Giavanna Hunt
Mrs. Schools
APUSH
18 December 2017
Antietam Book Review
Crossroads of Freedom: Antietam by James McPherson September 17, 1862 is remembered as the bloodiest day in American history. On this fateful day during the American Civil War, Union and Confederate soldiers clashed in Sharpsburg, Maryland along the Antietam Creek. In total, approximately 23,000 American lives were lost on this gory day, including 12,400 Union soldiers and 10,300 Confederate soldiers. Although the Union claimed this battle as their victory, the Americans on both sides suffered great losses that changed the course of the Civil War and altered American history. In choosing to read this book, I knew that I would gain a greater understanding of the military strategies and actions performed by both the Rebels and the Yankees.
Throughout the course of his book, Crossroads of Freedom: Antietam, James McPherson examines not only the events that occurred on September 17, 1862, but he also outlines the causes and explanations for the American Civil War. Firstly, McPherson emphasizes the role that slavery played in causing the war and he shares details regarding the outcomes and results of this historic battle. McPherson’s second main objective of this book is to highlight how tentative General McClellan was over the course of the war. General McClellan was too cautious in engaging the Confederate Army even when he had the captured plans of General Lee. This battle which ensued along the
Mrs. Schools
APUSH
18 December 2017
Antietam Book Review
Crossroads of Freedom: Antietam by James McPherson September 17, 1862 is remembered as the bloodiest day in American history. On this fateful day during the American Civil War, Union and Confederate soldiers clashed in Sharpsburg, Maryland along the Antietam Creek. In total, approximately 23,000 American lives were lost on this gory day, including 12,400 Union soldiers and 10,300 Confederate soldiers. Although the Union claimed this battle as their victory, the Americans on both sides suffered great losses that changed the course of the Civil War and altered American history. In choosing to read this book, I knew that I would gain a greater understanding of the military strategies and actions performed by both the Rebels and the Yankees.
Throughout the course of his book, Crossroads of Freedom: Antietam, James McPherson examines not only the events that occurred on September 17, 1862, but he also outlines the causes and explanations for the American Civil War. Firstly, McPherson emphasizes the role that slavery played in causing the war and he shares details regarding the outcomes and results of this historic battle. McPherson’s second main objective of this book is to highlight how tentative General McClellan was over the course of the war. General McClellan was too cautious in engaging the Confederate Army even when he had the captured plans of General Lee. This battle which ensued along the