The Battle of Antietam
This is a copy of the original map of the battlefield that was used during the Civil War.
The Battle of Antietam was the bloodiest, single day battle fought on American soil. There were 24,000 people dead, wounded, or missing that day. There were three phases to the battle: the morning phase, the afternoon phase, and the evening phase.
The Morning Phase: The battle began early in the morning of September 17, 1862. In the midst of dawn, Union General Joseph Hooker's men fought with the Confederates in Millers' Cornfield, also known as the Bloody Cornfield, and head toward the Sunken Road. For four hours, Union General William H. French and Confederate General Daniel Harvey Hill fought near the Sunken Road. Now it is called the Bloody Lane, for most of the heavy fighting occurred there.
The Afternoon Phase: Later in the day, Union General Ambrose Burnside's men fought with the Confederate army at the stone bridge crossing over Antietam Creek. Union General A.P. Hill’s division arrived from Harper's Ferry and counterattacked, backing Burnside and saving the day. That stone bridge is known as Burnside's Bridge, named after Ambrose Burnside for his strategy during the battle.
The Evening Phase: That evening, the battle began to die out. In spite of crippling casualties, Confederate Robert E. Lee continued to fight Union General George B. McClellan. After dark, Lee ordered the battered Army of Northern Virginia, also known as the Confederates, to withdraw across the Potomac into the Shenandoah Valley.
The Morning Phase: The battle began early in the morning of September 17, 1862. In the midst of dawn, Union General Joseph Hooker's men fought with the Confederates in Millers' Cornfield, also known as the Bloody Cornfield, and head toward the Sunken Road. For four hours, Union General William H. French and Confederate General Daniel Harvey Hill fought near the Sunken Road. Now it is called the Bloody Lane, for most of the heavy fighting occurred there.
The Afternoon Phase: Later in the day, Union General Ambrose Burnside's men fought with the Confederate army at the stone bridge crossing over Antietam Creek. Union General A.P. Hill’s division arrived from Harper's Ferry and counterattacked, backing Burnside and saving the day. That stone bridge is known as Burnside's Bridge, named after Ambrose Burnside for his strategy during the battle.
The Evening Phase: That evening, the battle began to die out. In spite of crippling casualties, Confederate Robert E. Lee continued to fight Union General George B. McClellan. After dark, Lee ordered the battered Army of Northern Virginia, also known as the Confederates, to withdraw across the Potomac into the Shenandoah Valley.
What Did This Mean to Lincoln?
President Lincoln in the telegraph office of Chief of the War Department, Thomas T. Eckert.
Although the Union's victory was won by a small margin, it was enough for Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862, which would take effect on January 1, 1863. The North's ability to stop the South's attempt to push into Northern territory and capture Washington, D.C. was very important for President Lincoln because, if the Confederates won at Antietam, France and Britain were willing to give aid to the Confederates. By winning the Battle of Antietam, the Union ended the Confederacy's hope for help from Britain or France and the South was doomed.