Antietam

The Battle of Antietam

Lauren Hickey

22/03/2016

Overview

The Battle of Antietam, also known as the battle of Sharpsburg, began on 17 September 1862. The Union and Confederate soldiers went to battle, killing the highest amount of American lives in a single battle. The Battle of Antietam was the bloodiest day in American history. With over 23,000 casualties, the enormous amount of death that occurred that day is unparallel. Aside from the sheer number of deaths, the battle was also very important in shaping the history of America.

As the Civil War entered its second year during 1862, the war was dragging on much longer than anticipated. At first, the Union had had a string of victories that put the Confederate Army as risk. However, as the war continued on, the Confederates were able to put a number of victories under their belt, threatening the Union. The Battle of Antietam was very important for both the Northerners and Southerners because its outcome caused the Union to have more control. Had the Confederates won the battle, the history of America could have been very different.

During the Battle of Antietam, the Confederates began their advance into Maryland in the hopes of being able to retrieve military supplies. The reason why it was such a big deal that the Confederates were advancing in Maryland was because this was the first battle of the Civil War to be fought on Northern soil. If the Southerners were able to defeat the Northerners in this battle, it is possible that nations such as England would start to view the South as its own entity. If England were to see the Confederate Army as a legitimate threat to the Union, they could’ve intervened on the Southerners’ behalf. This possibility was a great threat to the North. The Union was able to defend itself against the Confederacy. Despite the large amount of casualties that were produced due to the Battle of Antietam, the battle is considered a Northern Victory. Following the Union victory,...