James Rivard
Mr. Braisted
3rd Hour
The Battle of Antietam - Notecard (Diagram shows Sunken Road, excerpt from entire battle)
Name of Battle:
• September 17, 1862
Generals:
• Battle of Antietam (in the North)
• Battle of Sharpsburg (in the South)
• Union: George B. McClellan
• Confederates: Robert E. Lee
Location of Battle:
Winner of Battle:
• Outside of Sharpsburg, Maryland
Near
Antietam
Creek
•
• Tactically inclusive
• Strategic Union victory
Date of Battle:
Overall Summary of Battle:
• Confederate General Robert E. Lee invaded the North for the first time during September 4-20 of 1862 in what
was known as the Maryland Campaign
• In order to divert this invasion, George B. McClellan followed Lee into Maryland, then launched defensive
attacks on the front lines from behind Antietam Creek
• At dawn on September 17th, Major Gen. Joseph Hooker's corps attacked the left flank of Lee's forces heavily,
attempting to penetrate the line of the Confederate army
• Resulting attacks and counterattacks occurred across Miller's cornfield and around the Dunker Church
• Union offense against Sunken Road eventually pierced the center of the Confederate line, but no further support
arrived and the South's forces regrouped
• Union Major Gen. Ambrose Burnside entered the action in the afternoon, supplying forces that captured the stone
bridge over Antietam Creek, and attacking Lee's right side
• Confederate General A.P. Hill and his forces arrived from Harpers Ferry to drive Burnside and his men back with
a surprise counter-attack, essentially ending the battle and determining no winner
• Although he had experienced crippling causualties, Lee continued small fighting with McClellan throughout
September 18th, and pulled his broken forces from south of the Potomac River
Strategy employed by Victorious Side:
• Although no side officially won, both sides employed somewhat effective strategies to drive each army back from
victory.
• General McClellan and the Union Army, although containing almost twice the force of the Confederates, sent in
less than 75% of his army to combat Lee's invasion so that in the event that he was defeated, his cautious actions
would not allow his armies to be crippled.
• McClellan also did not risk failure by destroying all of Lee's army when the fighting was ended, and although he
did not technically win the battle, he diverted and defeated enough of Lee's army to end the Maryland Campaign
and invasion of the Confederates. Lee and his army then retreated soundly back to Virginia without interference or
resistence.
• The Confederates, however, comitting all of their forces to the battle and heavily outnumbered, managed to
combat the Union to a standstill in order to prevent total destruction and defeat
• Even with a greater strength of army, McClellan of the Union was unable to achieve a complete force
concentration over Lee. His cautiousness and decision not to employ ample amounts of reserves in small
skirmishes gave hope and help to Lee's smaller army. They failed to entirely conquer the Confederates, allowing
Lee to intelligently shift his forces each time to counter each localized challenge he faced.
• Ultimately, neither side truly won, however success did come for the Union in ending Lee's northern invasion.
The larger forces of McClellan and the tactical shifting of Lee and his armies allowed no true winner to be found
from this battle, but it was decisive and essential for the Union to end the Maryland Campaign.
Interesting Facts About the Battle:
• Tactically the Battle of Antietam had no official winner, but the battle was important since it gave Union
President Lincoln the confidence to announce his Emancipation Proclomation, releasing all slaves in ten Southern
states, which dissuaded the British and French governments from plans to recognize the Confederate States of
America.