Jeff Slusher and his wife Patti traveled from their home in Leesburg, Virginia to Sharpsburg, Maryland on August 16, 2008 and visited the resting place of Peter Schlosser, father of Christopher Slusher.  The script on the marker was somewhat more difficult to read than when Janet Keith visited and photographed it in 1984.  It is unclear whether the stone was simply in need of cleaning or if it had measurably deteriorated during the past 25 years.  The stone was also leaning about 10 degrees.  In any event, it was easy to spot – as reported earlier in the Southeast corner of the cemetery, located near the intersection of N. Mechanics St. and E. Chapline St. in downtown Sharpsburg.  An alley runs parallel and to the South of Chapline St. – and Peter’s resting place is actually closer to the alley than to Chapline St.    It was quite a thrill to visit this place – knowing it was this man who, along with his brother Leonhardt took an incredible leap of faith and probably risked everything they owned to leave behind family, friends and property to immigrate to America in 1732.  We all owe him a debt of respect for taking the risks he took – resulting in much of the prosperity we enjoy today.  Incidentally, Peter’s grave is one of the oldest in the cemetery. His tombstone, carved in German, reads, "Here rests in God Peter Schlosser born 20 January 1710 and died 8 January 1790. His age was 80 years, 11 months, and 3 days. When you awaken the dead on that day, so also reach out your hand to my grave."
For those of you able to visit, you will find Sharpsburg to be a nice, quiet town with enough antique shops, civil war relic shops, and other businesses to spend the better part of an afternoon.  The visitor’s entrance to the Antietam Battlefield is less than a mile out of town and a “must see” if you’re in the area.  As you probably know, The Battle of Antietam (also known as the Battle of Sharpsburg to many in the South) marked the bloodiest single day in American history -- 23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or missing after twelve hours of savage combat on September 17, 1862.