The Battle of Antietam, fought on September 17, 1862, was a pivotal conflict in the American Civil War, marking the bloodiest single-day battle in American history. The battle took place in and around the town of Sharpsburg, Maryland, and the surrounding countryside, and was a crucial turning point in the war. The Union Army of the Potomac, led by General George B. McClellan, clashed with the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, led by General Robert E. Lee, in a series of battles that would ultimately result in a Union victory, but at a tremendous cost in lives.
One of the most iconic and brutal battles within the larger conflict was the fight for Burnside's Bridge, a small stone bridge that spanned Antietam Creek. The bridge, which was defended by a small contingent of Confederate troops, was the key to the Union army's ability to cross the creek and attack the Confederate right flank. After a series of failed attempts to take the bridge, the Union troops finally succeeded in crossing, but not before suffering heavy casualties.
The Battle of Antietam was a strategic Union victory, as it halted the Confederate invasion of the North and gave President Abraham Lincoln the opportunity to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared all slaves in Confederate territory to be free. The battle also marked a turning point in the war, as it repelled the Confederate invasion of the North and set the stage for the Union's eventual victory.