Antietam's Bloody Lane: Sunken Road Battle | Sharpsburg, Maryland | US Civil War | History Maps

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September 17, 1862. DH Hill's division has held South Mountain but is pushed back by McClellan's Army of the Potomac. Robert E. Lee situates the Army of Northern Virginia around Sharpsburg, Maryland.
DH Hill takes positions in a sunken road near Sharpsburg. Longstreet and Jackson's men form positions on ridges, woods, and in a cornfield.
McClellan begins the attack with Hooker and Mansfield's corps against the Cornfield and the East Woods. DH Hill sends Ripley, Colquitt, and McRae to the cornfield, but they are driven back.
Only Rodes and GB Anderson are in the cornfield, but remnants of Colquitt and McRae form back up in the road. Then Sumner's Corps advances. Sedgwick's division is shattered in the West Woods, but French and Richardson approach the Sunken Road.
The topography of the sunken road is this: heights in front of the road make it so that both sides will only see each other at the last moment. Weber's brigade is the first Union line to hit. The 1st Delaware takes terrible losses.
Morris' brigade follows. It is also beaten back.
Then Kimball engages. Kimball holds for three hours.
Richardson's division comes in next. Meagher relieves Kimball's left flank. This Irish Brigade holds until Caldwell swings in. Barlow's New York Regiments, the 64th New York and the 61st New York, find a strategic place and throw enfilading fire into the sunken road. The sunken road becomes the infamous Bloody Lane.
GB Anderson is reinforced by RH Anderson, but the sunken road defenders are thrown back. 300 prisoners are taken. Then Rodes brigade suffers a miscommunication. The 1st Alabama under Lightfoot misunderstands an order to refuse the line. They abandon the road, as do others in Rodes' brigade.
The sunken road is in Union hands by noon. Longstreet brings cannon into the orchard and the Piper Farmhouse, stalling further advances.
Richardson is wounded, and Winfield Scott Hancock assumes command over the division.
The Sunken Road, or Bloody Lane, is a critical part of the Battle of Antietam. The north suffered nearly 3,000 casualties securing the objective.
The American Civil War is a critical chapter in American history.
This film was made by Jeffrey Meyer, librarian and historian.

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1 июн 2022

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Комментарии : 105

@automaticmattywhack1470 2 года назад

I love when you use the LIDAR maps. It really helps see how and why armies pick certain positions and how and why they take certain routes when marching. You're the only war documentarian who I've seen use it. KEEP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING!

@JeffreytheLibrarian 2 года назад

Thank you! More LIDAR to come.

@Owennerd 2 года назад

I cannot stress how true this is. All other videos, and to a certain extent, books I've read and watched seem to focus on and exaggerate the small human elements that shaped the battle, and generally ignore the geographical realities that really were the cause for the flow of the battle. Watching Jeffrey's videos with LIDAR and the constant zooming in and zooming out really shows you that the terrain, first and foremost, dictates everything.

@jamesr9227 2 года назад

@@JeffreytheLibrarian I’ve watched you since the beginning of your channel. You were good then. Damn if you are not amazing at this point.

@chrismitchell3292 2 года назад

It was amazing Col. Gordon's cover took a hit in it...when he was shot in the face...the blood drained out so he didn't drown

@rhoddryice5412 2 года назад

The Google imagery combined with the elevation map from USGS and highlighting the elevation differences makes these battle breakdowns the best. Keep it up!

@IFY0USEEKAY 2 года назад

Your vids are so well researched and detailed, it makes me recognize that all I ever had was a broad overview/understanding of battles that I used to think I knew so well. Thank you!

@JeffreytheLibrarian 2 года назад

I've found that I always think I know something until I dig into the details, and then I realize I didn't actually know anything.

@blazertrail5344 2 года назад

Great video! For future videos I would suggest adding the current time on screen somewhere while you discuss the events, to make it easier to keep track of the timeline & how long events take.

@MoorishBandit 11 месяцев назад

Wow, so many documentaries leave out the fact that the sunken road had been flanked and enfiladed by the time the rest of the confederates withdrew. It really gives a whole new context to that part of the battle.

@samuelharlan7744 2 года назад

Babe wake up, Jeffrey just posted

@JeffreytheLibrarian 2 года назад

It took a while, but I finally got it done.

@jeffs7482 2 года назад

Outstanding work, as always! Many thanks for the time and effort you put into these very illuminating videos.

@tnt-hv6qw 2 года назад

you are on to something cool with the lidar. hot damn that puts the whole thing in perspective. now we can see how a hill or valley can change the outcome. final piece of the puzzle for battle analysis’s. i just found u on here. your awesome.

