The Battle Of Antietam: Turning Point In The Civil War

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The battle of Antietam is the bloodiest and most deadly battels in American history of all wars that the U.S. has fought in. It is also considered the turning point for the Civil War, keeping Lee from advancing north and continuing the momentum of the Union. This battle was a battle that General McLellan of the Union could not lose and battle that General Lee of the Confederates could not win. General George B. McLellan had graduated from West Point Military Academy in 1846, second in his class to become the commander of the Union troops in the battle of Antietam. According to the documentary McLellan was considered the most popular commander amongst the Union troops. With his own troops naming him Little Mac and the War Department naming him the Little Napoleon. McLellan trained a superb unit but was unwilling to prove it in battle, continuously backing away from General Lee’s advances. President Lincoln appointed McLellan to command the Union troops at Antietam, even though the president’s own cabinet disagreed. General Robert E. Lee also graduated from West Point Military Academy second in class, in 1829. With seventeen more years of experience Lee was the only man considered to lead the troops of both the Union and Confederates. Due to Lee’s loyalty to his home state Virginia …show more content…

Three Union soldiers from the twenty-seventh Indiana infantry and sat down under a shade tree, when one of the soldiers found a two pieces of paper rapped around three cigars. While smoking the cigars one of the soldiers began to read the papers, finding out that these where the battle plans for Maryland by General Lee. The papers were given to McLellan and once they were authenticated McLellan began his counter attack plans. Always laying back McLellan ended up postponing long enough for General Lee to bring in

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