What Are The Causes Of The Battle Of Antietam

September 16-18, 1862, outside of the town of Sharpsburg, Maryland, between the Potomac River and Antietam Creek, was the location of the bloodiest battle in American history. Confederate Colonel Stephen D. Lee described it as “Artillery Hell” because of the frightful toll on his gunners and horses from Federal counter battery and infantry fire. (AotW, 2014) The battle of Antietam, or the Battle of Sharpsburg, would collect an estimated 23,100 total casualties (Luvaas and Nelson, 1987). The body count far exceeded any of the other three battles waged in the Maryland Campaign (Harpers Ferry, South Mountain, and Shepherdstown). This battle was a contributing factor in the outcome of our country and the rest of the world. The Union Army

As the bloodiest single-day in American history, the battle of Antietam shifted Union confidence sufficiently enough to serve as an early turning point in the Civil War while simultaneously discouraging international support towards the Confederacy. On September 17, 1862, Major General George B. McClellan’s Army of the Potomac met General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia at Antietam Creek in what would become one of the most significant early battles of the Civil War.

The Battle of Antietam took place on 17 September 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland. The battle was fought between General Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia and General McClellan’s Army of the Potomac. Although the battle lasted only 12 hours, it was a significant point of the American Civil War, as well as the deadliest day in history. Tactically the battle was considered a draw, but the North claimed strategic victory and President Lincoln published the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing hundreds of thousands of slaves.

As a result of all the casualties, the Union won the Battle of Antietam. McClellan and Burnsides knew the Confederate’s intensions. McClellan and Burnsides battle Lee to a gridlock. The Union won because they already knew The Confederacy’s plan to overtake the Union. In the Battle of Antietam, no one had an advantage, so therefore anyone could have won. The biggest mistake that was made by the north was that they allowed Lee to escape. This wasn't just like any other battle where the Union cut off the Confederate and suffocated them. This was by far the second bloodiest battle in the civil war. The Union killed 1,550 soldiers, wounded 7,750, and captured 1,020. However, the Confederate, they killed 2,100 Union soldiers, wounded 9,550, and

Splitting his army into two, Gen. Lee sent half of his Army under the command of General Thomas Jackson. General Jackson’s orders were to capture Hagerstown and the other half to push forward to Boonsboro in an attempt to break the will of the union. General McClellan and the Union troops had the honor of being responsible for defending Washington, D.C., against Lee’s invasion. Upon discovering the layout of Gen. Lee’s campaign “rolled up in three cigars” (Lost Order, Lost Cause. Central Intelligence Agency Sept.93) Tired and worn out from travel both Confederate and Union armies congregated onto each side of the Antietam Creek from the morning September 15 into the evening of September 16 awaiting and plotting in what was to

The Battle of Antietam took place in Maryland on September 17, 1862. The Union side led by George B. McClellan had 87,000 soldiers and suffered 12,401 casualties. The Confederate side led by Robert E Lee had 45,000 soldiers and suffered 10,316. The result of this battle was inconclusive and from a military stand point was seen as a draw. However, the Union was able to draw Lee’s forces from Maryland which gave Lincoln the victory to wish he would issue the Emancipation Proclamation. The Emancipation Proclamation is a very significant document in American History. It made all slaves free in the Southern rebelling states, Lincoln hoped this would cause them to rejoin the Union but they still kept on fighting.

Although Lee was outnumber by two to one he had used his entire army at the Battle of Antietam. Meanwhile McClellan had only used less than three quarters of his Federal army power. In the night both armies would care to the wounded fellow soldiers. Aside from a major setback due to many casualties Lee decided to continue to battle with McClellan on the 18th. McClellan being a man of values did not continue to pursue using heavy attacks on the wounded Confederate army. For the final outcome of the battle it was considered a draw by the armies. But Abraham Lincoln and the Union claimed the victory for the Battle of Antietam. This intensely fought battle that drove Lee’s forces out of Maryland gave Lincoln the “victory.’ Lincoln used this “victory” to propose his Emancipation Proclamation. The document that completely changed the course of the American Civil War. The casualty statistics of this battle are the highest of all American battles ever fought which is why it earned the name “the single bloodiest day in American History.” The Union statistics of the battle were 2.108 killed, 9,540 wound, and 753 missing or captured with a total of

One of McClellan goals was to have crushed Lee’s army. The 1st Texas army lost 82% of their own men during the Battle of Antietam, this battle was the highest casualty rate for any Confederate regiment out of any of the battles of the Civil War. George McClellan was slow, cautious and defensive. The battle ground Lee had was suited for his defense. Lee withdrew on September 18 in defeat. The battle of Antietam was the bloodiest day in American history.Alex Gardner took pictures of the battlefield and got pictures of the dead and wounded. It was on an early morning morning of September 17, 1862. It was called Antietam because the names, places after their

