Battle of the Antietam
In history, battles mostly took place at the south of America and at no time had it occurred at the North. However, on 17th of September 1862, the battle of the Antietam broke this record as it set record to be the first American Civil War that occurred on the northern soils. The battle that was led by General Robert Lee and George McClellan started at the Antietam creek in the Sharpsburg in Maryland. Under the command of McClellan, a sequence of powerful attacks were established against Robert’s Lee territory in the morning as these confederate army counterattacked back and forth all through the Miller’s cornfield and part of the Wet Woods. The assaults increased and diversified to the centre of the battlefield while the union army assaulted the sunken road that penetrate d the confederate territory at the centre soon after they had a very bad fight back. Later in the day at late time, there was the third assault which happened to be the last but major attack that was carried out by the union army who were responsible for pushing over a bullet speckled stone bridge at the creek f the Antietam. Then there was the arrival of the Hill’s division from the Harpers who assisted in driving the union army back. This paper, therefore, will discuss on the manner in which the results of the battle lead to Lincoln’s efforts to carry out an emancipation proclamation which acted as a promise of freedom for the southern slaves once the union army took authority.
The Potomac army led by McClellan was put together within the shortest time possible at the Rockville in September 1862. This army was a combination of different commands. McClellan had the plan of bringing together his men at the back of the Antietam Creek. However, Lee was in a shaky position with the union at his back and had only one ford at the southwest which could act as the escape route for them. McClellan moved slowly and he failed to probe the confederate lines no until September 16 (Rosen 2011). This delay therefore created an opportunity for Lee to bring his army jointly even though some of his units were on the route. McClellan later decided to open the battle by assaulting from the north since it would his army to be in a position to cross the creek at the unguarded upper bridge. His plan was that he attack would be hold up by a diversionary assault by Major Burnside against the lower part of the bridge to the south of Antietam. If the attack proved to be an achievement then McClellan would have attacked with his reserves over the middle bridge against the Lee’s center.
McClellan had lost so many opportunities of defeating Lee and his troop. On the 13th of September he was given a copy of Robert Lee’s plan but he considered it not enough. However, Lee was capable of capturing Harpers Ferry and gathered his army at the Antietam before the union arm was brought to bear. While at the Sharpsburg in Maryland on September 15, McClellan lost the opportunity through his failure to attack Lee immediately even though it called for him to attack without the knowledge of the confederates strength and position. Before the 17th of September, Lee’s army was not that much concentrated as some of his army members had gone to capture the Harpers Ferry (Murfin 2004). Hence McClellan would have seized the opportunity to fight the confederate as they had no enough support since they were not concentrated. Moreover, McClellan fought with the same design of a piecemeal that is a division at a time. This thus allowed Lee to have more time to move his army to the various hotspots that were in need without having to worry so much of his other men who were in the lines. McClellan’s failure was also evident from the way he failed to follow success while at the field by failing to commit his reserves to one more push which would have broken the confederate hence resulting to their success. McClellan was more concerned with protecting the Washington and his army rather than not destroying his enemies. About 300000 men of the union army were kept in reserve by their leader McClellan instead of being in the field fighting their enemies.
As opposed to the union army which had a patchwork quality, the confederate soldiers of the Northern Virginia were an incline battling device. This were a troop of battle veterans who were all battle tested as most of them had been in more than one major battles. The confederate army had an inadequate supply of the items and hence the overall supply system for this army was acute. The lack of shoes together with the shortage of rations resulted to most of these confederate soldiers to rag behind as they were unfit to continue with their march towards Sharpsburg. However, their counterparts, the union army were well fed, well clothed and equipped and were well paid. Lee caused the Battle of the Antietam as he was determined to follow up on his success at the second war of the Manassas through heading towards the north into Sharpsburg in Maryland. His goals were to sever rail connections to Washington and seize their supplies. However, on learning this plan, McClellan moved in with his army so as to intercept this. Lee also aimed at getting the attention of other European countries such as France as well as England who would assist the South and the confederates with their impending situation (Priest 2014).
