Crossroads of Freedom Antietam

by McPherson, James M.

• ISBN13: 9780195135213
• ISBN10: 0195135210
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-09-12
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

The Battle of Antietam was the bloodiest day in American history, and the turning point of the whole Civil War. At the point where Confederate troops invaded Maryland, poised to take Washington, the morale of the Union was at an all time low. It had suffered a series of defeats, it seemed thatforeign governments were on the verge of recognizing the Confederacy and legitimizing its cause, and the Emancipation Proclamation had been shelved indefinitely. McPherson argues that the Union victory at Antietam sharply reversed all this, and gave the Union a new raison d'etre in the form ofEmancipation.McPherson combines a compelling narrative of the battle itself with a clear analysis of the political situation surrounding it. The final chapters discuss the aftermath of the battle, and its reputation as a pivotal moment in American history.

Author Biography

James M. McPherson is the George Henry Davis '86 Professor of History at Princeton University. America's leading historian of the Civil War, he won the Pulitzer Prize for Battle Cry of Freedom, which was a New York Times best seller, and he won the Lincoln Prize for For Cause and Comrades.

Table of Contents

List of Maps	xi
Editor's Note	xiii
Preface	xv
Introduction Death in September	3	(8)
The Pendulum of War 1861--1862	11	(30)
Taking Off the Kid Gloves June--July 1862	41	(32)
``The Federals Got a Very Complete Smashing'' August--September 1862	73	(24)
Showdown at Sharpsburg	97	(36)
The Beginning of the End	133	(24)
Notes	157	(28)
Bibliographical Essay	185	(6)
Acknowledgments	191	(2)
Index	193