History That Doesn't Suck - 52: From Second Bull Run, or Second Manassas to Antietam, or Sharpsburg

Episode Date: November 25, 2019

“Come on God damn you.” This is the story of the Second Bull Run/Manassas Campaign and the Battle of Antietam. Robert “Bobby” E. Lee isn’t content to run George “Little Mac” McClellan down to the James River. With the help of Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, James Longstreet, J.E.B. Stuart, and others, Bobby’s ready to use his aggressive, divide-and-conquer tactics on the Union’s new Army of Virginia. The question is: can the bickering Union generals put their pettiness aside and work together? Or will the Confederates make short work of them at the Manassas railroad junction? Bobby Lee has another bold plan as well: time to take the fight to US soil. The Virginian Commander invades the US slave state of Maryland, where he hopes to enlist Confederate sympathizers, demoralize Americans going to vote, and draw international recognition for the CSA. It’s an ambitious goal. And it means fighting the most deadly, violent battle in American history near Antietam Creek, right by Sharpsburg, Maryland. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and go deep into episode bibliographies and book recommendations join discussions in our Facebook community get news and discounts from The HTDS Gazette  come see a live show get HTDS merch or become an HTDS premium member for bonus episodes and other perks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Find us at ancienthistoryfangirl.com or wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to History That Doesn't Suck. I'm your professor, Greg Jackson, and as in the classroom, my goal here is to make rigorously researched history come to life as your storyteller. Each episode is the result of laborious research with no agenda other than making the past come to life as you learn. If you'd like to help support this work, receive ad-free episodes, bonus content, and other exclusive perks, I invite you to join the HTDS membership program. Sign up for a seven-day free trial today at htdspodcast.com slash membership, or click the link in the episode notes. Welcome to History That Doesn't Suck. I'm your professor, Greg Jackson, and I'd like to tell you a story.

It's about 5.30 p.m. August 28, 1862. Union General Irwin McDowell's III Corps is marching eastward along Virginia's Warrington Turnpike. With the faint sound of artillery off in the distance, his units in the front move at a relaxed pace, chatting it up while taking in the Old Dominion's picturesque farmland. Some are likely cracking jokes about the Army of Virginia's commander, John Pope. The long-bearded, usually self-assured general ordered them west at 2 p.m., only to give counter-orders for them to head east at 5 in his desperate attempt to capture Thomas Stonewall Jackson and his Confederate forces. Surely, some are laughing at John's apparent ineptitude. But whatever the conversation,

be that John's failures, gossip within their regiments, or tales from back home, at least they know they finally have clear orders. They are heading just a few short miles east to the town of Centerville. As they stroll forward on this idyllic evening, the most advanced soldiers spy a vague form down the road. Yeah, it's a rebel. He's within rifle range, but hardly anything worth looking at. There's little intimidating about the sun-bleached uniform and cap mounted on a sad excuse for a horse. But the Reb stares at them. He trots back and forth, periodically coming to a complete stop, all the while staring at them. Then suddenly, he gallops off.

Of course, the underwhelming horseman was none other than John Pope's prized target. That's right, Stonewall Jackson. Despite the Union troops' perception a moment ago, Stonewall's been in fine form of late. That funk, or more likely severe fatigue that plagued him during the seven days' battles in the last episode, is gone. In just the past two days, Stonewall has significantly helped Robert E. Lee's aggressive push north by destroying Union supply lines in two places. On August 26th, he and his men derailed not one but two trains at Bristow Station.

The second crashed into the already piled up wreck of the first. Then yesterday, the 27th, Stonewall led his men a few miles farther up the Orange and Alexandria Railroad to Manassas Junction and took Union prisoners and Union supplies. The latter was the highlight. His ill-shod, ill-clothed, and hungry rebels gladly availed themselves of Yankee boots, clothes, rifles, and food, including fruit, pickled oysters, canned lobster salad, wheels of cheese cheese and mustard. Though Stonewall did have the whiskey poured out. I fear that liquor more than General Pope's army, he told the captain.

Nice try, old Jack. That whiskey still found its way into many a Confederate canteen that night. Point being, old Jack is back and today he wants a fight. He wants to draw General John Pope's men toward him and his hidden army along the Warrington Turnpike, because that will buy time for Bobby Lee's other forces to get into their planned locations. Stonewall Jackson now rides back into the shaded, secluded camp where many of his 24,000 strong force sit, stuffing their faces with commandeered northern food. Bring out your men, gentlemen. He coolly instructs his officers. All right, here we go. At the head of Irwin McDowell's east-moving third corps is General Rufus King's division, and of Rufus's four brigades, John P.

Hatch's New Yorkers are at the front. Just east of Groveton, by the Bronner family's farm, the carefree sauntering and chatting of these Union troops are abruptly interrupted when Stonewall's artillery appear out of the woods on the left. A bugle sounds the warning, but little good it does as old Jack's batteries unload. John hatches artillery respond in kind, but Stonewall's got the better of him. He needs help, fast. The next division back is led by Brigadier General John Gibbon. Unlike his three brothers, this dark-haired, mustachioed North Carolinian chose the Union over the Confederacy.

