Crossroads of Freedom: AntietamOxford University Press, 2002 M09 12 - 224 páginas The Battle of Antietam, fought on September 17, 1862, was the bloodiest single day in American history, with more than 6,000 soldiers killed--four times the number lost on D-Day, and twice the number killed in the September 11th terrorist attacks. In Crossroads of Freedom, America's most eminent Civil War historian, James M. McPherson, paints a masterful account of this pivotal battle, the events that led up to it, and its aftermath. As McPherson shows, by September 1862 the survival of the United States was in doubt. The Union had suffered a string of defeats, and Robert E. Lee's army was in Maryland, poised to threaten Washington. The British government was openly talking of recognizing the Confederacy and brokering a peace between North and South. Northern armies and voters were demoralized. And Lincoln had shelved his proposed edict of emancipation months before, waiting for a victory that had not come--that some thought would never come. Both Confederate and Union troops knew the war was at a crossroads, that they were marching toward a decisive battle. It came along the ridges and in the woods and cornfields between Antietam Creek and the Potomac River. Valor, misjudgment, and astonishing coincidence all played a role in the outcome. McPherson vividly describes a day of savage fighting in locales that became forever famous--The Cornfield, the Dunkard Church, the West Woods, and Bloody Lane. Lee's battered army escaped to fight another day, but Antietam was a critical victory for the Union. It restored morale in the North and kept Lincoln's party in control of Congress. It crushed Confederate hopes of British intervention. And it freed Lincoln to deliver the Emancipation Proclamation, which instantly changed the character of the war. McPherson brilliantly weaves these strands of diplomatic, political, and military history into a compact, swift-moving narrative that shows why America's bloodiest day is, indeed, a turning point in our history. |
Dentro del libro
Resultados 1-5 de 35
Página 3
... attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.1 Another 15,000 men wounded in the battle of Antietam would recover, but many of them would never again walk on two legs or work with two arms. The number of ...
... attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.1 Another 15,000 men wounded in the battle of Antietam would recover, but many of them would never again walk on two legs or work with two arms. The number of ...
Página 15
... attack the Confederate fortifications on the Mississippi at Columbus, Kentucky. On a copy of Halleck's letter, Lincoln wrote: “It is exceedingly discouraging. As everywhere else, nothing can be done.” The president poured out his ...
... attack the Confederate fortifications on the Mississippi at Columbus, Kentucky. On a copy of Halleck's letter, Lincoln wrote: “It is exceedingly discouraging. As everywhere else, nothing can be done.” The president poured out his ...
Página 16
... attack on February 6 before Grant's 15,000 soldiers could prevent the escape of most of the garrison to Fort Donelson. Almost without a pause, Grant and Foote closed in on Donelson and locked in its 14,000 defenders, outnumbered by ...
... attack on February 6 before Grant's 15,000 soldiers could prevent the escape of most of the garrison to Fort Donelson. Almost without a pause, Grant and Foote closed in on Donelson and locked in its 14,000 defenders, outnumbered by ...
Página 17
... attacked Roanoke Island on February 7–8, captured most of its Calhoun Lebanon Confederate l l l l l l l. USS Cairo, one of the ironclad Union gunboats that helped gain control of the Commodore David G. Farragut's fleet passing the ...
... attacked Roanoke Island on February 7–8, captured most of its Calhoun Lebanon Confederate l l l l l l l. USS Cairo, one of the ironclad Union gunboats that helped gain control of the Commodore David G. Farragut's fleet passing the ...
Página 22
... Gulf Coast to bring his army to 40,000 men at Corinth. Johnston planned to take the offensive against Grant's 33,000 before Buell's army arrived. On April 6 the Confederates attacked at dawn near a 22 Crossroads of Freedom.
... Gulf Coast to bring his army to 40,000 men at Corinth. Johnston planned to take the offensive against Grant's 33,000 before Buell's army arrived. On April 6 the Confederates attacked at dawn near a 22 Crossroads of Freedom.
Contenido
3 | |
11 | |
JuneJuly 1862 | 41 |
3 The Federals Got a Very Complete Smashing AugustSeptember 1862 | 73 |
4 Showdown at Sharpsburg | 97 |
5 The Beginning of the End | 133 |
NOTES | 157 |
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL ESSAY | 185 |
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS | 191 |
INDEX | 193 |
Otras ediciones - Ver todas
Términos y frases comunes
action Adams American Antietam army attack August battle Battlefield believed Britain British called Campaign cause cavalry Charles Civil Civil War commander Confederacy Confederate Congress Corps defeat defend Democrats Diary Dispatch division emancipation enemy entry fall fight fire force Foreign fought Francis freedom George Halleck Harpers Ferry Henry Hill hope issue Jackson James John Jones July June Kentucky later Lee’s Letters Library Lincoln lines look March Maryland Mason McClellan miles military months move never newspapers night North Northern notes officers orders Pope position Potomac president Proclamation quoted rebels recognition regiments reported Republicans retreat Richmond River Robert Second Secretary seemed Sept September Sharpsburg slavery slaves soldiers South Southern success took troops turn Union United victory Virginia vols Washington weeks whole wife World wounded wrote York