Battlefield archaeology update More remnants of battle uncovered at Antietam

In a sun-dappled field, where molten lead once rained from the sky, researchers armed with metal detectors listened for evidence from America's bloodiest day.

Stephen R. Potter, who headed a team of National Park Service archaeologists at Antietam National Battlefield, said Wednesday that the group, which included a couple of amateur metal detectorists, was studying an area of Piper Orchard where the 7th Maine fled from a smaller Confederate force.

"I don't think they would've been able to drive the Maine guys back if they wouldn't have had the artillery that they had, because what we're finding out here is pretty nasty stuff," Potter said.