1. The Battle of Antietam September 17, 1862

2. George B. McClellan (USA)
The Two Commanders
Robert E. Lee (CSA)
George B. McClellan (USA)

3. General Robert E. Lee’s reasons for invading Maryland
To gather supplies and troops from the slave-holding border state of Maryland.
To give the farmers in Virginia time to bring in their crops for the winter.
To get military or political support from France and Great Britain.
To damage Northern morale before the November elections.
To bring the war north and threaten Washington, DC and other Northern cities.
Defeat the Union army once and for all.

4. Battle Map

5. Death in the Cornfield
The battle opened at dawn when the Union forces attacked Jackson’s men near the cornfield. They were driven back to the Dunker church, but rallied when reinforcements arrived and maintained their position. 13,000 men had been killed or wounded.

6. Battle Map

7. Bloody Lane
At 9:30, Union forces attacked the Confederate center along a sunken wagon road. The Union could not break the Confederate line so the attack continued for four hours and left 5,600 casualties on both sides. The sunken road is now remembered as “Bloody Lane”.

8. Battle Map
Tell the students that the action will now shift to the Confederate right.