The Battle of Antietam 1862

 THE BATTLE OF ANTIETAM

I was I think I have said obsessed with the story and history of the 500 Nations of America before it was called America and the indigenous populations therein and their tribal life. I studied and read and collected books on the subject for a long time and lots of stuff on the Old Wild West too so called but mostly from the earliest time Geronimo to Sitting Bull, Custer's Last Stand to Wounded Knee. I loved the movies about such things and times too. 

The side issue that fascinated me too was the American Civil War not least upon discovering that there were ancestors bearing my name on BOTH side of the war which astonished me to discover. 

So I found this t'other day and since its significance to me. The Americans today fascinate me too with their divisiveness and Trump's intent upon dividing and conquering which seemed to do an awful lot of very great harm. The notion that such a war like nation has killed more of it's own peoples than any of the World Wars and indeed any wars to date that it has continued to involve itself with from Vietnam to Afghanistan, the NRA and the gun laws meaning that it has literally killed and slaughtered more of its own than any overseas conflict is staggering to me and surely any right minded thinking 21stC person! 

This day, September 17th, marks the bloodiest day in American history.  In 1862, the Union and Confederate armies fought a day long battle for the control of Sharpsburg, Maryland at Antietam Creek. It was a brutal battle with the end result of Robert E. Lee saving his army from destruction.  But it was a very close run fight, and Lee maintained the battlefield long enough to retreat back into Virginia and bring to a close his first offensive on northern soil.

There were over 22,000 casualties this day with over 3,600 dead on the battlefield.  Many more would succumb to their wounds over the next few days.  Iconic photos of the dead taken in the aftermath of the battle would forever change the way Americans viewed the conflict.