Battle of Battle of AntietamAntietam

The Bloodiest Single Day of the The Bloodiest Single Day of the Civil War. The casualties on Civil War. The casualties on September 17, 1862 amounted September 17, 1862 amounted to 23,000 casualtiesto 23,000 casualties

Antietam National Cemetery

Why did Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis decide to attack the North?

If the South won a battle in the North, the North may offer them a peace treaty.

If the South won a significant battle in the North, European Countries may recognize the Confederacy as an independent nation, which would boost trade or help them to gain allies or foreign assistance.

Jefferson Davis,

C.S.A. President

General Perspective of Robert E. Lee’s Road to

Antietam

September 5, 1862- September 5, 1862- Lee’s Position and Lee’s Position and Battle PlansBattle Plans

Lee dispatched “Stonewall” Jackson and A.P. Hill to attack Harper’s Ferry. James Longstreet was sent just over South Mountain to Boonsboro and D.H. Hill was ordered to protect the wagon and artillery trains. Harper’s Ferry,

Virginia

Finding of Lee’s Special Finding of Lee’s Special OrdersOrders

The front of the Federal Troops

skirmished with the rear of the

Confederate troops at Frederick,

Maryland. After the Confederates

retreated, a Union private

searched an abandoned tent and

found Lee’s “Special Orders

No. 191” which was wrapped

around 3 cigars. This Union

private gave Lee’s Orders to

George B. McClellan who said

that, “Here is the paper with

which if I cannot whip

Bobbie Lee, I will be willing

to go home.”

George B. McClellan

McClellan’s Orders once Lee’s McClellan’s Orders once Lee’s

Special Orders were foundSpecial Orders were found -Union Commander George

B. McClellan sent Cavalry to the South Mountain passes to possibly attack D.H. Hill and James Longstreet.

Union Reinforcements were sent to Harper’s Ferry to protect it from A.P. Hill and “Stonewall” Jackson’s attack.

The rest of McClellan’s forces would march west of D.C. to split the difference between Boonsboro and Harper’s Ferry, ending up at Antietam Creek

McClellan’s Caution McClellan’s Caution shows through againshows through again

McClellan overestimated the amount of troops that Robert E. Lee had around the South Mountain passes under D.H. Hill and figured that James Longstreet would reinforce Hill if he was attack, but Longstreet was now around 13 miles ahead of D.H. Hill.

James Longstreet

Daniel Harvey

(D.H.) Hill

Harper’s Ferry is surrendered by Harper’s Ferry is surrendered by the Union, Jackson heads to the Union, Jackson heads to

Antietam CreekAntietam Creek “Stonewall” Jackson is

late in moving to Antietam due to the Union surrendering on September 15 and Jackson had to negotiate terms of the surrender. “Stonewall” Jackson left for Antietam the night of September 15 and A.P. Hill was to follow him after finishing the negotiations for the surrender of these 12,000 Union troops at Harper’s Ferry.

Thomas “Stonewall”

Jackson

Ambrose Powell

(A.P.) Hill

Battlefield Arrangements on the Dawn of Battlefield Arrangements on the Dawn of

September 17 at Antietam CreekSeptember 17 at Antietam Creek

For the Confederacy, James Longstreet and D.H. Hill held the right and the center. “Stonewall” Jackson and J.E.B. Stuart held the left.

For the Union, General Joseph Hooker and Major General Joseph Mansfield on the Union Right, while Major General Edwin Sumner’s corps were in the center. Major General Ambrose Burnsides’ troops were the Union left.

McClellan’s Battle Plans McClellan’s Battle Plans for Antietamfor Antietam

The initial attack would be with Union Maj. Gen. Joseph Mansfield’s troops attacking the Confederate left flank, occupied by “Stonewall” Jackson. This attack would be followed by an attack by Burnsides on the Confederate right flank, and then finally, an attack on the Confederate Center, with reinforcements making up the most of these attacking forces.

Union Major General Joseph

Mansfield Union Major General Ambrose Burnside

Fighting in the Center with Union Fighting in the Center with Union General Edwin Sumner versus General Edwin Sumner versus

Confederate General D.H. HillConfederate General D.H. Hill Around 10 A.M. fighting

ensued between Sumner’s Divisions and D.H. Hill’s.

After a considerable amount of casualties occurred to both sides, the Confederates retreated and reformed 600 yards away. The area of fighting in the center of the battlefield and the 600 yards that the Confederates traveled in their retreat was named “Bloody Lane” for the mass amounts of death that occurred in this area.

“Bloody Lane” at the Center of Antietam Battlefield

““Bloody Lane” at AntietamBloody Lane” at Antietam

More Pictures of “Bloody Lane”More Pictures of “Bloody Lane”

Burnside gains control of the Burnside gains control of the Antietam Creek BridgeAntietam Creek Bridge

Burnside replenished ammunition for 2 + hours and moved his troops to the west bank rather than pushing on and attacking the confederacy like he should have.

Burnside moves forward towards Burnside moves forward towards Confederate Brigadier General David R. Confederate Brigadier General David R.

Jones’ division of 2,500 troops.Jones’ division of 2,500 troops. Union saw their

reinforcements approaching, when in fact it was A.P. Hill’s confederate division marching in Union garb they got from Harper’s Ferry. Burnside was shocked when Hill’s troops began to charge at them. Burnside’s troops retreated and the fighting was over.

VS.

Union Maj.

General Ambrose Burnside

A.P. Hill’s troops

dressed in Union

uniforms

Union “Victory” as Lee Union “Victory” as Lee withdrew from Antietam withdrew from Antietam back to VA on Sep. 18back to VA on Sep. 18thth

Lee was outnumbered 2 to 1 at Antietam and still fought the Union to a standstill, but decided there was nothing else to gain, especially since Maryland refused to join the confederacy.

Overall Losses at Overall Losses at Antietam:Antietam:

Confederates- 45,000 Total troops at Antietam,

11,172 Lost

Union- 87,000 Total troops at Antietam,

12,410 Lost

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