He's a no-nonsense commander who wrote a well-respected textbook on artillery a few years back. John Gibbons soon has his own guns in this artillery fight as the final two regiments, one led by apocryphal creator of baseball Abner Doubleday, the last by Marcin Patryk, take heavy fire out in the open. It's a confusing scene. No one's sure what to do. Division Commander Rufus King is nowhere to be found. Unbeknownst to his generals, he's just had an epileptic seizure miles down the road, leaving them to call the shots. Abner Doubleday incorrectly believes this isn't Stonewall Jackson's army, but a smaller Confederate force, and suggests to John Gibbon that they charge. The Carolinian soon agrees and offers to send the only regiment of his Midwestern brigade

with any fighting experience, the 2nd Wisconsin. Dressed in the unique black hats and white leggings that's led to their brigade's nickname, the Black Hat Brigade, the men sneak through the trees to approach the farmhouse where the Confederates are positioned. They soon see this is no small force, but a host of thousands. It's a terrifying sight, but these Wisconsin men push on. One of the courageous Black Hats is overheard muttering at his approaching enemy. Come on, goddamn you. And come they do. 800 of Stonewall's finest move toward this singular regiment of less than 500. They let the Rebs come in close before unloading their hundreds of rifles at once. Fire! Both sides are quickly reinforced.

More and more of Stonewall's seasoned men exchange shots with John Gibbons' courageous but inexperienced black hat Wisconsinites and Indianans, and soon, some of Abner Doubleday's reinforcing New Yorkers and Pennsylvanians. It all happens within a mere 100 yards. Individual rifle fire becomes indistinguishable and rebel yells ring through the air as men in gray and blue fall dead or wounded, in the words of one Union soldier, like leaves in autumn. The fight rages for two hours like this. Only fatigue and darkness end the stalemate. Lanterns soon replaced the flash of rifles as Yankees and Southerners alike seek their wounded among the dead.

They lay in two ghastly, orderly, long parallel lines with a no-man's land of 80 yards between them. A bullet struck over 30% of the thousands involved in this fight. An unfathomable 7 out of 10 men in two Georgia regiments are dead or wounded. Personal loss of friends and family have pierced hearts of survivors on both sides at the Battle of Groveton. Perhaps no such tale of loss is more poignant, though, than a scene witnessed by Captain W.W. Blackford. The Confederate officer hears, quote, the shrill voice of a boy apparently not 15 or 16 years old, sobbing bitterly, close quote. As he moves to help, another Confederate captain reaches the child.

Hello? Charlie? My boy? Is that you? The captain asks. Yeah, it's his son. Oh, yes, answers the sobbing youth. Father, my leg is broken, but I don't want you to think that is what I'm crying for. I fell in a yellow jacket's nest, and they've been stinging me ever since. This is what makes me cry. Please pull me out. The father tenderly takes his son in his arms. I imagine him cradling Charlie's stung, puffed body, straining to make out his cherubic face in the dark of night, trying to isolate his broken leg to minimize the pain. And it's there, in that only hours ago picturesque field now turned macabre and dark, that the unnamed father watches his shattered, broken boy die in his arms.

God, that was a rough opening. Today we witness more death and destruction as Robert E. Lee continues to show the union what the word aggressive really means. I'll start by laying out the big picture of Second Bull Run, or the Second Manassas Campaign if you're a southerner. We'll move quickly from here though, because we need ample time to follow Bobby Lee from his home state of Virginia to yet another blood-filled throwdown between his and George Little Mac McClellan's armies. This one's a bit farther north, by a creek called Antietam, near Sharpsburg, Maryland. It's also brutal, but then again, which one isn't? This is life in the Civil War. But I'll cut my opining short. Ready for this? Good. Let's head back just a few

days to get the bird's eye view on Second Bull Run before heading to Maryland. Rewind. If you crack open a book, or head to a website, sure, you'll see fluctuation in how Second Bull Run slash Second Manassas is categorized and dated. Personally, I find it most useful to think of the engagement as a five-day campaign that runs from August 26 to September 1, 1862. It also pretty much grows right out of Bobby Lee's seven days battle victory over the ever needlessly running Union General, George Little Mac McClellan. I trust you recall this from last time, but here's a lightning fast refresher. Little Mac was poised to take Richmond in June, but let Bobby chase him and his supply

line down to the James River by July 1st. U.S. President Abe Lincoln and his general-in-chief, Henry Oldbrain's Halleck responded by forming the massive Army of Virginia under the fairly conceited general, John Pope. Meanwhile, Bobby Lee and his commanders stayed aggressive. We even got an example of this in the last episode as Stonewall beat some of John Pope's new Union forces at the August 9th Battle of Cedar Mountain in Culpeper County, Virginia. Oh, and let's not forget that Little Mac is dragging his feet about sending John Pope reinforcements, even though Old Brains has ordered him to do so. Yes, I'm sure this trifecta of Union General discord is coming back to you.

