150th anniversary of “bloodiest day in American history”
September 17th, 1862 will forever be known as the single bloodiest day in American History for the more that 23,000 casualties at Antietam Creek near Sharpsburg, MD.
Burnside Bridge from the perspective of the Georgia Brigade as they faced the 51st regiments of both New york and Pennsylvania.
Wesley Clark, I mean George McClellan faced Robert E. Lee in the battle. Clark…I mean McClellan, was unable to coordinate the attacks against the Confederates which would have smashed the Army of Northern Virginia decisively. McClellan also failed to effectively pursue Lee as he left the field and allowed the war to drag out for nearly another three years. McClellan also had the unmitigated gall to run as the anti-war candidate in the 1864 election against President Abraham Lincoln. I really hate that guy.
Category: Historical
Didn’t McCllelan get a talk show after the war, then moved onto a high position with the Ctr for a New American Security?
They always called on him for commentary on how President Grant was botching the Indian Wars, I remember that.
Wasn’t that the guy who got 3 cigars wrapped in Lee’s battleplans, yet blew it off and ended up with a draw instead of the victory he should have gotten?
I’m sure he is somehow related to Wesley Clark for sure. They all shared space on the same stage singing Kum-bye-ya……..
Nik: yes, it’s the same guy – and it happened at Antietam, the very battle that Jonn wrote about today.
I’ll take a bitter and capable Republican drunk (Grant) over a highly-preened Democrat media darling (McClellan) any day.
Just sayin’.
Big Civil War Buff here,,, McClellan, despite his terrible reputation trained and organized the Army that beat Lee. He also is the only Union General who inflicted More casualties on Lee then he received. He did end up finding a set of Lees orders ( I believe it was Special order 151) in which Lee had wt wriiten his plans to divide his Army and send about half of it to take the Federal Garrison at Harper’s Ferry. McClellan moved but was much too cautious and slow, Small units of Confederates held back his army at South Mountain, Fox’s Gap and Crampton’s Gap While Lee, who was aware of his situation, set up a defense near Antietam Creek, near the Town of Sharpsburg. Meanwhile Harper’s Ferry surrendered with little resistance (this would be the biggest surrender of US troops until the fall of Bataan). With the exception of one Division, The CS forces there made a forced march to join Lee. During the battle of Antietam, McClellan showed his habitual weakness of thinking he was outnumbered, while quite the opposite was True. He Attacked Piecemeal, and Lee was able to shift his forces to stop the attacks. McClellan had an Entire Corps that was never committed, and after the battle let Lee slip away back to Va. Lincoln fired his ass. Mac had brains and planned well, he just lacked common sense and balls. Great planner poor fighter.
Antietam – beaucoup bad juju – the Cornfield was a postage stamp where a lot of men died.
A great book on this battle is “Landscape Turned Red” by Stephen Sears. The only history writer that I have read that comes close to him is Cornelius Ryan. He has also written good books about Gettysburg and Chancellorsville that I have read. I had two great great grandfathers on the Confederate side there in the 18th NC and 11th GA. Just to imagine standing in the the face of continuous volleys of .58 Cal rounds for prolonged periods makes me glad I don’t have to worry about fighting in massed formations. I remember taking the family through the Gettysburg battlefield to Devils Den and showing them where the 11th GA fought. I haven’t been to Antietam yet, but maybe we’ll go someday soon.
I have been many times to Antietam. One of my great-grandfather’s brothers died in Miller’s Cornfield with the 4th Texas. My great grandfather escaped from that unscathed.
Many years ago I and several others walked that same route, camping pretty much where they camped and trying to maintain the pace they had.
There is something amazing and humbling about being able to follow, almost literally, in their footsteps as they forded the Potomac and moved into Maryland, and up to Sharpsburg, and then to stand where they fought, and bled, and died. No history book, no matter how well written, can ever bring to you the emotions that such a visit can.
God Bless them all.
Don’t sugarcoat it, tell us how you really feel about him…