1 / 15

The Battle of Antietam September 17, 1862

The Battle of Antietam September 17, 1862. U.S. Civil War 1861 - 1865. Battle of Antietam Summary. Location: Washington County, MD Date(s): September 17, 1862 Union General: George McClellan Union Army: ~85,000 Confederate General: Robert E. Lee Confederate Army: ~55,000

oliana
Download Presentation

The Battle of Antietam September 17, 1862

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Battle of AntietamSeptember 17, 1862 U.S. Civil War 1861 - 1865

  2. Battle of Antietam Summary • Location: Washington County, MD • Date(s): September 17, 1862 • Union General: George McClellan • Union Army: ~85,000 • Confederate General: Robert E. Lee • Confederate Army: ~55,000 • Estimated Casualties: 22,700 • What is included in Casualties?

  3. Background • 16 months after beginning of Civil War and Union still without a major victory in the East • Peninsula campaign to capture Richmond, repulsed during Seven Days Battle in June/July • McClellan demoted • Humiliating defeat at Second Manassas (Bull Run) followed in August. • Lincoln brought back Gen. McClellan to restore order. He was superb organizer, but also cautious and devoid of initiative during battle

  4. Why Invade North? • Confederate leaders believe an expedition into the North may accomplish military and political goals. • Union in military disarray, invade MD, rally Confederate sympathizers providing food, supplies and new recruits • Victory on Northern soil may bring formal recognition and much needed assistance from England and France.

  5. Campaign • Lee split his army (not the first or last time he would do this) • Gen. Jackson in Harper’s Ferry, WVA • Stroke of luck for Union. Confederate plans found wrapped around 3 cigars and given to McClellan. If he moves quickly can intercept Lee before he can combine force

  6. 1st Confederate invade in the North • General Robert E. Lee tried to move his 40,000 troops above Washington DC

  7. McClellan moved to block • General McClellan took 75,000 men to block

  8. The Battle • The two sides fought from 6am – 4pm • Battle opens on Conf. left, thru cornfield and woods, tide of the battle switched many times

  9. The Battle • Battle then shifts to the middle of the line, each time Union close to breaking the Confederate line • Late in day, battle shifts to Confederate right flank as Gen. Burnside pushes across (soon to be named Burnside bridge) river and begins to break Confederates. In the nick of time, Gen. A.P. Hill’s division arrives from Harper’s Ferry to plug the gap. • McClellan has reserves, but never uses them

  10. The Bloodiest single day of Battle in American History

  11. Aftermath • Confederates exhausted, Union does not renew fight • McClellan allows Lee to retreat back across the Potomac. Does not press battered Confederate army. Gets McClellan fired again! • Enough of Union victory for Lincoln to issue Emancipation Proclamation, which freed slaves in territory in rebellion • European countries, which had abolished slavery themselves were dissuaded from supporting Confederate cause

  12. Casualties • Confederate • 10,316 • 1546 dead • 7752 wounded • 1018 missing • Union • 12,401 • 2108 dead • 9540 wounded • 753 missing

  13. Burial detail preparing to bury the dead from the Bloody Lane Lincoln and McClellan meeting after the Battle of Antietam.

  14. TodayBloody Lane

More Related