So it's no surprise that Bobby Lee is continuing with his the best defense is a good offense approach. Once again, the Virginian commander leaves a skeleton crew to defend the Confederate capital of Richmond. He sends 24,000 troops north with Stonewall Jackson and another 30,000 following separately with James Longstreet to hit John Pope before reluctant Little Mac's forces strengthen the Union Army of Virginia. Dividing his forces like this defies conventional wisdom, but with caped cavalryman Jeb Stuart and his men playing the role of fast-hooved messengers between the two armies, Bobby's willing to roll the dice. Thus we have the second bull run slash Manassas campaign. Between August 26th and 27th, Stonewall and his crew derail trains on the Orange and Alexandria line at Bristow Station. Then Jack supplies from the Union Depot at

Manassas Junction while burning what they can't carry. The next day, he catches Union troops by surprise off the Warrington Turnpike, which gives us the horrific Battle of Groveton that opened this episode. It's a terrible effusion of blood, but not entirely without purpose. Old Jack is effectively keeping John Pope's focus on him while Bobby Lee and James Longstreet are entering the scene from the west via the Bull Run Mountains thoroughfare gap. Seriously, John Pope, pay attention! You're playing checkers while the Confederates play chess. And that sets the stage for a federal failure in this campaign. The combined wrath of Bobby Lee's two armies wreck the Union. On August 29th, Stonewall's 22,000 men sit well entrenched behind an unfinished railroad at Stony Ridge as John

Popes sends wave after wave of men to meet death at their hands. Meanwhile, federal intel and communication errors lead to Irvin McDowell and Fitz John Porter's men not joining John Popes in this fight. Historians will long argue over Fitzjohn's decisions today. Is he rightfully disobeying orders to neutralize a threat from James Longstreet's rebs? Or is he having his 10,000 men stand around as boys in blue are mowed down a mere two miles away? Well, that will all depend on whose side you take in this court-martial. Artillery rings, rifles crack, and men die in hand-to-hand combat as battle rages through the next day. And yet another complete embarrassment for the Union,

Bobby Lee soundly out-generals John Pope to claim a massive victory at Second Bull Run. All the Union commander can manage is a draw on September 1st at the Battle of Chantilly before retreating to the U.S. Capitol, Washington City. Good grief. Prideful John Pope fell for every trick Bobby Lee and his generals threw at him in this campaign. Taken as a whole, the Union commander suffered 16,000 casualties out of his once 65,000 strong Army of Virginia. Conversely, Bobby Lee beat him while losing 9,200 of his roughly 50,000. I understand for my friends in the military, there's a technical term for John Pope's performance here. It's called a total clusterf**k. So to be clear, within the three months since Bobby Lee took the reins as commander of the Confederacy's Army of Northern Virginia, his aggressive fighting style has bested two Union

armies. First, Little Mac's Army at the Potomac. second, John Pope's army in Virginia, while the Union has gone from knocking on the CSA's front door at Richmond to being pushed out of Manassas and back to its own capital. Damn. Is Robert E. Lee that good? Or do Little Mac and John Pope suck that much? Well, I suppose the answer isn't mutually exclusive. And let's acknowledge that Confederate generals are working in concert. John Pope doesn't have that going for him. He blames his loss on bickering, backbiting Union generals. He's not entirely wrong, but that won't save his job. As Lincoln later writes, Pope did well, but there was an army prejudice against him and it was necessary he should leave.

He's now sent out west to fight against indigenous Americans while his army of Virginia is absorbed into Little Mac's army of the Potomac. Side note, Little Mac's not in good graces either, but hang tight. I'll get to him in a minute. Meanwhile, the tables have turned as Bobby Lee takes the fight to U.S. soil in Maryland. Want to learn how you can make smarter decisions with your money? Well, I've got the podcast for you. I'm Sean Piles, and I host NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast. On our show, we help listeners like you make the most of your finances.

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not most generals. Coming off a second win at Manassas, he plans to ride this victory wave and invade enemy territory. But this plan definitely comes with some risks. On September 2nd, Bobby writes to Confederate President Jeff Davis, The army is not properly equipped for an invasion of the enemy's territory. It lacks much of the material for war, is feeble in transportation, the animals being much reduced, and the men are poorly provided with clothes, and in thousands of instances are destitute of shoes. Still, we cannot afford to be idle, and though weaker than our opponents in men and military equipments, must endeavor to

harass if we cannot destroy them. I am aware that the movement is attended with much risk, yet I do not consider success impossible and shall endeavor to guard it from loss. With his army of Northern Virginia in such a bleak state, why is Bobby even considering marching north from the safety of Manassas into Maryland? Well, he's got a few reasons. First, Virginia's rich farmlands have been trampled and picked over by fighting armies, and Bobby Lee needs to find a fresh source of food for his hungry men. That makes Maryland's fields and orchards look pretty inviting. Second, Bobby hopes to recruit Marylanders into his ranks. Remember, slaveholding Maryland is a border state, meaning it's home to

plenty of Confederate sympathizers. Third, the Confederate commander wants to best Little Mac on U.S. soil, which, he hopes, will draw international attention and perhaps recognition, if not allies, for the CSA. Finally, the silver-bearded Virginian expects that success in Maryland, quote, would enable the people of the United States to determine at their coming elections whether they support those who favor a prolongation of the war or those who wish to bring it to a termination. I mean, it'd be easier to have some bots that could tweet at northerners, but alas, it's the 19th century. He'll have to settle for

old-fashioned success on the battlefield. So with his goals of getting food, men, and international aid for the Army of Northern Virginia in mind, Bobby marches almost due north from Manassas, Virginia to Frederick, Maryland on September 3rd, 1862. Thus begins the Confederate Maryland Campaign. We're going to zoom in pretty tight on Western Maryland and Northeast Virginia, so let me give you a quick lay of the land as they march. Bobby Lee and his 55,000-strong Army of Northern Virginia trek 35 miles north from Manassas and cross the Potomac River at White's Ferry. They then continue another 25 or so miles into Frederick, Maryland, which sits on the eastern side of the South

