ANTIETAM, 511-te'tam. BATTLE OF, some times called THE BATTLE OF SHARPSBURG. A sanguinary conflict fought on September 16 and 17, 1862, between a Federal force of about 75.000 under General _McClellan and a Confederate force of about 40,000 under General ixe. After having driven McClellan from the Peninsula and Pope from the Rappahannock back upon Washington, Lee took the offensive and crossed the Potomac, with the intention of invading Pennsylvania, and with hopes of inducing Maryland to join the Confederate cause, and possibly of forcing a sat isfactory peace upon the Federal Government. Dividing his army, he sent Jackson against Harper's Ferry (q.v.), which surrendered with 12,500 men on September 15th. on \IcClellan's advance from Washington, Lee took up a strong position at Sharpshurg, on the west side of Antietam Creek, and fortified the passes of South Mountain. These McClellan forced on the 14th (see SOUTH SIOUNTAaN, BATTLE OF). and on the 15th the two armies stood facing each other across the Antietam. McClellan de layed his attack. and a part of •ackson's forces rejoined Lee: hut on the afternoon of the 16th the Federal commander ordered Hooker across the creek, where the latter skirmished until dark. On the morning of the 17th the Federal right and centre, under Generals Hooker, Mansfield, and Sumner, though their attacks were badly concerted, foreed back the Confederate left under Jackson, who had arrived from Harper's Ferry during the night of the 16th; while the Federal left, under Burnside, which bad been unable to cross the creek until 1 P.M. owing to the stub born opposition of the Confederates at "Burn side's Bridge," attacked at 3 P.IL. the Confeder
ate right under General A. P. Hill, and fought stubbornly until dark without obtaining any decisive advantage. McClellan decided not to renew the battle on the following day, though the Confederate right made several assaults upon Burnside's position, and during the night of the 18th General Lee retreated unmolested across time Potomac. The Federals lost in killed, wounded, and missing about 12,500, and the Confederates about 11.000. It was one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, more men being killed on September 17 than on any other one day between 1861 and 1865. Tactically, it was a drawn battle. though military critics are almost unanimous in the verdict that McClellan, who brought only a part of his force into action, made many grave blunders, while the generalship of Lee, who utilized nearly every man, was almost faultless. Strategically, however. it was an important Fed eral victory, since it forced Lee to abandon his aggressive campaign and retreat into Virginia. "Without MeClellan's victory," says Rhodes. "the emancipation proclamation would have been postponed and might never have been issued." Consult: Battles and Leaders of the Civil War, 4 volumes (New York, 1S87) ; Ropes, story of the Civil War, 2 volumes (New York, 1894-1898) : Palfrey, The Antietam and Freder icksburg (New York, 1882) ; and Ilichie, General McClellan (New York, 1901), in the "Great Commanders Series."