Battle of Antietam

The Battle of Antietam, fought on September 17, 1862, during the American Civil War, was a significant battle between Union forces led by General George McClellan and Confederate troops under General Robert E. Lee. It took place near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and resulted in the bloodiest single day in American military history, with around 22,000 casualties. The battle ended in a stalemate but marked a strategic victory for the Union as it halted Lee's invasion of the North. It also led President Abraham Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, which aimed to free enslaved people in Confederate-held territory.