Battle Of Antietam Essay

Throughout American history, there have not been many battles where the opponent’s plans were handed to a general on a piece of paper. However, that is what happened at the Battle of Antietam. The fighting that took place on the day of September 17, 1862 altered the course of the Civil War by showing the Union and their efforts to the public (McPherson 115). The Second Battle of Bull Run’s Confederate victory led to a march to Maryland (91). The resulting fight was named the Battle of Antietam, and was the single bloodiest day of American history (History.com Staff). The Battle of Antietam shaped the way for the Emancipation Proclamation, which gave the Union an advantage by changing the purpose of the Civil War from a rebellion to a mission

Union troops attacked Confederate soldiers near a cornfield in Sharpsburg. Lee’s soldiers counterattacked viciously, but both sides held their ground (“Antietam - Fight for”). The fighting moved to the West Woods, where Dunker Church was waiting for the battle. Stonewall Jackson’s troops stayed defensive as the Union attacked. The battle panned over to a sunken road where Confederate troops were hiding, hoping gain a defensive position. However, McClellan’s soldiers assaulted the Confederacy in hopes of defeating them, earning the road the nickname of “Bloody Lane”. Finally, a Union general pushed his soldiers across a bridge that was later renamed Burnside Bridge. Just as the Union was about to overpower the Confederate troops, reinforcements arrived. Both armies poured all of their effort into the battle, and when night fell, each side stopped fighting. The next day, Lee’s army retreated across the Potomac River and back into Virginia. Despite Lincoln’s order to follow, McClellan decided not to lead his army to crush Lee (“Civil War in 4

However, the Union claimed the victory at the time. However, the Union suffered around 12,400 casualties while the Confederacy had around 10,320 (Dougherty 5). As the first major battle to take place on Northern land, it changed the way that the two sides viewed the Civil War (History.com Staff). The victory at Antietam boosted the Union’s morale and gave them hope for the coming battles. However, Lincoln was not happy with the events that had taken place. McClellan’s cautious persona and lost opportunities led him to being removed from command of the Union forces on November 5th, 1862 (Dougherty 27). Lincoln appointed a new general a couple of days later. The president had also been drafting an Emancipation Proclamation since the summer before. Antietam gave him the perfect chance to shine light on the Union’s efforts to abolish slavery. The Emancipation Proclamation, which freed slaves in the northern states, was declared in early 1863 (Dougherty