Battle of Antietam
1862 · Sharpsburg, along Antietam Creek (modern Maryland, United States) · World · Modern
In a single day the two sides fought back and forth over sectors such as the "Bloody Lane" and the "burning Cornfield," with unprecedented casualties. The next day Lee withdrew his army back to Virginia of his own accord.
Belligerents
United States (Union)
- Commanders
- George McClellan
- Strength
- About 75,000
Confederate States of America (Confederacy)
- Commanders
- Robert E. Lee
- Strength
- About 38,000
Background
Lee led the Confederate army north for the first time, invading Maryland in hopes of winning international recognition and shaking Northern morale; McClellan led the Union army to intercept him.
Course of the battle
- Bloody fighting in the CornfieldIn the early morning the two sides charged back and forth in the cornfield, and the position changed hands several times.
- Bloody LaneAt midday the fighting shifted to a sunken lane, and casualties on both sides kept mounting.
- Lee withdrawsThe next day the Confederate army withdrew to the south bank of the Potomac without fighting again.
Outcome at a glance
| Date | 1862 |
|---|---|
| Place | Sharpsburg, on Antietam Creek (present-day Maryland, United States) |
| Result | In a single day the two sides fought back and forth over sectors such as the "Bloody Lane" and the "burning Cornfield," with unprecedented casualties. The next day Lee withdrew his army back to Virginia of his own accord. |
| Winner | No decision (strategically to the Union's advantage) |
| Casualties | Combined casualties exceeded 23,000, making it the bloodiest single day in American history. |
| Territorial change | Lee's first invasion of the North was checked, and the front returned to its prewar position. |
Impact
Although the battle did not destroy the enemy's main force, it halted Lee's offensive and allowed Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation at a favorable moment; from then on the war took on the moral dimension of abolishing slavery.
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