Antietam: A Perspective

[Moe Daoust]

A few years ago I set up this Blog but never developed it. Recently, I decided to post one of my articles on it, entitled "The Battle of Antietam: A Perspective," which was published a couple of years ago in Strategy & Tactic Magazine. I hope some of you will be interested in reading it and moreover, that it will provide you with some new insights regarding the Battle of Antietam. If you like my Blog, please follow me.
https://aboutgeorgebmcclellan.blogspot.com/

 

[Ole Miss]

Moe I read your article and enjoyed the writing and information. I will be back to your blog.
Regards
David

 

[ErnieMac]

A few years ago I set up this Blog but never developed it. Recently, I decided to post one of my articles on it, entitled "The Battle of Antietam: A Perspective," which was published a couple of years ago in Strategy & Tactic Magazine. I hope some of you will be interested in reading it and moreover, that it will provide you with some new insights regarding the Battle of Antietam. If you like my Blog, please follow me.
https://aboutgeorgebmcclellan.blogspot.com/

All in all a well researched and written account. I have for sometime held the opinion that Burnside's failures to act promptly at the Rohrbach Bridge greatly contributed to the fact that the Battle of Antietam was not the resounding Federal success it might have been. I think you clearly documented the chain of events between McClellan and Burnside on the morning of Sept. 17 and present a good case that McClellan was more sinned against than sinning in this instance.

I notice that Ezra Carman is mentioned in footnote 54, commenting that he drew most of his writings from Cox's accounts. That doesn't seem surprising to me. While Carman was present at the battle his position as colonel, commanding the 13th New Jersey Infantry, and his physical position on the battlefield with the Twelfth Corps near the West Woods would have not allowed him to have first hand knowledge.

You also ask "Could Alexander, and so many others who were present during those events, have been wrong?" Perhaps it is just the way you phrased the question, but it should be noted that Alexander, a lieutenant colonel on Lee's staff at the time, was not present at the battle. Alexander had been dispatched by Lee on Sept. 16 to take charge of the captured Federal ordnance at Harpers Ferry and forward usable stores to Lee's army at Sharpsburg. Alexander was at Harpers Ferry during the battle and had no first hand knowledge.