Mountain Range. From here, they are about 50 miles northwest of Washington, D.C., and only 20 miles east of Union-held Harper's Ferry. Bobby's quick march to Frederick puts his army in perfect position to threaten the Union capital and the critical rail line that supplies it. This forces Union General-in-Chief Henry O'Brain's Halleck to act. Now, as soon as Bobby starts his campaign north on September 3rd, Lincoln tells Henry to, quote, immediately commence and proceed with all possible dispatch to organize an army for active operations from all the material within and coming within his control independent of the forces he may deem necessary for the defense of Washington. Close quote. Remember when I said I'd get to George Little

Mac McClellan in a minute? Well, it's been that and then some. He's getting the command here. I know. He's botched so much. He sucks. Few top brass like this guy, but who else is available on such short notice? No one. So on September 5th, George gets field command of the Union Army, basically by default. But of course, he doesn't see it that way. Little Mac writes to his wife, Mary Ellen,

quote, again, I have been called upon to save the country. The case is desperate, but with God's help I will try, unselfishly, to do my best and if he wills it, accomplish the salvation of the nation. Close quote. If George were more self-aware, he might be able to see that his career is in a more desperate predicament than the union he's fighting to defend. Let's see if Bobby Lee can deflate Little Mac's ego. On September 8th, Bobby Lee sets up headquarters on the outskirts of Frederick, Maryland, and issues a proclamation to the locals. He explains that his army is here

with the deepest sympathy for the wrong that have been inflicted upon the citizens of a commonwealth allied to the states of the South by the strongest social, political, and commercial ties. Bobby then vows to, quote, enable you again to enjoy the inalienable rights of free men, close quote. He goes on to ask any willing man to join his army. But Bobby's beautiful prose is met with stony silence. Many Marylanders in this part of the state aligned with the Union, and only about 200 men joined the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. Bobby's hope of bolstering his army with Confederate sympathizers goes out the window. But his men are able to get food. Locals aren't happy to take

Confederate scrip, but at least the rebels do a better job than Union soldiers at paying for their food and leaving fences intact. Okay, in a mere five days, Bobby has addressed two of his reasons for marching north. Getting fresh food and recruiting more men. Sure, the latter didn't work out, but that doesn't stop old Bobby Lee. He's ready to draw the Union army into a fight and win international support for his cause. On September 9th, Bobby sits down with his generals and lays out his plan. He will split his army and send a piece of it under Stonewall Jackson's command to capture Harper's Ferry for their own supply line. The rest of the army will travel west through the South Mountains and wait to reunite with Stonewall's men.

Then the entire force would march up to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and cut off Union rail lines there. Confederate General John Walker can't believe his ears. There's no way in hell this audacious, ambitious plan will work. Of course, John keeps his mouth shut, but Bobby can read the incredulity all over John's face. The Virginia commander turns to his concerned general and says, Are you acquainted with General McClellan? He is an able general, but a very cautious one. From characteristically diplomatic and tactful Bobby, that is a low blow. He figures he's got three or four weeks before Little Mac will cross the South Mountains with his Yankee army,

and by that time, Bobby will be safe in Pennsylvania. This reassures John and the other generals just enough that they agree to this crazy scheme. So Bobby issues Special Order No. 191 and puts the battle plan into action. On September 10th, Stonewall begins his circuitous route to Harper's Ferry with 12,000 men. Remember that Harper's Ferry is only 20 miles west of Frederick, but in typical old Jack style, he marches over 50 miles and approaching the crucial Union supply base from the west with hopes of throwing off his enemy. Meanwhile, Union General Little Mac has managed to move his army of 80,000 men a whopping 30 miles northwest of D.C.

to Middlebrook, Maryland. On September 12th, Lincoln complains to Navy Secretary Gideon Neptune Wells, quote, McClellan got to Rockville last Sunday night and in four days he advanced to Middlebrook, 10 miles in pursuit of an invading army. This was rapid movement for him. While on this march, Little Mac also asks for, you guessed it, reinforcements. I don't want to beat a dead horse, but it sure seems like George does.

Seriously, if I had a nickel for every time George McClellan demanded more men, I wouldn't need my day job at the university anymore. But I digress. Little Mac suggests to his boss, Henry Halleck, that the small army under Union Colonel Dixon Miles, currently defending Harper's Ferry, abandon its post and join him. Old brains flat out refuses.

Quote, there is no way for Colonel Miles to join you at present. His only chance is to defend his works till you can open communications with him. Close quote. But George is about to get a piece of game-changing intel that's so impactful, it will make him stop begging for troops. It could even save his sinking military career. On the morning of September 13th, Union troops move into Frederick and begin to occupy the camps of the Confederates who moved out only three days earlier. The camp is littered with trash and personal waste of its previous occupants, but Sergeant John Bloss and Corporal Barton Mitchell

of the 27th Indiana Regiment find a relatively clean and quiet place to sit. As they light a fire and boil their coffee, Barton notices a bulky envelope in the grass. He opens it and out fall three high-quality cigars. All right, this day just got a hell of a lot better. But John notices something else. An official-looking paper is wrapped around the cigars. The two men unroll it and begin reading. It's a letter addressed to Major General D.H. Hill, and as they scan it, names like Jackson, Longstreet, and Stewart jump off the page. The document ends with, quote,

by command of General R.E. Lee. Close quote. The two low-ranking men know they have found something even better than fine cigars and immediately take the whole package to their commanding officer. He scans the paper. When he reads Special Orders No. 191, September 9, 1862, the man doesn't hesitate. He sends the cigars and orders straight up the chain of command to General George McClellan himself. While the Indiana soldiers get the credit for their amazing find,

they don't get the cigars back. Sorry, fellas. By lunchtime on Saturday, September 13th, Little Mac has Bobby Lee's full battle plan in his hands. George tells one of his officers, quote, Here is a paper with which, if I cannot whip Bobby Lee, I will be willing to go home. Close quote.