On the evening of this day around Sharpsburg, the conflicting forces were encircled by some of the most awful carnage that has ever been witnessed in the Northern continent where approximately 4000 men were killed absolutely. The bodies of those who succumbed to the fight from both the armies were buried at the place where they knocked down on the field. However, the union army took 3 to 4 days to carry out the burial work. In the year 1867 those union members who died during the war were reentered into the Antietam state burial ground while the confederate members’ remnants remained in the same place in the field up until the 1874. It is from this point that they were positioned in the recently recognized Washington burial ground which is near Hagerstown. Approximately 19, 000 soldiers were injured during these assaults where about 12400 who were wounded were from the union army. Those who were injured were at risk of dying from these wounds as they were serious injuries. The union had organized for medical interventions so as to evacuate those union members who were injured and also they established a field hospital where they created a way in which they attended to the casualties in accordance to their severity. The area extended up to 40 miles radius so as to cover up for the increasing number of the wounded. On the other hand the confederate soldiers who injured were left to the mercies of these union surgeons.
A month later following the battle of the Antietam, Lincoln seized this opportunity so as to promise an end in slavery. He therefore declared a prior warning in January 1863 to all the nations that were still in rebellion that he would declare the freedom of their slaves forever if they remained to be rebellious. On first of January 1863, he made the final announcement which committed the federals and all the armed forces of the U.S to free the slaves of the rebel nations which acted as an act of justice that was acceptable by the constitution upon the necessities of the military. All the three parts of the confederate as well as the border slaves nations were exempted from the proclamation as the union armies were in charge of the grounds where the confederate armies were located and hence they were not in revolt towards the US (Priest 2014). Recruitment of these freed saves was a part of the proclamation and also the free slaves were recruited into joining the union army and they made significant contribution to their freedom and that of the union. Abolition was the core aim of the war as per President Lincoln’s strategy. Both the Northern citizens as well as the inhabitants of the border slave nations would agree to this abolition policy.
However, the introduction of this war in 1862 attracted so many slaves who fled so as to join in the invasion of the Northern armies and it is at this time that Lincoln was more than ever convinced of the success of the abolition strategy as it sounded like a military strategy as well as a morally right path. This war therefore was important in that it allowed for the announcement of the emancipation proclamation which enhanced the transformation through the establishment of a turning point in the Antietam war as it transformed the battle to maintain the state into a war for freedom of the humans. Though only a few slaves were freed immediately after the war through the emancipation proclamation, there were future plans of freeing he slaves all over which were underway (Alexandra 2011).
The Antietam battle resulted to the start and the end o general McClellan. This is because he misused his opportunity to act as according to the orders that he was given by Lincoln to destroy all the rebel army at Antietam. However, with twice the manpower and the numerous opportunities that he had to destroy his enemies he failed to do so. This battle would later act as his measure f his general role (Rosen 2011). He however failed this test as the battle uncovered most of the mistakes that he had carried out while at the battle. One of his largest mistakes was when he overestimated his enemies’ numbers and this figment of the imagination conquered his military conduct. His decisions were thus influenced by fear of retaliation by the confederate army.
The invasion of the confederate in Maryland were aimed at not only winning the confederacy for the boarder slaves but also to influence the voting of the Northern citizens who were approaching a polling in October as well as in November so as to elect a new person to represent them in the government. The infliction of wounds on the union opponents was therefore a strategy that the confederate led by Lee to enhance the United States citizens to determine on whether they would support those who were in the favor of the prolongation of the battle or those who were advocating for the termination of this battle. This battle therefore acted as a saving plan fir Lincoln from the resonant defeat of the midterm polls (Rosen 2011). Antietam happened just weeks before the elections and thus it offered Lincoln and his colleagues from the Republicans a military boost but most of all it offered them a badly demanded political boost. However, in the elections that took place I the 1862, the Republicans together with Lincoln took position and had the larger number of seats in the House.
