Richard slotkin, liveright publishing it should come as no surprise that the 150th anniversary of the great september 1862 campaign that culminated in the battle of antietam, the bloodiest day in american military history, has inspired a number of new books, including one by the thoughtful and provocative writer richard slotkin. List of books and articles about battle of antietam. Antietam sorry document has been removed or not existed. His other books include abraham lincoln and the second american revolution. The battle of shepherdstown, september 1820, 1862 crossroads of freedom. It restored morale in the north and kept lincolns party in control of congress. The battle of antietam remains the bloodiest day in american history.
Five days after the battle, armed with pen and paper, abraham lincoln changed the war when he issued the emancipation proclamation. More historians should write books like james mcphersons illuminating new work on antietam. Antietamcrossroads of freedom by rachel nicole tunnell 2. Mcpherson oxford university press the battle of antietam, fought on september. Sa mcpherson suggests that the battle of antietam not gettysburg was the most important battle of the war and provides a convincing argument for it. Civil war history, volume 50, number 2, june 2004, pp. This is the most popular standard account of the maryland campaign of 1862 and the battle of antietam.
Augustseptember 1862 great campaigns antietam battlefield, sharpsburg, maryland, 1862 a civil war watercolor map series antietam 1862. Crossroads of freedom a volume in the pivotal moments in american history series reflects mcphersons longstanding interest in problems of historical contingency, and readers should therefore not expect a full account of the antietam campaign or a close tactical analysis of the battle. James mcpherson talked about his book, crossroads of freedom. In crossroads of freedom, americas most eminent civil war historian, james m. James mcpherson is the author of crossroads of freedom. Antietam is part of the pivotal moments in american history series. Lee lost 10,300 men to death, injury, or capture while mcclellan lost 12,400. Sears does have a bit of a northern bias and tends to simplify the controversies of the campaign such as lees lost order, but if you havent read anything about the.
Midterm crossroads to freedom slides linkedin slideshare. The 6,300 to 6,500 union and confederate soldiers killed and mortally wounded near the maryland village of sharpsburg on september 17, 1862, were more than twice the number of fatalities suffered in the terrorist attacks on the. The result is the maryland campaign of september 1862. Female soldiers at the battle of antietam civil war saga. Easily affordable and wellwritten, sears landscape turned red is an excellent introduction to the topic. Five days later, he issued the preliminary emancipation proclamation, thereby transforming the war for the union into a war for freedom as well. Antietamcrossroads of freedom by rachel nicole tunnell chapter one. The battle of antietam fought on september 17 1862 was the bloodiest single day in american history with more than 6000. As the glowing sun set over the bloody fields of antietam, the civil war became a different war. Which antietam books should you buy the best antietam. As mcpherson shows, by september 1862 the survival of the united states was in doubt. The pendulum of war on december 20th, 1860, south carolina was the first southern state to secede from the union. Antietam introduction september 17, 1862, is arguably the americans bloodiest day.
Summary conveys the placement of union and confederate forces in washington county, md. The victory at antietam sharpsburg on september 17, 1862, gave lincoln his opportunity. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by. Why men fought in the civil war was awarded the 1998 lincoln prize. It was soon followed by six more states mississippi, florida, alabama, georgia, louisiana, and texas. Library of congress catalogingin publication data mcpherson, james m. This book focused on the battle of antietam, which was not only the bloodiest battle in the u. I read and enjoyed it a few years ago, but have now just reread it as part of the lets talk about it. Battle of antietam and the emancipation proclamation youtube.
There is no denying that antietam was a pivotal moment, and that mcpherson was the ideal person to write this account. The war is commonly referred to as the battle of antietam whose aftermath left more than 6,000 soldiers dead. Antietam, pivotal moments in american history, published by oxford university. The pulitzer prizewinning author weaves strands of diplomatic, political, and military history into a swiftmoving narrative. Subtitled, the battle that changed the course of the civil war, this compelling history chronicles the battle that took place on september 17, 1862 near sharpsburg, maryland. New antietam book nonfiction history of the civil war. Antietam pivotal moments in american history mcpherson, james m. Taking from letters and diaries, james mcpherson tells the story of antietam, and the first years of the war, in such a way that at times i could. Antietam staff ride and valuable reading for those interested in the civil war and in the history of the military art. Mcpherson tells the story of the battle of antietam the turning point of the whole civil war, and the bloodiest day in american history.
The bloodiest single day in american history, with more than 6,000 killed four times the number lost on dday. At antietam, the possibilities for the future of the union diverged like paths at a crossroads. The bloodiest day in united states history was september 17, 1862, when, during the civil war battle at antietam, close to 6,500 soldiers were killed or mortally. Making sense of the american civil war series i have mentioned here before. The battle that changed the course of the civil war james m.
Brown 15 september 2005 brigadier general, usa ret. If the southern army carried the day in maryland, washington would be the next to. Antietam pivotal moments in american history series by james m. This day remains the single most deadly days in american history, and the outcome of the battle was to change the course of the civil war. The battle of antietam was the bloodiest single day in american history, and the partial victory by union troops led abraham lincoln to issue the. Mcpherson is a renowned civil war historian and his texts are required reading on college campuses all over america. The battle of antietam also called the battle of sharpsburg was the bloodiest single day in american history.
Crossroads of freedom became one of those rare books. Antietam many accounts of civil war battles were written in the decades after the war by soldiers who had participated in them. The battle that changed the course of the civil war explores the first years of the war leading up to the battle of antietam and the effects it had on the nation and the world both psychologically and politically. Jammed with firsthand accounts, personal anecdotes, detailed footnotes, maps, and photos, this longawaited study will be read and appreciated as battle history at its finest. That james mcpherson would choose to devote an entire book to this battle is a. A total of eight women, disguised as male soldiers, fought in the historic battle of antietam in september of 1862 the battle was a decisive one for the union, as its victory spurred abraham lincoln to announce the emancipation proclamation, which freed slaves in unionoccupied areas of seceded states and laid the groundwork for the passage of the th amendment. Listen to crossroads of freedom audiobook by james. The pendulum of war 18611862 the first chapter focuses on the reasons for the american civil war and the beginning of a long journey civil wars usually start when one side is trying to control the others land or government, but in the case of this. Lee crossed the potomac to invade maryland and pennsylvania. Mcpherson the great historian james mcpherson presents his account of antietam, the savage civil war battle that made the. Guide to the antietam collection books civil war digital. Antietam, the most comprehensive and detailed account of the battle ever produced. Freedom at antietam antietam national battlefield u.
Mcpherson, acknowledged by many to be the dean of civil war historians, offers this work as part of a series identifying. Much more than lives were at stakeboth sides were fighting for their definition of freedom. On september 17, 1862, at antietam creek, maryland, over 23,000 union and. In a concise narrative, mcpherson takes readers through the events leading up to antietam, and through the savage fighting of the battle itself. None rivals in accuracy and thoroughness ezra carmens study of the battles of south mountain and antietam, in which he fought as colonel of the th new jersey. The proclamation stated that all persons held as slaves within any state or designated part of a state, the. Antietam was the fulcrum of freedom, even if the victory wasnt decisive, even if the war didnt end then and there. The battle of antietam, fought on september 17, 1862, was the bloodiest single day in american history, with more than 6,000 soldiers killedfour times the number lost on dday, and twice the number killed in the september 11th terrorist attacks. Mcpherson, paints a masterful account of this pivotal battle, the. Read crossroads of freedom pdf antietam by james m. Antietam marked the crossing of confederate troops into union territory. It crushed confederate hopes of british intervention.
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