Antietam and The Emancipation Proclamation

The battle of Antietam was September 17, 1862. General Lee’s war goal was to get foreign countries to see the south as their own country and to aid them in the war. The union had the advantage of finding a copy of General Lee’s war strategy plan. After the battle President Lincoln removed General McClellan from power because he did not take the possibly war ending blow to the south. General McClellan was not aggressive enough. He could have finished the war instead of letting the south retreat. This battle was the bloodiest single day battle. The union had 12,000 casualties and the south had 10,000 casualties. Even though Antietam was neither a win for both sides, President took it a win for the north so he issued the Emancipation Proclamation which wasn’t effective until January 1, 1863. The Emancipation freed slaves in the north; they could be in the army and work for reasonable wages. It didn’t free slaves in the Border States or free slaves in the south but, as soon as the Union gained control of the land the slaves in that area were considered free.