This war posed a public as well as a political impact as the confederate failure in Maryland was viewed by many as an acceleration and prolongation of the war and the confederacy would not make it through without the help of their state governments. This battle therefore destroyed any form of hope for the foreigners’ interventions so as to come in aid for the rebels. Hence with the issuing of the emancipation proclamation it was evident that no civilized state would side against the union army who are defenders of freedom. Implication was also evident at the North since Lincoln would seize the opportunity to declare his victory as the fortunes of the battle seemed to may be turning in favor of the union side (Guelzo 2005). The northern citizens felt an enormous effect of the battle than any other effect that occurred earlier in America. The displaying of the photographs in New York and the various publications in the newspapers relayed the awful occurrence of the battle which resulted to pain and fear. It was a moment of reality to most of the Americans as they saw something that was practical but not a fun as they had thought battles are. This also made aware to the people that they had to sacrifice and make extensive efforts so as to end the combats at the Sharpsburg (Murfin 2004).
It is important to note that the results of this battle indicate clearly that neither of the army won this battle in accordance to the military outlook. The confederate army claims that they were the ones who attained victory as they were forced to retreat from Antietam in Maryland which was the soil for the unionist. It is however believed that if McClellan made decisive decisions earlier on, the war would have ended more sooner. From the battle of the Antietam, it is clear that McClellan was a slow, careful and defensive minded person and this acted as his source of weakness that made him waste all the opportunities in winning the battle (Alexander 2011). However, his counterpart, Lee was a good leader who made decisive decisions and in his well selection of the battleground was well suited for defense but however dangerous also since the Potomac River was behind him.
In conclusion, the battle of the Antietam was one of the bloodiest in the history of the Americans. The loss that was experienced in this fight was one that would not leave the minds of the Americans especially those who were affected. There was much causality as some died while others become crippled following the serious injuries that they received. The cost of this fight that was paid was way too much to be ever recovered in the American nation. However, there were still positive consequences that were as a result of this battle as a turning point was received from this battle and especially for the confederacy slaves. Political gains to some of the candidates such as Lincoln and his fellow Republicans were received as they were viewed as those leaders who wanted the battle to end. This boosted their campaigns politically and hence enhancing them to win in the September election. Lincoln as a person was always against the slavery and the slaves and thus he would have done anything so as to abolish this system in America as he thought it was not right and hence it was immoral of the American society. However, his perspective was his only and not for most of the Americans thus abolishment of slaves would not have occurred without this battle of the Antietam that resulted to the announcement of the proclamation. This emancipation proclamation by Lincoln is one of the major positive effects that were as a result of the battle of the Antietam. The issuing of this proclamation brought freedom to the slaves and it started with the confederacy slaves. Though the effect of this proclamation seemed to have no great impact at the beginning, it is evident that in future it brought so much change and transformation. The battle of the Antietam brought reality unto the people across the world and especially to the Americans and this acted as a control mechanism to any outbreak of war in the future as people now knew the pain that is felt and the consequences that are brought about by battles. Leadership qualities are important as demonstrated by the various commanders who were in charge of the battle armies at Antietam. Lee was an opportunist and despite of his low supply of the resources that they needed they still succeeded in the battle. This is a sign of great effort and organization through their leader Lee who was very determined to win this battle. On the other hand, the McClellan had his weaknesses and he was not an opportunist as he lost every one of the opportunities that were set before him so as to win this battle but to no avail he did not utilize them. This is a symbol of poor leadership that the Americans were looking forward to put out from leadership as they only prolonged the battle more than they should have. The end of McClellan came to action in November after the battle of Antietam as even some of his own solders felt that he failed as the general considering that the unions had more support from their army with adequate supply of food and also clothes, payments and also equipments. Hence they had better opportunity to win the confederate who had several gaps while at war. Freedom of slave was the ultimate outcome of this battle.
References
Alexander, T. (2011). The Battle of Antietam: The bloodiest day. Charleston, SC: History Press.
Guelzo, A. C. (2005). Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation: The End of Slavery in America. Simon and Schuster.
Murfin, J. V. (2004). The Gleam of Bayonets: The Battle of Antietam and Robert E. Lee's Maryland Campaign, September 1862. LSU Press.
Priest, J. M. (2014). Antietam: The soldiers' battle. Savas Publishing.
Rosen, D. (2011). Battles of the Civil War: Antietam. Pelham, NY: Benchmark Education Co.
