Civil War
The Battle of Antietam just outside of Sharpsburg Maryland, was a one-day battle between 41,000 Confederate soldiers under the command of General Robert E. Lee and 87,000 Union soldiers commanded by General George B. McClellan. The stage was set when Lee undertook an invasion of the North in the late summer of 1862. (A Soldiers View by Col G. F. R. Henderson c1958) The Battle of Antietam was one of the bloodiest battle in history. In such an important battle men stick out for their heroic actions--one man inparticular, General Robert E. Lee. Robert E. Lee had a tremendous effect on the battle of Antietam.General Robert E. Lee was born January 19, 1807, at Stratford Hall, at a place called "Big House" (Virginia's General by Albert Marrin pg 7 c1994) of his family's plantation located on the Potomac River in Westmoreland County, Virginia. (Virginia's General by Albert Marrin pg 7 c1994). Robert E. Lee's fater was known as "Light Horse Harry" he was a cavalry officer, a friend of George Washington, and a hero in the War of Independence. His mother, Ann Carter, was a third generation daughter of Carters, perhaps one of the wealthiest of all plantation dynasties of Virginia. (Robert E. Lee by Peter Earle pg 20
Lee had placed cannon on Nicodemus Height to his left, the high ground in front of Dunker Church, the ridge just east of Sharpsburg and on the heights overlooking the Lower Bridge. Infantry filled in the lines between these points, including a sunken lane less that half a mile long with worm fencing along both sides ( later known as Bloody Lane). A handful of Georgia sharpshooters guarded the Lower Bridge ( Burnside Bridge). By the evening of the 16th McClellan had about 60,000 troops ready to attack- that is double the number available to Lee. The battle opened at a damp, murky dawn on the 17th when Union artillery on the bluffs beyond Antietam Creek began murderous fire on Jackson's lines near Dunker Church. On the way to the Potomac Lee lost two thirds of his men. Many men dropped out because they enlisted because they thought they were going to be protecting their homes, not going to invade other places. Other men fell behind due to poor physical conditions, lack of food, illness, or exhaustion. During the march about 15,000 men dropped out of Lee's army. However, substantial reinforcement from Richmond joined him along the way- three infantry divisions, a brigade of cavalry and the reserve artillery. Even with the new troops which came out to be about 20,000, Lee would enter Maryland with barely more than 50,000 men. Lee and his men successfully crossed the Potomac River with little trouble. ( The Bloodiest Day by Ronald Bailey pg 15-16 c1984) In 1869, Lee was troubled with rheumatism and heart troubles that had bothered him at Gettysburg. Doctors suggested for Lee to go south in 1870 to seek the sun for benefit of his health. He went through Georgia and the Carolinas which did little to improve his health. Back in Virginia he gradually declined and died at home in Lexington on the 12th of October. ( Robert E. Lee by Albert Earle pg 210 c1973) Freeman, Douglas (c1934). Robert E. Lee biography Charles Scribner's Sons.
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Approximate Pages = 15 (250 words per page double spaced)
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