Antietam Time Line

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 11 hours until 5 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		Emancipation Proclamation takes effect
Click to return to page one of Battle of Antietam Time Line

Last updated: 1/5/00, KBS