The Battle of Antietam
The Civil War was fought from 1861-1865 on American soil. The war was fought from the Union standpoint to unite the country and abolish slavery. The Confederates were seeking separation and freedom from America, and to hold on to slavery. Many of important battles occurred during this war which resulted in the Union winning including the battle of Antietam.
The Battle of Antietam occurred on September 17, 1862. The battle is also known as The Battle of Sharpsburg and it was fought in just one day. But don’t let the battle only being one day fool you, this battle was the bloodiest one day battle in American history. With 22,717 men dead, wounded, or missing. Numbers like that were almost unseen at this time. The Battle of Antietam was also the first battle to take place in the eastern half of the United States.
The battle was obviously very gruesome dealing that the dead, missing or wounded toll was over 22,000 men. A quotation from an unknown soldier “ I recall a Union soldier lying near the Dunker Church with his face turned upward, and his pocket Bible open upon his breast. I lifted the volume and read the words: Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.' Upon the fly-leaf were the words, 'We hope and pray that you may be permitted by kind Providence, after the war is over, to return. ” (Charles Carlton Coffin, Army Correspondent, Boston Journal "Antietam Scenes," Battles and Leaders. Vol II, p. 685.) This quotation has significant meaning because it shows how helpless the soldiers were at this time and even if they were helpless they hoped and tried to make the world a better place to live in.
The Battle was the first army/ground war engagement between the South and the North. Robert E. Lee one of the most famous Civil War generals led around 45,000 Confederate men to invade the North. They were met by about 70,000 Union soldiers who were led by General George McClellan. The uses of terrain were such a key factor in the battle, the west wood, the east wood, and the cornfield are where most of the action took place.
The Battle of Antietam for the North, was a huge success they were able to stop the invasion. Which was really key because the Battle occurred because the Union had just lost a string of battles. General Lee being the hero he was wanted to make a push and cripple the Union Army and this was his perfect chance.
The primary resource I chose for this paper was Crossroads of Freedom: Antietam written by James M. McPherson. McPherson titles one of his chapters, “ The federals got a very complete smashing. ” In the months leading up to this battle the Union kept getting beaten by the confederates and the Unions morale was very low. Despite desperate media attempts to release “ Cheer up and Fight Harder ” messages the union losses just seemed to keep coming (McPherson 49). In previous battles McClellan lost men, morale, and support for the war effort suffering almost humiliating defeats. The losses of the Union fueled the South and boosted their morale. President Lincoln saw how much trouble the Union was having and realized if the Union didn’t do something soon the war would be lost soon. Lincoln took several actions to bring back war efforts for the North. But even he knew that only a big victory could stop the South’s momentum. The confederates lost a lot of significant people in The Battle of Antietam. McPherson says that “ Lee would be unable to think about resuming his strategy. ” (McPherson 133) After the Battle of Antietam the confederates didn’t return to its strength for many months after the Battle. The Battle of Antietam drained Southern forces. The union forces even quoted “ a different spirit has been infused in the hearts of our men contentment and cheerfulness and the right idea of work before them. ” (McPherson 135) McPherson argues that the shift in morale was the one that had not been seen anywhere else in the war and never had one side been closer to victory than the Confederates. Had it not been for this victory that reinstated northern morale, the Confederacy might have continued their string of victories bringing an end to the union. This shows how close the Confederates were to winning the entire war and if it weren’t for the Union win they probably would’ve secured the victory in the entire Civil War. This also ties in to today how after 9/11 people really seemed down and beaten and that is an understatement everyone was hurt in some way. Then we killed Osama Bin Laden the leader of Al-Qaida and it was like the whole entire country erupted with patriotism and the morale to be an American citizen was through the roof! I can still remember watching the New York Mets play the Philadelphia Phillies and the reactions of fans who are supposed to “Hate” each other over the bitter rivalry come together and be united happy and joyful as a country that’s what the soldiers were really fighting for in these battles.
Another benefit to come out of the Battle of Antietam was if the Union wouldn’t have one the battle president Lincoln wouldn’t have been able to make the emancipation proclamation happen. If the south won they easily just could’ve ignored Lincoln like they have been in years past of the Civil War. The emancipation proclamation was a proclamation that all slaves who had been owned were now no longer in bond to their buyers or masters. They were free and able to take place in some things like owning land and fighting in the war which eventually helped the Union out. The emancipation proclamation was the main goal of the Union starting the war along with unifying the country to be what it is today, but the South didn’t just release their slaves as soon as the battle was one and the proclamation was commenced. Instead most people kept their slaves as a way to kind of stick their tongue out at Lincoln and was not until the South surrendered that a lot of slaves would be released.
In Eyewitness to America 500 years of American history in words of those who saw it happen a young soldier says “ I aint never seen anything like it everywhere I looked men were falling bullets whizzing by loud shots from cannons and the moans of the dying. ” (Colbert 148) This quotation shows how young men at about 18 or 19 years of age were being thrown out to dry so to say. Both the Union and the Confederates pulled people to fight the war. And what the battlefields looked like, death and chaos. Also from the book Eyewitness to America 500 years of American history in words of those who saw it happen another story of a young man who has just witnessed war for the first time says “ I can see the devil of war in their eyes. ” (Colbert 151) This quotation shows how these men saw their enemies. They felt like they were only fighting for what was right meanwhile the other guys were like the devil. This also relates to today’s era. I think we look at other countries as if they are wrong and almost devil like and they look at us like we are wrong and devil like. Just on the views we have, The Union was against slavery and The Confederates were fighting to keep it because that’s how most of the people kept their businesses and their plantations up and running.