My topic of choice from the Civil War is the Battle of Antietam. I would like to discuss with you The cause of the battle, what two sides were fighting, who won the battle and what was the outcome or ending result of the battle. I also would like to explain to you the importance that this battle had in the Civil War overall.
The Battle of Antietam was a Civil War battle fought all in one day on September 17, 1862. This war was fought between General George McClellan of the North and General Robert E. Lee of the South. This battle is very significant to American history because since the Union army failed to capture Richmond, it was the Confederate’s first chance at gaining momentum in the war. It is often said that The Battle of Antietam was also the turning point of the war because the south did in fact gain some momentum in this battle which they tried to use to push themselves further. The Battle of Antietam is also the deadliest and bloodiest one day battle in American History by far with nearly 23,000 overall casualties and 3,700 dead
The Battle of Antietam happened as a result of the Union’s failure to capture the capital at Richmond. The Confederacy responded by pushing further north to try to gain as much territory as possible while The Union was trying to push further south. The two sides ended up meeting in a 24 acre cornfield in Sharpsburg Maryland known now as simply “The Cornfield”. Both the Union and the Confederacy were trying to gain control of this field because of the large area of land. Both sides were so determined to take control of the Cornfield that the overall control of the field changed six times throughout the entire battle.
At the end of the long bloody battle the Union Prevailed. Although they did not progress any further, they won the battle by holding their position and forcing the Confederacy to retreat back to where they have came. Over 5,000 soldiers were killed within the last few hours of battle. This was due mostly to flanking attack on the Confederate soldiers known today as “Burnside’s Attack” The Union’s victory at Antietam was also beneficial to the war because it prompted President Lincoln to issue his Emancipation Proclamation.
In conclusion, The Battle of Antietam was very helpful in motivating The Union to continue with their fighting and hold their ground as much as possible. They also prevented the Confederacy from advancing and fought to regain momentum back from the south. This battle was also very crucial in maintaining the unified country that we all know and love today.