at the battlefield and studying to become a guide. He was certified in 2021. He has served on the Publications Committee of the Antietam Institute. Among his other interests are African art — he is on the Accessions Committee at the Baltimore Museum of Art — and endurance sports — he ran marathons and ultramarathons for two decades then switched to bicycle racing on the advice of his right knee.
Aaron Holley | Director
Aaron Holley is a native of West Virginia and a lifelong student of the American Civil War. Aaron holds a Bachelor of Science in Forestry and a Master of Science in Forestry from West Virginia University with an emphasis in forest biometrics. He is a forester with experience working on forest conservation projects worldwide. This professional experience has led Aaron to be intimately familiar with the practice of cartography and modern mapping techniques, which he pairs with his passion for the American Civil War. Aaron works with authors and experts to produce maps of the Maryland Campaign for digital and physical media, including maps for The Antietam Journal, Artillery of Antietam, Roads to Antietam, An Ornament to His Country, and the Antietam Battlefield Historic Basemap. Aaron currently resides in
Hardy County, West Virginia with his wife, daughter, and son.
Laura Marfut | Membership Chair
Laura Marfut retired as a colonel in the U.S. Army with 32 years of service, including 12 years on the Pentagon Joint Staff and two tours in Afghanistan. She graduated from the U.S. Army War College with a master’s degree in Strategic Studies, and also holds master’s degrees in both International Relations and Education. After retirement, she developed the curriculum and taught the Homeland Security program at South Hagerstown High in Washington County, Maryland. Laura was certified as an Antietam National Battlefield Guide in 2019, fulfilling a long-term bucket list goal. She added Harpers Ferry and South Mountain credentials the following year. Laura served as President of the Mason-Dixon Council, Boy Scouts of America. She volunteers with Hospice of Washington County and as an Antietam Battlefield Ambassador. Laura and her husband, Ed, live in Hagerstown, Maryland.
Michael McCartney | Finance Chair
Captain Michael A. McCartney hails from Cleveland, Ohio, received a degree in Chemistry from the United States Naval Academy and earned a master’s degree in International Relations and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College. Captain McCartney’s sea duty assignments spanned eight ships including command of USS SALVOR (ARS 52) and USS CHUNG-HOON (DDG 93) and as Reactor Officer aboard USS NIMITZ. From 2013 to 2016, he commanded USS ANTIETAM (CG 54) homeported in Yokosuka, Japan. He finished his 31 year career in 2021 as the Surface Warfare Deputy for Weapons and Sensors on the Navy Staff in the Pentagon. Captain McCartney earned various awards including the Pacific Fleet VADM Stockdale Leadership Award in 2010. Captain McCartney forged a strong connection between his ANTIETAM Crew and the NPS team at the Antietam Battlefield; conducting battlefield visits, remembrance ceremonies, battlefield displays and lectures all with the goal of instilling the historical battlefield lessons of leadership and courage within his crew.
Kevin Pawlak | Publications Chair
Kevin Pawlak is a Historic Site Manager for Prince William County’s Historic Presentation Division and serves as a certified Battlefield guide at Antietam National Battlefield and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. He graduated from Shepherd University in 2014, majoring in History with a concentration in Civil War and 19th Century America and minoring in Historic Preservation. Kevin is the editor of The Antietam Journal and chairs the Publications Committee. He is the author or editor of eight books on the Civil War.
John Schildt | Director
Reverend John Schildt graduated from Shepherd College, Wesley Theological Seminary and has studied at Western Maryland College, Gettysburg Seminary and West Virginia University. John’s first book, September Echoes, published in 1960, was the first on Antietam since Francis Palfrey in 1887. This led to an appointment to the Maryland Centennial Committee. He wrote the account of the battle for the Official Centennial Program and was the guest speaker for the 125h anniversary. John has been a lecturer and guide for several Civil War organizations, Round Tables, and many other groups. John led his first tour of Antietam in 1958. Since then, 2,000 additional tours have followed. John has written over thirty-five books relating the various aspects of the Maryland Campaign of 1862 and local history. This list includes Drums along the Antietam, Roads to Antietam, Four Days in October, Islands of Mercy, and Roads to Gettysburg. He and his wife and daughter live in Sharpsburg.
Legal
The Antietam Institute is a Maryland-based charitable organization under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. A portion of your membership dues and any donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
Federal Identification Number (EIN): 27-2148883.