| Date | Eastern Theater | | Other Events |
September
15
Monday | Union Forces at Harpers Ferry Surrender
-Lee stops retreat, orders concentration at Sharpsburg
-Jackson departs Harpers Ferry, leaving A.P. Hill's Division behind
-McLaws crosses Potomac to Harper's Ferry
McClellan crosses South Mountain to Boonsboro and Keedysville | | CSA Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith on Ohio River across from Cincinnati, OH |
16
Tuesday | Jackson's and Walker's Divisions arrive at Sharpsburg around midday. Lee sends word to McLaws and A.P. Hill to hurry to Sharpsburg
Union I and XII Corps cross Antietam Creek late evening and make contact with Lee’s left at 6 pm McClellan orders Franklin to Sharpsburg from Pleasant Valley | | |
| 17 Wednesday | BATTLE OF ANTIETAM OR SHARPSBURG
Fighting begins at dawn and continues for 12 hours until 5:30 pm
McLaws' Division arrives early morning; A.P. Hill's arrives 3 pm.
That evening Lee holds council of war at dark, decides to remain in position | | CSA Gen. Braxton Bragg captures 4000 Federals at Munfordville, KY
English Foreign Minister Russell, just hearing the news of 2nd Manassas, writes Prime Minister Palmerston "the time is come for offering mediation to the United States Gov't, with a view to the recognition of the independence of the Confederates." |
18
Thursday | At dark, Lee begins to withdraw toward the Potomac | | |
19
Friday | Lee’s Army completes Potomac crossing by late morning
Raiding party from Union Gen. Fitz John Porter's V Corps crosses Potomac and captures four CSA cannon and returns | | Union Gen. William S. Rosecrans defeats CSA Gen. Sterling Price at Iuka, MS. Price now cannot aid Bragg in KY |
20
Saturday | Battle of Shepherdstown
Two brigades of Porter's V Corps cross the Potomac but are repulsed by a counterattack from A.P. Hill's Division | | |
22
Monday | President Abraham Lincoln announces the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation | | |
25
Thursday | | | Union Gen. Don Carlos Buell beats Bragg to Louisville, KY |
October
2
Thursday | Lincoln arrives at Antietam Battlefield to meet with McClellan | | Palmerston, learning of Lee's withdraw, writes Russell, "The whole matter is full of difficulty and can only be cleared up by some more decided events between the contending armies." |
4
Saturday | Lincoln leaves Antietam for Washington D.C. | | Battle of Corinth, MS
CSA Gens. Van Dorn and Price repulsed in attacks |
6
Monday | Lincoln orders McClellan to "cross the Potomac and give battle to the enemy or drive him south" | | |
| 8 Wednesday | | | Battle of Perryville, KY
Bragg withdraws ending Kentucky invasion |
10
Friday | CSA Gen. J.E.B. Stuart rides around McClellan's army | | |
26
Sunday | McClellan's army crosses the Potomac | | |
November
4
Tuesday | | | Congressional elections in the North. Republicans retain a majority in the House and gain 5 seats in the Senate |
5
Wednesday | Lincoln writes the order relieving McClellan from command | | |
December
13
Saturday | Battle of Fredericksburg
McClellan's replacement Gen. Burnside defeated by Lee | | |
January
1, 1863
Thursday | | | Final Emancipation Proclamation is issued |