The Battle of Fredericksburg falls in a long list of failures of the Army of the Potomac during the first year of the American Civil War. Following the Battle of Antietam the Northern Army had the opportunity to defeat Lee’s army. However, Northerners, were shocked by Lee’s escape following this battle on 17 September 1862, and were further upset by Major General George B. McClellan’s procrastination in pursuing Lee and allowing General J.E.B. Stuarts daring cavalry raid into Pennsylvania around Gettysburg (10-12 October 1862). McClellan’s failure to pursue Lee’s Army is mainly due to his own lack of confidence, believing that he doesn’t have enough men or material in order to defeat the Army of Virginia. President Lincoln had finally

The battle of Antietam began on September 17, 1862 in Sharpsburg Maryland when General McClellan’s Union army began a powerful attack on general Lee’s left flank. Not only did this advance bring about the beginning of the battle of Antietam it also marked the begging of the bloodiest day in our nation’s history. This bloody clash took place on Millers corn field and in west woods near Dunkers church. The two forces fought for control of the sunken road; a key defensive position that was held by the confederates, this position was breached by the Union forces at one point but control was quickly regained by the confederacy because there were no further advances by the Union army to maintain this breach in Lee’s defense.

Over 23,000 men fell as casualties in the 1-day Battle of Antietam, making it the bloodiest day in American history. The Union victory at Antietam resulted in President Abraham Lincoln issued his Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862. Additionally, the Battle of Gettysburg was crucial to our American history. The battle occurred on July 1, 1863 – July 3, 1863. Widely considered to be the most important engagement of the war. With thousands of rebel casualties, it was a Union victory. Lee waited for a counterattack, but it never happened. He offered to resign, but it was refused. The battle shifted the war tide in the union's favor. The Battle of Gettysburg was a Union victory that stopped Confederate General Robert E. Lee's second invasion of the North.Once again, it's important related around the amount of casualties. More than 50,000 men fell as casualties during the 3-day battle, making it the bloodiest battle(Battle of Antietam was bloodiest day not battle) of the American Civil War. After this battle, the Battle of Vicksburg was also extremely important. The battle occurred from May 18, 1863 – July 4,

What happened in the Battle of Antietam is that general McClellan got the general Lee's plans about what he was going to do. General McClellan meet the the part of Lee's army that was on Maryland and they started to fight on September 14. Lee managed to keep his amy put together until the other part of his army came to help. When the other part of Lee's army came to help it was still not enough because again McClellan has the plan's of Lee so he knew how to hit hard. At the end Lee's army withdraw to Virginia. The North considered the battle a success. The reason the battle was considered a turning point in the Civil War because "it ended Lee's effort to bring the war to the North." Another reason why this battle was considerede a turning

In the summer of 1863, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee launched his second campaign into the Northern States of the Union. Following great Confederate victory in Chancellorsville, General Lee believed that this would build momentum by marching his forces north and defeat the Federal Army of the Potomac on Northern soil, thus resulting in rich agricultural and resource gains. The opposing forces collided at the crossroads town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on the morning of July 1st, lasting three days of sustained combat between both the Confederate and Union armies. General Robert E. Lee’s forces were totaling in excess of seventy-five thousand men, whereas Major General George Meade was commanding more than one hundred thousand men. The Battle

That night the wounded were cared for and actual lines were drawn . The south kept up with small attacks here and there on the eighteenth . While this fight drove lee from maryland with his troops nobody actually won . lincoln called it a victory , at least he said it was the victory he needed to issue the emancipation proclamation . From a military standpoint nobody won the fight at antietam . It was basically a tragic waste of supplies and soldiers . It is believed that the south was outnumbered two to one . It is estimated the north had around 87,000 troops while the south had about 45,000 troops . For the north it is said that about 2,801 were killed , 9,540 were wounded , 753 were either captured or went missing which adds up to a total of 12,401 union casualties . For the south it is estimated that about 1,546 were killed , 7,752 were wounded , 1,018 were either missing and or captured which adds up to about 10,316 casualties in the south . so a total of 3,654 were killed , 17,292 were wounded , and about 1,771 were either captured or missing which adds up to about 22,717 casualties on both sides at the battle of antietam . Luckily such horrible times are behind us . But

In the Battle of Antietam historians consider it a turning point in the war because it was one of the bloodiest battle of the Civil War, and it was when Lee wanted to take the war onto Northern soil. In the article it states Lee felt that staging an offensive in a Union state would strike a blow to Northern confidence. He thought that he would earn support from Maryland. It was the bloodiest single-day battle ever on American soil.