Antietam

The battle of Antietam was the culmination of General Robert E. Lee’s first attempt to take the war onto Union territory.

Lee crossed the Potomac River into Maryland on September 5th, 1862 following his stunning victory at the second battle of Manassas on August 29th and 30th, with every intention of capitalizing on the initiative he and his Army of Northern Virginia had fought so hard to win.

Following on the series, Great Battlefields of the Civil War, Antietam tells the story of the bloodiest day of the entire war. More than 22,000 casualties in a single day. How would todays politicians explain that to the American public?

This book tells the story of the battle, provides photos - many of them taken on, or just after, the day of the battle, and some as the battlefield looks today.There are maps and graphic descriptions of the battle at each of the important locations around the battlefield.

The book will make a good field guide for visitors to Antietam, and for armchair travelers too.