Little Mac can see that the Confederate Army is spread out over Maryland and Virginia, separated by difficult-to-cross rivers. At 3 o'clock, Little Mac issues orders to his officers. They will split into two groups and pursue the rebels through South Mountain and at Harper's Ferry, first thing tomorrow morning. You'd think that with the opposing team's playbook in hand and the need to boost his record, George would move a little faster. But no. This delay buys Bobby Lee crucial hours to protect his armies. See, a pro-Confederate

local witnesses George waving around Bobby's lost orders and hears George bragging that he would whip the Confederate army. He rides hard to warn Jeb Stewart that the Federals are on their way. Jeb passes the intel on to Bobby Lee and the bearded Virginian has time to issue new orders. Across the evening of the 13th and into the pre-dawn hours of the 14th, rebel forces get into position to defend the three mountain passes that Federals will have to cross. Small Confederate forces are outnumbered at least two to one at each pass, or gap as the locals call them. At Turner's Gap, Confederate General D. Harvey Hill commands about 2,300 men. They face at least 6,000 Federals under the command of Union Generals Jesse Reno, Ambrose Burnside, John Gibbon, and still others.

Rebel General Harvey Hill positions his men well, and when the overwhelming Union forces come into view, his men give them hell. Uncoordinated Union assaults continue from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., inflicting heavy losses on the rebels, but failing to budge them from the national road that runs through Turner's Gap. At 5.30, while the 1st and 9th Union Corps attack Confederate flanks on either side of the road, Ambrose Burnside orders John Gibbon to attack the enemy's center lines. John, the Carolinian Union commander we met in today's opening,

takes the assault with the coolness of a hard-headed combat veteran. And come on, it's not like he can refuse Ambrose's stellar mutton chops, right? Anyway, John leads his men into the fray against Confederate Harvey Hill's soldiers. But here's the crazy part of this story. John knows Harvey. In fact, Southerner John knows the entire North Carolina Brigade he's attacking right now. The Union commander has three brothers and all of

them chose to fight for the Confederacy while he accepted his Union Army commission. And John served as Harvey's best man at his wedding 14 years ago. Damn, this really is a war of brother against brother. John's Union brigade of black hat wearing Midwesterners fight with such steely grit that they earn yet another nickname, the Iron Brigade. The fighting continues until dark when the Confederates retreat to the nearby town of Boonesboro. Harvey leaves both Turner and Fox's gap in Union hands. The silver lining in this Confederate cloud is that by holding up the Union advance for an entire day, Harvey gave Bobby Lee another 24 hours to prepare to meet the Union army on his terms. Simultaneous to the battles at Turner's Gap and Fox's Gap, Union General William Franklin is fighting his way through Crampton's Gap.

This pass sits six miles south of Turner's Gap and is the fastest way to reach Harper's Ferry. So William has his 13,000 men head through Crampton's Gap to rescue their comrades trapped at Harper's Ferry. His men have been marching since 6 a.m. and at 2 p.m. they are almost to the summit of Crampton's Gap Road. Then the boys in blue hear shots. About a thousand rebel soldiers have taken positions on either side of the road with their well-hitting guns and several naval howitzers. The fighting quickly becomes fierce as Federals under the command of Major General Henry Slocum line up behind a stone farm wall and take aim at the rebels. From their vantage point overlooking the road, Confederates can see how badly outnumbered they are. One soldier describes the Yankees as being,

quote, so numerous that it looked as if they were creeping up out of the ground. Close quote. Still, the rebels hang on until 4 p.m. At this point, Union General Henry Slocum orders his men to cross the stone wall and rush the enemy. This breaks the already cracking Confederate lines. Nonetheless, as blue-clad soldiers fight their way to the crest of Crampton's Gap Road, a rebel officer does his best to cover the backs of his fleeing compatriots.

Confederate John Sale takes cover and waits for a chance to take out an enemy commander. He later writes to his family. I was behind a tree and when they charged up, I loaded my gun and took aim at an officer who was as large as Pa and who was behaving very bravely, bringing his men up, cheering and talking to them all the while. I waited until they were about 75 or 100 yards out from where I was. I let fly at him and he threw his arms up in the air and fell. The rebels, with about 400 men dead and wounded and another 400 taken prisoner, join up with reinforcements a mile and a half west of South Mountain, leaving Crampton's gap in the hands of General William

Franklin and his Union troops. William should press his advantage and fight his way to Harper's Ferry, but as a true protege of George McClellan, he doesn't. This gives Stonewall Jackson and his Confederate soldiers the advantage they need. Frankly, with the entire Union army due to cross South Mountain in the morning, Bobby Lee should cut and run. But on Sunday night, while he's receiving news that Turner's, Fox's, and Crampton's gaps are all in Union hands, Stonewall sends word that he will be taking control of Harper's Ferry in the morning. His telegram reads, Through God's blessing, the advance which commandsenced this evening has been successful thus far,

and I look to him for complete success tomorrow. This is just the shot in the arm Bobby needs. And Stonewall's not bluffing. He has the poorly-led 13,000-strong Union garrison at Harper's Ferry cornered. While waiting for reinforcements for the last two days, Union Colonel Dixon Miles allows Stonewall's men to gain the high ground on three sides of the rail junction town. Stonewall's men have been shelling the village for 24 hours, and they are ready to move in for the kill. Now, Harper's Ferry

changed hands two times already in the first 18 months of this war, so it's basically a bombed-out mess. One visitor to the once-vibrant town says, quote, But it's about to change hands yet again. At 7.15 a.m. on Monday, September 15th, Union Colonel Miles Dixon realizes that no reinforcements are coming. He surrenders. One frustrated Union soldier can't believe that they are surrendering to shabbily dressed, dirty, unimpressive Stonewall Jackson. But he grudgingly admits to his unit, quote, boys, he's not much for looks, but if we'd had him, we wouldn't have been caught in this trap,

close quote. Stonewall captures 11,500 men, 13,000 small arms, at least 200 wagons, and the coup de grâce, 73 pieces of artillery. Those supplies are going to come in handy in the next few days. After Stonewall's success, Bobby Lee orders his spread-out troops to double-time it to Sharpsburg, Maryland, a town 15 miles north of Harper's Ferry on the banks of Antietam Creek. By nightfall on Monday, Bobby Lee has around 30,000 men camped on the west side of Antietam Creek. Now, some of you might be scratching your head. If Bobby Lee entered Maryland two weeks ago with almost 60,000 men and about 12,000 are currently at Harper's Ferry with Stonewall, why does the Virginian commander have less than 30,000 men under his command right now? Where is the rest of the Army of Northern Virginia? Your guess is as

good as Bobby's. During this campaign, desertion has been a major problem for him. The dwindling number of men on the rolls are mostly due to soldiers growing weary of army life and walking away. Add to that the casualties at the South Mountain Battles, and Bobby's army is looking thinner than Jeff Davis's goatee. Fortunately for the Army of Northern Virginia, Stonewall is marching 9,000 men up from Harper's Ferry as we speak. It's also fortunate for the Confederates that George McClellan believes Bobby has 120,000 soldiers under his command. I know, Little Mac overestimates his foe. I'm as shocked as you are. The Union Army spends all day marching from South Mountain and camps on the east banks

of Antietam Creek. So on Monday night, George has approximately 60,000 men with another 15,000 on the way. But because he believes that he's outnumbered, he delays action. On Tuesday, September 16th, Little Mac telegraphs his boss, Henry Halleck, explaining that he arrived too late on Monday to attack and heavy fog this morning prevented his men from marching into battle. But George promises to engage Bobby Lee, quote, as soon as the situation of the enemy is developed, close quote. In George McClellan speak, that means he's going to wait around another day. But Little Mac does draw up a rough battle plan on Tuesday. He wants to attack the north and south flanks of Bobby Lee's army. Once those are rolling up,

he'll thrust a dagger into the Confederate center line and the rebel army will crumple. This is a great plan. Confederate soldiers are positioned along the west bank of Antietam Creek in highly defensible areas, but they are outnumbered and they only have access to one road for retreat. If Little Mac's boys in blue attack both flanks simultaneously and take that road, his large Union army can ensnare the entire army of Northern Virginia. Before dawn on September 17, 1862, Union troops cross Antietam Creek and get into position to attack the north flank of the Rebel lines. As the sun rises, the Federals, under the command of General Fightin' Joe Hooker, open fire on rebel forces camped in the woods and behind ready-to-harvest cornfields.

Cornstalk stands six to eight feet tall and offer the perfect cover for thousands of gray-clad soldiers hiding at the south end of the field. Just beyond the cornfields, Fighting Joe can see a small church. Not one to lead from behind, Fighting Joe rides in front of his men on a conspicuous white steed and orders his men to fight their way to that church. The battle is so fierce that a nearby farmhouse catches fire from the shots and shells.

One Massachusetts soldier later writes, quote, I did not see how any of us got out alive. The shot and shell fell about us thick and fast, I can tell you, but I did not think much about getting shot after the first volley. Union troops fight their way against wave after wave of rebel counterattacks. Here's the thing. Everything's quiet on the other side of the Confederate lines, so Bobby Lee can funnel troops to his northern flank. So much for Little Mac's simultaneous attacks on the Confederate flanks, huh? As the brutal fighting continues through the

mid-morning, Union troops take a beating and one division has a 42% casualty rate. But Fighting Joe's men manage to take control of the cornfields. At 9 a.m., Fighting Joe rides through the cut down by bullets corn stalks, giving his men orders to continue advancing toward the church. But his white horse and clean-shaven face make too easy a target for a rebel sharpshooter and Joe takes a bullet to his foot. He limps off the field, commanding his troops to keep fighting while he directs the battle from the back. As the fighting settles into an uneasy stalemate on

the north end of the Confederate lines, 12,000 Union troops go after a new target. They attack about 7,000 rebels defending a road in the center of Confederate lines. Yeah, this move isn't in George McClellan's battle plan, but Little Mac is observing the battle from headquarters on the other side of Antietam Creek. His officers are on their own for now. The rebels have picked the perfect spot to stand their ground. The well-worn road that leads into the town of Sharpsburg actually sinks below ground level. Wide enough for a loaded wagon or several lines of soldiers, this sunken road, as it's known, acts like a ready-made trench for the Confederates. They have cover while they pick off the advancing

federal troops. In fact, the rebels are so organized that the rear lines load guns and pass them to the front as the freshly discharged rifles are passed back to them for reloading. It's a brilliant circle of death. As Union soldiers march toward the entrenched Confederates, they're mowed down. One seasoned Ohio soldier explains that he'd seen action before this, but, quote, our fighting had been mostly of the desultory, skirmishing sort. What we see now looks to us like systematic killing. Close quote. After nearly three hours of fighting at Sunken Road, the rebels begin to crack. Seemingly endless lines of Union

troops are overwhelming their strong position. Confederate General Harvey Hill grabs a gun and personally leads 200 men in one final assault, but he is repulsed. He describes that, quote, we met with a warm reception and the little command was broken and dispersed, close quote. As the general order for retreat is given, one Georgian reports, quote, I could scarcely extricate myself from the dead and wounded around me. Close quote. Confederates count 2,600 dead and wounded, while Federals find they have closer to 3,000 casualties. This unplanned assault breaks the Confederate center sooner than George McClellan had planned, but he refuses to bring in his reserve troops and capitalizes on this dearly

bought Union success. Little Mac's just sure that Bobby Lee has thousands of troops in the wings, just waiting for the right moment to join the battle. So he tells an officer, quote, it would not be prudent to make the attack, close quote. It's mid-afternoon before any kind of meaningful attack happens on the south end of the battlefield. Union General Ambrose Burnside has been trying to cross Rohrbach Bridge all day, but about 600 rebels sit on the hill overlooking the bridge and pick off any Union soldier that ventures onto it. Finally, two regiments decide to hell with it and charge the bridge. Though they take heavy losses, they get into a safe position on the west side of Antietam Creek and start firing up the Confederates.

Because of this move, three Union divisions make it safely across the bridge, dubbed Burnside Bridge, and begin pushing the Confederate southern flank back. Bobby Lee is in trouble. There's still sporadic fighting at the north end of his lines, where his troops are struggling to hold off Union forces. His center line is basically a gaping hole that Federals could penetrate at any time. And now, three Union divisions on the south side of Sharpsburg are fighting their way toward Bobby's only avenue of retreat. The Virginian commander watches the fierce fighting happening in the field and meadows only a mile and a half from his Sharpsburg headquarters with a sinking heart. Then he sees a dust cloud rising in the south. Bobby Lee calls to nearby Lieutenant John Ramsey, who has a telescope, and asks,

What troops are those? John Ramsey offers the telescope to his general, but Bobby refuses. Can't use it, he explains, holding up his splintered and bandaged hands. Only a few days ago, Bobby's horse shied, knocking him to the ground. He broke one hand and sprained the other in his fall. So the lieutenant points the telescope at the battlefield. When Bobby asks what flag the troops are carrying, John replies, they're flying the United States flag. What of the other column? Bobby inquires. It takes a minute, but John focuses in on the line of troops approaching the battlefield from the south. He doesn't see the stars and bars. Instead, it's a star-studded, blue St. Andrew's cross on a red banner.

This standard is the relatively new G.T. Beauregard-inspired battle flag of the Confederacy. It will become so ubiquitous in this war that later generations of Americans will mistake it for the CSA's national flag. They're flying the Virginia and Confederate flags, sir, John Ramsey replies. Bobby nods and simply states, it is A.P. Hill from Hoppus Ferry. This stoic reaction hardly seems enough for the arrival of nearly 5,000 fresh troops. I guess in directing a battle against a more numerous foe, Bobby didn't have time to get balloons. He's not one for fuss anyway. And neither is AP.

The hard-driving Confederate general gets his men into the fight right away without wasting time organizing them perfectly into brigades. Even though they've just marched 17 miles in eight hours, AP's men rush into the battle. This causes immediate confusion in Union lines.

The smoke from cannons and the Indian corn growing in sporadic clumps already makes it hard to tell who's who in this fight. But many of AP's Confederate soldiers are wearing blue federal uniforms they pilfered from Union supply wagons at Harper's Ferry. A Rhode Island brigade holds its fire as a blue-clad South Carolina unit advances at them. The Northerners soon realize their mistake and unleash a volley, but it's too late. The South Carolinians nearly surround the Rhode Islanders as they retreat back to the Union lines on the banks of Antietam Creek. This Confederate counterattack is the last of the day. Union troops on both the south and north flanks of the Rebel lines tenuously hold their positions against entrenched Confederates. The sun sets on a grisly scene. Makeshift field

hospitals spring up behind both lines as medics try to help wounded men. Survivors search for missing comrades among the wounded and dead, and every soldier prepares to spend a miserable night sleeping on the battlefield with his gun. One federal troop reports, quote, this was a miserable night to me. Groans and cries for water

could be heard the whole night. We could not help them. After only one day of fighting, Bobby Lee has approximately 1,500 dead, 7,700 wounded, and 1,000 missing soldiers. This is nearly a third of his entire army, and it's likely many of those missing are actually dead. In the weeks after the battle,

locals report finding bodies under haystacks and in cellars when they return to their farms. On the Union side, George McClellan counts 2,100 dead, 9,500 wounded, and 750 missing. These casualty counts make the Battle of Antietam the deadliest day in U.S. history. Ever. And yes, I'm including 20th and 21st century wars. With at least 3,600 dead, some historians put that number closer to 6,000, and 17,000 wounded, this clash between Bobby Lee and George McClellan has four times

the number of American casualties as D-Day will in World War II. At dawn on September 18th, both armies eye each other warily. Bobby has no fresh soldiers to put into battle. Little Mac does, but inexplicably, he chooses not to renew this fight. And when about 12,000 Union soldiers march six miles to the battlefield that morning, McClellan won't even consider putting them to use. He claims they need, quote, rest and refreshment. Close quote. Hey, Little Mac, why don't you ask AP Hill what he thinks of that plan? Okay, well really, AP is probably thrilled by it. George's failure to follow up on the previous day's successes buys Bobby Lee time to gather his men and supplies and retreat that evening. Without fanfare, the decimated army of Northern Virginia marches three miles south

from Sharpsburg and crosses the Potomac back into Virginia. Now, the Battle of Antietam is a tactical draw since neither side gained any ground. However, Little Mac brands it a complete victory. He gloats to his wife, quote, I feel some little pride in having, with a beaten and demoralized army, defeated Lee so utterly. One of these days, history will, I trust, do me justice. Close quote. Well, George, I'd say history has, but I don't think you agree with our take. Anyhow, Lincoln notices that Little Max failed to follow his direct order to destroy the rebel army. And Navy Secretary Gideon Neptune Wells says in frustration,

quote, Nothing from the army, except that instead of following up the victory, attacking and capturing the rebels, they are rapidly escaping across the river. Close quote. But what does Bobby Lee think of his performance? Well, he did find decent food and supplies for his men for a few weeks. And Stonewall retook Harper's Ferry. Finally, Bobby did draw the Union army into a fight on his terms.

All in all, that's not bad for being outnumbered in enemy territory. But what about his goal to gain British and French support for the Confederacy? Well, British and French officials have been watching this war with extreme interest. The recent Confederate victories have British Prime Minister Lord Palmerston thinking, quote, If Washington or Baltimore fall into the hands of the Confederates, would it not be time for us to consider whether England and France might not address the contending parties and recommend an arrangement upon the basis of separation, close quote. But when Lord Palmerston hears of Bobbie Lee's retreat,

he walks back his position. The Confederate military's ups and downs make him think, quote, the whole matter is full of difficulty and can only be cleared up by some more decided event between the contending armies. Close quote. Looks like Bobby Confederate President Jeff Davis can hang up their hopes for British military aid. On the Union side, President Lincoln's patience for George McClellan has run out. He decides it's time for a chat with his cautious Union commander. On October 3rd, Lincoln personally visits Little Mac and surveys the troops. While walking around the camp, Lincoln asks a friend, Do you know what this is? A little confused, the man replies,

It is the Army of the Potomac. Expecting this response, Lincoln quips, So it is called, but that is a mistake. It is only McClellan's bodyguard. Lincoln backs his cutting wit with action. He won't stand for Little Mac using tens of thousands of men as a shield anymore. In the last piece of fallout from the bloody battle of Antietam Creek, Lincoln fires General George B. McClellan on November 7th.

Of course, Bobby Lee is a little disappointed when he hears the news. He chuckles and says he'll miss Little Mac. We always understood each other so well. I feel they may continue to make these changes till they find someone whom I don't understand. Ahem, if I may, translation, they may continue to make changes until they find someone who actually fights. And so Bobby Lee's short-lived Maryland campaign officially ends.

The Virginian commander proved that he could fight to the bitter end and take risks, even with a depleted army and few supplies. Meanwhile, George proved for the last time that he couldn't capitalize on the opportunities given to him by an enemy force. This cost Little Mac his job. But the Battle of Antietam has a bigger impact on the war than the demise of one general's career. Lincoln's going to use this tepid Union victory as a chance to issue a proclamation that will change the course of the war and forever alter the United States. That's right, emancipation is coming.

History That Doesn't Suck is created and hosted by me, Greg Jackson. Researching and writing, Thank you. bibliography of all primary and secondary sources consulted in writing this episode, visit HistoryThatDoesntSuck.com. Join me in two weeks where I'd like to help us keep going. And a special thanks to our members whose monthly gift puts them at producer status. Andy Thompson, Anthony Pizzulo, Art Lane, Beth Chris Jansen, Bob Drazovich, Brian Goodson, Bronwyn Cohen, Carrie Begel, Charles and Shirley Clendenden, Charlie Magis, Chloe Tripp, Christopher Merchant, Christopher Pullman, David DeFazio, David Rifkin, Denki, Durante Spencer, Donald Moore, Donna Marie Jeffcoat, Ellen Stewart, Bernie Lowe, George Sherwood, Gurwith Griffin, Henry Brunges, Jake Gilbreth, James G. Bledsoe, Thank you. Justin May, Kristen Pratt, Karen Bartholomew, Cassie Koneko, Kim R, Kyle Decker, Lawrence Neubauer, Linda Cunningham, Mark Ellis, Matthew Mitchell, Matthew Simmons, Melanie Jan, Nick Seconder, Nick Caffrel, Noah Hoff, Owen Sedlak, Paul Goeringer, Randy Guffrey, Reese Humphries-Wadsworth, Rick Brown, Sarah Trawick, Samuel Lagasa, Sharon Thiesen,

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