The Battle at Antietam

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses how the battle at Antietam ended the first attempt by the South at invading the North, with the army under the leadership of General Robert E. Lee. The paper explains that the battle was inconclusive because while Lee withdrew, the Northern army under McClellan did not follow and so did not destroy the Southern army at this time. The paper shows, however, how the battle did set the stage for the Emancipation Proclamation, making slavery a more explicit subject for the rest of the war. The paper relates that this was something President Lincoln had not wanted to do in this manner, but which he embraced once it was possible.

From the Paper:

"At the time, General Lee was buoyed by his success at Bull Run but also uncertain about what to do next. He could not go after Pope's army because the later withdrew to Washington and was protected by a fort and by reinforcements. Analysts say he could have fallen back to the fortifications at Centreville, but he did not want to do this because the provisions and forage in that area had all been used up the year before. Lee had other choices he could have made, such as moving west or south, but he also faced the desire to deny the North the time to recover from recent defeats. A move to the west appealed most to Lee, and he was especially interested in an invasion of Maryland, with reasons that were military, political, and psychological."

Sample of Sources Used:

• "The Battle of Antietam." War of the Rebellion (2006). August 23, 2006. http://www.mycivilwar.com/battles/620916.htm.
• Benedict, Michael Les. The Fruits of Victory: Alternatives in Restoring the Union, 1865-1877. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1975.
• Cannan, John. The Antietam Campaign: August-September 1862. Conshohocken, Pennsylvania: Combined Books, 1994.
• "Carnage at Antietam, 1862." Eyewitness to History.com. 1997. August 23, 2006. http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/antiet.htm.
• Dew, Charles B. "How Samuel E. Pittman Validated Lee's 'Lost Orders' Prior to Antietam: A Historical Note." Journal of Southern History, Volume 70, Issue 4 (2004). August 24, 2006. http://www.questia.com/PM.qst;jsessionid=GKCbjF7jLdrdJLnGsHL9NGQ0h7p6ymvLM0LSsgJ221LmWxLk2HVK!1790959611!795253107?a=o&d=5008256014.

More papers on The Battle at Antietam:

• Analytical Essay # 23519 : "The Battle at Antietam"
• Essay # 37163 : "Addressing the Battle of Antietam from Its Impact on Military Strategy"
• Essay # 37164 : "The Battle of Antietam and Its Impact on Military Strategy"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: