What is the Bloody Lane at the Battle of Antietam?
Fought on Sept. 17, 1862, the Battle of Antietam, also known as the Battle of Sharpsburg, remains the bloodiest battle in American history. The Bloody Lane was a sunken road where about 5,500 men were killed or wounded in a few hours.
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Background
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The Battle of Antietam was part of Confederate General Robert E. Lee's invasion of the north, known as the Maryland Campaign. Lee hoped to defeat the Union states in the north and secure southern independence. President Abraham Lincoln sent Major General George B. McClellan to meet the Confederate forces.
Battle Begins
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At dawn on September 17, McClellan sent his Union soldiers forward. Lee moved his Confederate army to meet the threat and the coordination of the Union attack broke down. Savage fighting took place across the battlefield.
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Sunken Road
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The Confederates used the natural shelter of a sunken road separating two farms to create a strong defensive line. Despite being greatly outnumbered, they repelled several strong Union attacks on the position throughout the morning.
Bloody Lane
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Around 1 p.m., Confederate soldiers at the southern end of the lane withdrew, allowing Union forces to move into a position where they could fire directly down the line of the sunken road. What had previously been a useful defensive position now became a deathtrap for the Confederate soldiers. The position could not be held and the Confederates withdrew.
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