Abolishing Slavery Began With 23,000 Tragic Deaths at This Maryland Battlefield

Antietam, Maryland

This small Maryland town witnessed the turning point of the Civil War when Union and Confederate forces met in brutal combat. The aftermath shaped Lincoln’s next big move and altered history. This is the story of September 17, 1862.

Lee’s Invasion of Maryland

Robert E. Lee led his Army of Northern Virginia across the Potomac River at White’s Ford between September 4-7, 1862. His soldiers sang “Maryland, My Maryland” as they waded through the water.

Lee hoped a victory on Northern soil would convince Britain and France to recognize the Confederacy and influence upcoming elections to bring peace-minded Democrats to power.

His plans nearly collapsed when Union soldiers found his lost battle orders, Special Order 191, wrapped around three cigars on September 13.

Fighting Erupts in Miller’s Cornfield

Dawn broke on September 17 with Union General Joseph Hooker attacking Confederate General Stonewall Jackson’s forces. Hooker commanded 8,600 men against Jackson’s 7,700 defenders positioned around Miller’s Cornfield.

Four Confederate artillery batteries under Colonel Stephen D. Lee on high ground near the Dunker Church traded deadly fire with nine Union batteries on northern ridges.

The 30-acre cornfield changed hands 15 times as soldiers surged back and forth through the tall stalks, leaving bodies scattered in rows.

The Dunker Church Under Fire

The small white brick Dunker Church stood at the center of the battlefield.

German Baptist Brethren, called “Dunkers” for their full-immersion baptism practice, built the church in 1852 on land donated by farmer Samuel Mumma in 1851.

The peaceful congregation practiced non-violence, making their church’s location in brutal combat tragically ironic. Artillery and rifle fire heavily damaged the structure during battle.

After surviving the fighting, the church collapsed in a 1921 windstorm before being rebuilt in 1962.

Horror at the Sunken Road

Around 9:30 AM, fighting shifted to a farm lane worn below ground level by years of wagon traffic. Confederate General D.H. Hill positioned troops in this natural trench, creating excellent defensive cover.

The Irish Brigade under General Thomas F. Meagher led a famous charge, advancing with their green flag and golden Irish harp while suffering 540 casualties.

Fighting lasted from 9:30 AM to 1:00 PM, producing 5,600 casualties along the 800-yard road that earned the name “Bloody Lane.”

The Fight for Burnside Bridge

Union General Ambrose Burnside needed to cross the 125-foot-long, three-arched stone bridge originally called Rohrbach Bridge.

Just 500 Georgia sharpshooters under General Robert Toombs held an 80-foot bluff overlooking the narrow span, keeping thousands of Union soldiers at bay for hours.

After multiple failed attempts, the 51st Pennsylvania and 51st New York regiments finally captured the bridge around 1:00 PM. The structure became known as “Burnside Bridge” after the general who got his troops across.

Hill’s Last-Minute Rescue

By mid-afternoon, Union forces pushed toward Sharpsburg while Lee’s army faced destruction with their backs to the Potomac River.

Confederate General A.P. Hill’s division made a remarkable 17-mile forced march from Harpers Ferry in just 8 hours.

Many wore captured blue Union uniforms, causing confusion on the battlefield.

Hill’s fresh troops arrived at 3:30 PM and immediately launched a flank attack that stopped Burnside’s advance and saved Lee’s army from total defeat.

America’s Bloodiest Day

The 13-hour battle produced a staggering human toll.

Twenty-three thousand total casualties exceeded the combined losses at Pearl Harbor, D-Day, and September 11. Six generals died, including Union Major Generals Joseph K.

Mansfield and Israel B. Richardson, with dozens more high-ranking officers wounded. Photographers Alexander Gardner and James Gibson documented the aftermath, creating the first battlefield images shown to the American public.

The scale of suffering shocked both North and South.

Lincoln Seizes the Moment

President Abraham Lincoln used the battle’s outcome to issue the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862, just five days later.

The document declared all slaves in Confederate territory would be free by January 1, 1863.

Lincoln had waited for a battlefield victory to avoid appearing desperate. Though it didn’t immediately free anyone in Union-controlled areas, it transformed the war from simply preserving the Union to ending slavery.

Europe Steps Back

Antietam’s impact reached across the Atlantic Ocean. Before the battle, France and Great Britain considered recognizing the Confederate States because European cotton mills suffered from Southern cotton shortages.

A Confederate victory might have brought foreign intervention. News of Union victory combined with the Emancipation Proclamation made supporting the Confederacy politically impossible for European democracies.

“Emancipation Meetings” across England rallied public support for the Union, ending Confederate hopes for foreign recognition.

McClellan Loses Lincoln’s Faith

Despite commanding twice as many troops as Lee, General George B. McClellan used only three-quarters of his forces and failed to pursue Lee’s retreating army on September 18.

He proudly called the battle “a masterpiece of art” in a letter to his wife.

Lincoln grew frustrated with McClellan’s cautious approach and inability to finish off the weakened Confederate army.

After visiting the battlefield and urging pursuit, Lincoln removed McClellan from command on November 7, 1862, replacing him with Ambrose Burnside.

Visiting Antietam National Battlefield

Antietam remains one of America’s best-preserved battlefields. Visitors today can explore key sites including the rebuilt Dunker Church, Bloody Lane, and Burnside Bridge.

A 27-foot observation tower built in 1897 at the east end of Bloody Lane offers wide views of much of the battlefield. Each December, the annual Antietam Memorial Illumination places 23,000 candles across the landscape, one for each casualty.
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