Battle of Antietam

The Battle of Antietam took place in Antietam, Maryland on September 17, 1862. It is considered one of the bloodiest and bitterest days of war. Fortune shone on McClellan, the commander of this battle when he found a copy od Lee's battle plans. With that map McClellan succeeded in halting Lee at Antietam. Antietam was more or less a draw militarily. When the Union displayed unexpected power at the Battle of Antietam, Britain and France did not interefere but rather cooled off. Bloody Antietam was also the long waited for victory inorder to launch the Emancipation Proclamation. The battle served as the needed emancipaton springboard.