Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam, fought on September 17, 1862, in Sharpsburg, Maryland, is recognized as the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, marking a pivotal moment in the Civil War. Following the discovery of Confederate General Robert E. Lee's battle plans, Union General George B. McClellan launched an attack on Lee’s forces, who were significantly outnumbered. Despite having nearly double the troops, McClellan's cautious tactics hampered a coordinated assault, allowing Lee to strategically reposition his forces throughout the day.
The battle was characterized by intense and brutal fighting, particularly along the infamous "Bloody Lane," where fierce engagements resulted in debilitating casualties for both sides. Union losses exceeded 12,400, while Confederate casualties were around 13,700. Although the battle ended in a tactical draw, its implications were profound; just days later, President Abraham Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, transforming the conflict into a moral crusade against slavery and diminishing the possibility of foreign intervention on behalf of the Confederacy. The Battle of Antietam thus stands not only as a moment of significant military engagement but also as a turning point in the ideological landscape of the war.
Battle of Antietam
Type of action: Ground battle in the American Civil War
Date: September 17, 1862
Location: Near Sharpsburg, Maryland
Combatants: 70,000-75,000 Union vs. 40,000 Confederate forces
Principal commanders: Union, Major General George B. McClellan (1826–1885); Confederate, General Robert E. Lee (1807–1870)
Result: Drawn battle ends Lee’s first invasion of the North
After a copy of his plans detailing the widely scattered nature of his army fell into Union hands, Robert E. Lee hurriedly concentrated his troops at Sharpsburg. George B. McClellan pursued cautiously, assembling his army along Antietam Creek. There on September 17, the war’s bloodiest single-day battle was fought.
Enjoying a nearly two-to-one advantage, McClellan planned to attack both flanks simultaneously; however, failure by the Union left to advance in the morning prevented a coordinated assault and allowed Lee to shift his outnumbered forces frequently throughout the day. No battle during the American Civil War exceeded Antietam in intensity and ferocity. The confused fury of charges and countercharges on the Confederate left raged from dawn until almost noon. Action shifted to the center, where combatants hammered away at each other along the “Bloody Lane” to the point of exhaustion. When the Union left finally drove toward Lee’s rear late in the afternoon, only the arrival and attack by the last Southern reinforcements saved Lee from disaster.
There was no fighting the following day, but that evening, Lee withdrew across the Potomac. Union casualties exceeded 12,400 and Confederate losses topped 13,700.
Significance
Although a tactical draw, the battle at Antietam profoundly affected the war. Five days after the battle, President Abraham Lincoln issued his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, broadening the war to include a moral crusade to free the slaves. In doing so, he effectively ended the prospect of foreign intervention on behalf of the Confederacy.
Resources
Gallagher, Gary W., ed. The Antietam Campaign. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1999.
Murfin, James V. The Gleam of Bayonets: The Battle of Antietam and Robert E. Lee’s Maryland Campaign, 1862. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1965.
Sears, Stephen W. Landscape Turned Red: The Battle of Antietam. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1983.