Which Civil War Battle Was Fought in St. Sharpsburg Maryland?

What Civil War battle was fought in St. Sharpsburg, Maryland? The battle was called the Antietam Battle. Let's learn more about the Antietam Battle that was fought in St. Sharpsburg and when and why it occurred.

One of the most famous and bloodiest battles of the Civil War and of American military history was a Civil War battle which took place in St. Sharpsburg, Maryland. This battle became known as the Antietam Battle.

Specifics about the Antietam Battle

Now that you know what Civil War battle was fought in St. Sharpsburg Maryland, you might wish to learn more about this important battle:

• The Antietam Battle began on September 16, 1862 in St. Sharpsburg, Maryland. On this date, Major General George B. McClellan confronted the Northern Virginia army of General Robert E. Lee. The two sides gathered their troops in preparation for battle.

• On September 17, 1862 the bloodiest battle in the history of the American military began. McClellan ordered the Hooker corps to attack the left flank of the army of Robert E. Lee. The assault was a powerful one. McClellan only sent in approximately three quarters of his army to fight against the army of Robert E. Lee, whose army was outnumbered nearly two to one on the battlefield.

• Skirmishes of the battle flourished around the Dunker church and swept across Miller’s cornfield. Fighting continued throughout the entire day of September the 17th. On the evening of the 17th, fighting ceased for a short period while both sides refortified their lines.

• Despite the many casualties suffered by Lee and his already outnumbered army, the General ordered his army of Northern Virginia to continue the attack on the troops of McClellan. He removed his wounded men to just south of the Potomac River and continued the fight. McClellan did not initiate any fighting on the 18th, they simply fought against Lee’s attacking army to hold their ground.

• After dark on the 18th of September 1862, the fighting had ended and Lee’s decimated army was ordered to retreat to the other side of the Potomac River into the Shenandoah Valley.

• The number of losses for both sides was 23,100 soldiers lost during the Antietam Battle. The Confederates, led by McClellan lost approximately 10,700 people. The Union soldiers led by Robert E. Lee experienced more loss. Their losses totaled 12,410.

Although neither side was declared victorious in the war, the progression of Lee into the North was a turning point in the Civil War and helped to decide the ultimate outcome of the entire war.

The battle is also said to be one of the key battles that led then President Abraham Lincoln to deliver the Emancipation Proclamation, which is the official declaration that set the slaves of the time free in the United States.

Thus, knowing what Civil War battle was fought in St. Sharpsburg Maryland is an important part of knowing US history.