The Battle of Antietam: A Pivotal Clash in the American Civil War

The Battle of Antietam, fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, was a pivotal clash in the American Civil War. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with over 23,000 casualties. The battle ended in a tactical draw, but it was a strategic victory for the Union Army. It led to the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that all slaves in Confederate-held territory would be free.

By the summer of 1862, the American Civil War had been raging for over a year. The Union Army had won several major victories in the western theater, but the Confederate Army was still strong in the east. In August 1862, Confederate General Robert E. Lee launched an invasion of Maryland. His goal was to capture Washington, D.C., and force the Union to surrender.

Union General George B. McClellan pursued Lee's army into Maryland. The two armies clashed at Antietam Creek on September 17, 1862.

That Field of Blood: The Battle of Antietam, September 17, 1862 (Emerging Civil War Series)

by H. Beam Piper

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	44557 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	189 pages
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The Battle of Antietam was fought on a series of hills and ridges. The Union Army attacked the Confederate Army from the north, east, and west. The fighting was fierce and bloody. There were several key moments in the battle:

• The Cornfield: The Cornfield was a field of tall cornstalks that was the scene of some of the heaviest fighting. The Union Army attacked the Confederate Army in the Cornfield, but the Confederates held their ground.
• The Sunken Road: The Sunken Road was a road that was sunken below the level of the surrounding fields. The Confederate Army used the Sunken Road as a defensive position. The Union Army attacked the Confederates in the Sunken Road, but the Confederates were able to hold their ground.
• Burnside's Bridge: Burnside's Bridge was a bridge over Antietam Creek. The Union Army captured Burnside's Bridge, but the Confederates were able to prevent the Union Army from crossing the bridge.

The battle ended at nightfall. The Union Army had failed to defeat the Confederate Army, but the Confederates had also failed to achieve their objectives.

The Battle of Antietam was a tactical draw, but it was a strategic victory for the Union Army. The battle ended Lee's invasion of Maryland and forced him to retreat back into Virginia.

The Battle of Antietam also led to the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation. On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that all slaves in Confederate-held territory would be free. The Emancipation Proclamation was a major turning point in the war, and it helped to ensure that the Union would ultimately win the war.

The Battle of Antietam was a pivotal clash in the American Civil War. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, and it ended Lee's invasion of Maryland. The battle also led to the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that all slaves in Confederate-held territory would be free. The Emancipation Proclamation was a major turning point in the war, and it helped to ensure that the Union would ultimately win the war.

That Field of Blood: The Battle of Antietam, September 17, 1862 (Emerging Civil War Series)

by H. Beam Piper

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	44557 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	189 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE