The Effects of the Battle of Antietam on the Course of the Civil War (Essay Sample)

The Effects of the Battle of Antietam on the Course of the Civil War Student’s Name Institution Affiliation Date The Effects of the Battle of Antietam on the Course of the Civil War The American civil war (1861-1865) marks one of the dark sides of American history. The impacts of the American Civil War are evident from its primary campaigns or battles. The outcome of civil war battles substantially changed the course of the Civil War (Murfin, 2004). A good example of such campaigns that profoundly influenced the war is the battle of Antietam (September 1862). It is among the bloodiest civil war battles in the American history. In the south, the battle of Antietam is also known as the Battle of Sharpsburg (King, 2014). It was the major battle that took place in the Northern parts, and its causalities were rampant to the extent that it turned the course of the civil war till its end in 1865. This paper examines the effects of this battle particularly on the America Civil War. Why and Where the Battle Took Place The Battle of Antietam was the first civil war campaign that took place on the Northern soil. It occurred in Maryland which was considered a Union territory. The primary reason why the battle was fought is the aggression of General Robert Lee's (King, 2014). General Lee was motivated by the outcomes of the first battle and wanted to take the war into the Northern soil. He, therefore, launched attacks in Sharpsburg and Antietam Creek. On the other hand, the Union General George McClellan attacked Lee’s army in defensive strategy and position behind Antietam Creek (Murfin, 2004). As a result, attacks and counter-attacks were witnessed across Miller's Cornfield and near the Dunker Church. Although the Union forces under General George McClellan won the battle, they failed to destroy Lee’s army (the Confederacy army) an element that prolonged the civil war for quite some time (Gallagher, 2016). General Lee’s desire to win a major battle on the Union territory was promoted for several reasons that are also the principle causes of the Battle of Antietam. First, General Lee of the Confederate Army wanted to demoralize those who supported the Northern states (Northerners) by winning a significant battle on their soil (Gallagher, 2016). General Lee believed that, if he won the fight at Maryland- part of the Northern Territory- the Northerners will get demoralized to withdraw their support for the war. In this case, the slave-holding state of Maryland will go ahead and break away from the Union and join the Confederacy. Second, the battle was caused by the aim of the Confederacy to get international recognitions, particularly across Europe (Priest, 2014). For instance, General Lee and his army sought to get a victory in the Antietam campaign so as encourage European support. Lee saw it possible to attain recognition and make the Confederacy an independent state by winning a significant battle on the Northern soil. Lastly General Lee’s army aimed to sever those rails that linked to Washington. This way, Lee was confident of seizing suppliers. However, all this aims failed as a result of his defeat and the victory of the Union. Factors That Influenced the Outcome of the Battle of Antietam General Lee’s intended to fight on the Union soil, win the battle and force the Union to call for a negotiated peace was not fruitful. The Union victory in this struggle was a significant outcome that changed the course of the Civil War as noted in this paper. However, the outcome was influenced by several factors. The immediate result of this battle was a loss of lives from both Lee’s side and the Union too (Weidenmier, 2002). The primary reason why the campaign experienced the bloodiest results in the Civil War history was due to the tactics and experience of both Generals (General Lee and Major General George McClellan). General Robert Lee was an effective tactician ever who also skilled and experienced Lieutenants. Due to the expertise of the CSA army, it was possible that both sides suffered a high causality (loss of lives). On the other hand, the Union General (General George McClellan) failed to effectively coordinate his forces a factor that significantly influenced the outcomes. For example, Major General George McClellan had scores of soldiers and despite this fact; he still allowed counter attacks from Lee’s army that was also shifted across the inner lines to meet every challenge (Weidenmier, 2002). Therefore, the failure of the Union’s attacks to gain mass concentration also impacted the outcome of the battle (Hansen, 2013). However, the Union commander was a very cautious tactician who ensured the Union army attained victory in such as a major civil war campaign. Influences of the Outcome of the Battle Antietam The outcome of the Antietam battle is very significant in the history of the USA. It has both active and negative impacts on the political, social and military matters. It is also considered the bloodiest day (one day battle) that claimed the lives of thousands of soldiers from both military armies (Hansen, 2013). The military, therefore, suffered the greatest blows in the history of the Civil War but with several strategic effects and implications in the USA. For example, the battle enabled the Union Amy to repel the first invasion from the Confederate Army on the Northern soil. Although General Lee had high hopes of winning the battle, the outcomes proved him otherwise and enabled the Union to discourage the recognition of the Confederacy as a supreme state (Hansen, 2013). The result of the fight also allowed President Abraham Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. The campaign allowed the president to promise the slaves and all slave states that they were free men (Hansen, 2013). The bill assisted in capturing the hearts of several Americans and changed their character of the Civil War. Abraham Lincoln waited for the outcomes of the war to issue the Emancipation Proclamation due to several reasons. For example, Lincoln wanted to win the hearts of many slaves from the North to join the Union Army. As a result, this was to increase the army and impact negatively on the economy of the south. Therefore, the victory served an important purpose; otherwise President Abraham Lincoln would not have issued any the Proclamations if defeated on the battlefield (Harris, 2013). Although most people thought the Union would suffer loss, the outcomes proofed otherwise, and it was clear that the South as no ability regarding resources to continue fighting the North. Moreover, the Emancipation Proclamation also assisted in boosting the support of the Union war aims internally in the USA (Hansen, 2013). Most people called for a negotiated peace solution that would see the CSA declared a sovereign state since most of them were tired and cautious on the effects of a prolonged Civil War. Additionally, the battle assisted in keeping the France and Britain on the sidelines. Both Britain and France were left in a dilemma at first especially by the Confederate victories. They saw that the CSA was almost becoming a sovereign state from its victories events. For instance, both France and Britain were economically affected as they went through shortages of the southern cotton (Sears, 2015). The incident almost made the two states to recognize CSA as an independent state. However, the aftermath of the battle of Antietam helped in keeping the two countries on sidelines. The news of the fight outcomes and those of the Emancipation Proclamation made the two countries to take a neutral stand. The battle results assisted in boosting the morale of the Union that was almost sagging. The campaign gave hope to the Union Solders, leaders, and supporters that their dreams and aims were valid. Just before the war, the hopes of the Union to end slavery and to win the war were slim; the Union was in a state of hopelessness (Mason, 2015). However, their victory in the battle of Antietam boosted their morale resulting to Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation that declared slaves free. Moreover, the social sector was affected by the results of the battle. The outcomes influenced the American society socially in several ways (Mason, 2015). For example, the photographs taken from the fight scenes showed the American battlefields strewed with dead bodies of soldiers. These images of military men slaughtered like livestock and piled in hips caught the attention of the American people. As a result, American people from both the south and north identified the terrible reality of the Civil War. Socially, the battle assisted to awaken the masses on what they should expect in the American society (Sears...