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Abraham Lincoln with General George McClellan on Antietam Battlefield, 1862, historic photo

Abraham Lincoln with General George McClellan on Antietam Battlefield, 1862, historic photo

An historic photo of President Abraham Lincoln meeting with General George McClellan and his staff on the battlefield at Antietam, Maryland on October 3, 1862. The Battle of Antietam (also known as the Battle of Sharpsburg) was fought on this battlefield on September 17, 1862, just two weeks before this photo was taken. The heavy casualties of the battle make this the most deadly day in American history. On the Union side, there were 12,401 casualties with 2,108 dead; on the Confederate side, there were 10,318 casualties with 1,546 dead for a total of 22,719 casualties with 3,654 dead (far more casualties and deaths occurred at Gettysburg however they are spread over three days rather than on a single day.)

Since the Confederate forces were the first to withdraw from the battlefield, this was considered to be a Union victory, although it was something of a draw militarily. Despite repeated urging from the War Department and Lincoln himself, McClellan failed to aggressively pursue the Confederate Army after the battle thus minimizing the potential value of the victory. The battle was however proclaimed as a Union victory which led to President Lincoln issuing the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22 and taking effect on January 1, 1863. The issuance of the proclamation was instrumental in discouraging the governments of France and Britain from plans of recognition of the Confederate government. See the additional photo below.

President Abraham Lincoln meeting with General George McClellan in his tent on the Antietam Battlefield (Sharpsburg)

President Abraham Lincoln meeting with General George McClellan in his tent on the Antietam Battlefield (Sharpsburg). This photo was taken on October 3, 1862, just two weeks after the battle took place.

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