Antietam North Front � 17 September 1862
Map by [HWK]Stone
Lee had invaded the North. In early September, 1862, the Army of Northern Virginia, some 50,000 troops of all arms, crossed into Maryland in the hope of defeating the Army of the Potomac, 85,000 troops under McClellan, on northern soil and perhaps secure international recognition for the Confederacy. Lee had divided his forces in Maryland, being screened by Stewart�s cavalry, to secure several objectives. Lee�s Order 191, which described the disposition of his Corps in Maryland, had fallen into McClellan�s hands. McClellan had the opportunity to defeat the dispersed Corps in detail and, with uncharacteristic speed, he sought to do so. Lee learned of McClellan�s movements and urgently sought to reconcentrate his army. He chose the terrain around the town of Sharpsburg, which was east and north of the Potomac River � and west of Antietam Creek. The scene was set for a very bloody clash of the two armies.
The Map
Antietam (Sharpsburg) was a battle where the landscape �turned red�. It was brutal and bloody and really resolved into two battles: the northern front between Jackson and Hooker and the southern front between A P Hill and Burnside, with Longstreet commanding the Confederate centre and Sumner the Union centre.
This map reproduces the encounter between Jackson and Hooker on the northern front. The battle centred on the region just to the north of Sharpsburg: the Cornfield, the East woods, the West Woods, the Dunker Church and the Sunken Lane.
Major General �Fighting Joe� Hooker, commanding the Union 1st Corps, launched an attack on the Confederate left flank, commanded by Major General �Stonewall� Jackson, with elements of the 1st Corps, commanded by Major General James Longstreet � some 8,600 Union infantrymen against 7,700 Confederate infantrymen.
The map presents the forces in their initial disposition on the northern front, just to the north of Sharpsburg, somewhere around 5.30am on Wednesday, 17 September, 1862.
The centre of the map is on the region just to the north of Sharpsburg: the Cornfield, the East woods, the West Woods, the Dunker Church and the Sunken Lane.
The Union forces (blue) must launch an infantry attack on the Confederate defences (red). Thereafter, both armies may launch attacks and counter-attacks in a bid to carry the field.
In order to recreate the dynamics of the battle each army has a Headquarters� (HQ) tent, which must be defended at all costs.
(See map on next page.)
Victory Conditions
The winning side must capture and destroy the HQ tent of the opposing side in order to win.
Order of Battle � Antietam , 17 September 18632
Federal: THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC
Major General George B. McClellan, USA, commanding
1st �ARMY CORPS������� (Maj Gen. Joseph Hooker)
(BGen. George G. Meade)
First Division - (BGen. John P. Hatch) (BGen. Abner Doubleday)
Second Division - (BGen. James B. Ricketts)
Third Division - (BGen. George G. Meade) (BGen. Truman Seymour)
2nd �ARMY CORPS������� (MGen. Edwin V. Sumner)
First Division - (MGen. Israel B. Richardson) (BGen. John C. Caldwell) (BGen. Winfield S. Hancock)
Second Division - (MGen. John Sedgwick) (BGen. Oliver O. Howard)
Third Division - (BGen. William H. French)
5th ARMY CORPS�������� (MGen. Fitz John Porter)
(*)First Division - (MGen. George W. Morell)
Second Division - (BGen. George Sykes)
(*)Third Division - (BGen. Andrew A. Humphreys)
Corps Artillery Reserve - (LCol. William Hays)
6th �ARMY CORPS������� (MGen. William B. Franklin)
First Division - (MGen. Henry W. Slocum)
Second Division - (MGen. William F. Smith)
(*)First Division, Fourth Corps (attached) - (MGen. Darius N. Couch)
9th �ARMY CORPS������� (MGen. Jesse L. Reno)
(MGen. Ambrose E. Burnside)
(BGen. Jacob D. Cox)
First Division - (BGen. Orlando B. Willcox)
Second Division - (BGen. Samuel D. Sturgis)
Third Division - (BGen. Isaac P. Rodman) (Col. Edward Harland)
Kanawha Division - (BGen. Jacob D. Cox) (Col. Eliakim P. Scammon)
Unattached Corps Artillery/Cavalry
12th �ARMY CORPS����� (MGen. Joseph K. F. Mansfield)
(BGen. Alpheus S. Williams)
First Division - (BGen. Alpheus S. Williams) (BGen. Samuel W. Crawford) (BGen. George H. Gordon)
Second Division - (BGen. George S. Greene)
Corps Artillery - (Capt. Clermont L. Best)
CAVALRY DIVISION � (BGen. Alfred Pleasonton)
(*) - Unit not present and/or not engaged at Antietam on 17 September.
Confederate THE ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA
General Robert E. Lee, CSA, commanding
LONGSTREET'S COMMAND (CORPS) (MGen. James Longstreet)
McLaws' Division - (MGen. Lafayette McLaws)
Anderson's Division - (MGen. Richard H. Anderson) (BGen. Roger A. Pryor)
Jones's Division - (BGen. David R. Jones)
Walker's Division - (BGen. John G. Walker)
Hood's Division - (MGen. John B. Hood)
Evans' (Independent) Brigade - (BGen. Nathan G. Evans) (Col. P.F. Stevens)
Longstreet's Corps Artillery - (Col J. B. Walton)
JACKSON'S COMMAND (CORPS) (MGen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson)
Ewell's Division - (BGen. Alexander R. Lawton) (BGen. Jubal A. Early)
A. P. Hill's Light Division - (MGen. Ambrose P. Hill)
Jackson's Division - (BGen. John R. Jones) (BGen. William E. Starke) (Col. Arnold J. Grigsby)
D. H. Hill's Division - (MGen. Daniel H. Hill)
Jackson's Reserve Artillery - (Col S. Crutchfield)
CAVALRY DIVISION (MGen. James E. B. Stuart)
Estimated Casualties: 22,719 total (US 12,401; CS 10,318)
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