"Battle of Antietam" : Bloodiest Day of The Civil War

The Battle of Antietam was indeed the bloodiest single day battle of our American Civil War. The terrible losses would shock the population..especially the north.

Defense: General George McClellan must defend Washington as CSA General Robert E. Lee has invaded the border state of Maryland to “bring the war north”. The Confederates are savoring their victories in Virginia during the “Seven Days Battles” in June and the “Second Battle of Bull Run” in late August 1862.

Northern war sentiment is low and CSA General Robert E.Lee is confident. Union General McClellan is pressed to stop the Confederate invasion with his Army of the Potomac and destroy the CSA Army of Northern Virginia. The armies will clash in Sharpsburg, Maryland..by Antietam Creek in the bloodiest day of the war..the Battle of Antietam.

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Union Commander: General George B. McClellan has in fact organized and trained an Army that President Lincoln wishes to have confidence in. McClellan, although a great organizer has not been taking the field willingly. So much so that Lincoln once remarked “if you are not using the army, I would like to borrow it for awhile”.  “Little Mac” has been taking a beating down on the Virginia Peninsula during the “Seven Day’s Battles” and Lee now brings his invading army north to Maryland to show the northerners “what war looks like” and destroy Northern war support as well as destroy ... the Union Army of the Potomac under McClellan

Union attacks  under Union Major General Joseph Hooker on the left flank ('The Cornfield" and "Dunker Church") in the morning , and General Ambrose Burnside attempting to “take” the now famous Burnside Bridge on the Confederate right flank in the afternoon were costly and generally successful. but lacked “follow up” that would have resulted in a clearer Union victory.

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Attack: CSA Commander General Robert E. Lee gets the fight he wanted on Northern soil at Sharpsburg, Maryland. He will commit all his forces while “Little Mac” will hold one quarter of his Union troops in reserve, balancing the battle equation back to Lee. And Lee will see the opportunities, inflicting heavy casualties on the Union at the cornfield, the Sunken Road (Before they themselves are flanked), and Burnsides Bridge due to the well planned defensive postions of the Confederate Army.  CSA General A.P. Hill will run his men in from Harpers Ferry to reinforce Lee at a critical time in the battle for the CSA Army, pushing Union General Burnsides division back across that famous bridge.

The Confederate losses are greater when averaged however, and in fact Lee is stopped by the Union Army, and now draws his battered CSA Army back across the Potomac.

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Notes: Although the Union Army is “defending” Northern soil as the CSA Army invades north, keep in mind the Union actually must go on the attack as the Southerners have reached the battlefield at Antietam first. The Union Army has been south in the upper Blue Ridge Mountains pursuing Lee and Jackson since early September. The “Battle of South Mountain” just days before has stalled the Union Army and given Lee time that he has used well. The summary engagement at Shepardstown,Va. ( Sept. 19-20,1862 )  after The Battle at Antietam is a two day rear guard action as Lee retires back across the Potomac, and the end of the Maryland Campaign ( Antietam Campaign).

President Abraham Lincoln and the Northern press will applaud the Battle of Antietam as a major Union victory, driving the invaders from northern soil, and giving him the political platform to issue the preliminary “Emancipation Proclamation”.

Lincoln however, will enquire to Little Mac why he did not pursue the Confederate army and finish it off..Mac will state the Union army was battered which was true..but Mac is being too cautious possibly.

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Battle outcome: A Union victory as Lee withdraws, but a tactical draw.

Soldiers: Union-75,000 / CSA-40,000 approx.

Casualties: Union-12,400(2,100 killed) / CSA-10,300 approx.(1,500 killed approx.)

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Hero of Antietam...

Clara Barton :   December 25, 1821 – April 12, 1912 ( Battlefield Nurse )

Not enough can be said about this teacher, clerk, battlefield nurse and humantarian. Founder and first president of the American Red Cross.

Clarissa Harlowe (“Clara”) Barton..nurse.. will wagon the 80 miles to the battlefield before the battle and actually be there from the dawn..attending the thousands of Union wounded. The wagon load of medical supplies she brings..as well as equipment such as lanterns (when the doctors ran out of candles) will save countless lives.

An item such as bandages was in such short supply that the medics were tying the wounds with corn husks. Chloroform and liquor was gone within hours..Clara Barton continuing to assist the doctors into the night with battlefield surgeries.

She will continue her work with the wounded throughout the war..her metal having now being tested at Sharpsburg..during the bloodiest day in the Civil War. That work will expand exponentially..into the American Red Cross..we know today.