@touristguy87 2 года назад

The Civil War is a critical chapter in American history, but it's still just history. The only significance that history has is what people make of it going forward.

@JeffreytheLibrarian 2 года назад

Thank you!

@brianmungermusic1744 Год назад

I went there a few years ago. Wow what a visit. I walked the sunken road and still have a walnut from the bend in the road. You really feel the sense of the battle walking these grounds. It’s such a beautiful place, well preserved and worth the visit. Great video and thanks for sharing.

@badmintoninchina1612 2 года назад

Your videos are quite simply spot on! Full and rich of information, delivered with a spot on pace and great, illustrative graphics👍👍

@automaticmattywhack1470 2 года назад

I was just wondering yesterday when a new video would drop. Of course, I'm sitting in the waiting room of my Dr's office right now and I'll have to wait to watch it uninterrupted, but Yay! New video!

@JeffreytheLibrarian 2 года назад

Thank you for watching!

@FacloFormerFavorite Год назад

Standing in The Sunken Road is an incredible place to visit.

@aaronwheeler1957 2 года назад

Great video, Kimball’s brigade would earn the nickname “The Gibraltar Brigade” for their actions at the sunken road. There’s a great book called the Gallant Fourteenth about the 14th Indiana that has a ton of info, including letters home from soldiers, about the battle. I highly recommend it.

@johnlawson656 Год назад

Well done! With my sense of direction, I finally have a clear picture and understanding of the battle. Great job. You have a new subscriber.

@johnnyallen5736 Год назад

Great video--thanks for displaying it using the maps--really helps me understand what happened!

@johnrendle8840 2 года назад

Excellent video! Im particularly glad to now know where the 132nd Pa was located as their commander Col. Richard Adolphus Oakford was the second Master of my Masonic Lodge in Pittston and the first Master of Union Lodge 291 in Scranton. He was killed early upon reaching the sunken road unfortunately. He is buried in Hollenback Cemetery in Wilkes Barre Pa.

@wolfgangbarron-hagarty8735 2 года назад

Love it Jeff, keep it up

@mrdinkelpuss4000 Год назад

I really love these kinds of videos please make more!

@jaydubbyuh2292 2 года назад

Thx for the tedious, and diligent research of each corps and their constituent brigades & regiments.

@ryandemge3959 Год назад

This is an absolutely incredible video, such a clear and concise breakdown

@JeffreytheLibrarian Год назад

Thank you!

@noahs.627 3 месяца назад

Hello jeffrey! Amazing videos by the way, mapping the war helps like nothing else. A couple suggestions would be to add some music and maybe if youre comfortable you could recording yourself talking for the long bits maybe in period clothing to add a bit, just a suggestion though. You could also consider using video games to really get the cinematics you might desire. Ill point to the channel @onlycavs to kind of highlight what i mean as far as that goes, the total war games have mod for the acw

@ericsanger4408 2 года назад

Thank you for educating me!

@robertrodes1546 Год назад

Thank you for a very illuminating explanation of this battle. I knew that my ancestor and namesake was right in the thick of the Bloody Lane and wounded there, but the details of the miscommunication with one of his colonels is new to me and very interesting.

@jameshimes3657 Год назад

Excellent treatment of attacks on Bloody Lane....Love the Maps with Timing of Actions & Movements...

@JeffreytheLibrarian Год назад

That means a lot to me! Thanks!

@Deckuras 2 года назад

Brilliant work

@JeffreytheLibrarian 2 года назад

Thank you!

@floridian9897 2 года назад

Very nicely done, like the visuals and terrain explanations...by the way the 27th NC/ 3rd Ark. were the only two Regiments that penetrated the Union defenses the deepest before being repelled back to the Pike. They remained at the Pike for 3 hours holding without a single cartridge and bayonets at ready. They were called out by Lee for this action, my GG GF was in the 27th NC Co. K and was wounded in the shoulder at this action.

@Squatch_Rider66 2 года назад

Great recap of the engagement. Very interesting to see all the small unit participants recognized

@JeffreytheLibrarian 2 года назад

Thank you!

@timkitchen7141 2 года назад

Excellent!

@stevearchtoe7039 2 года назад

Well done!

@dubsy1026 2 года назад

Great work by Barlow

@charlesbelser7249 Год назад

Very good analysis.

@JeffreytheLibrarian Год назад

Thank you!

@exmarine268 Год назад

You did not even mention Gen. John B . Gordon - famous for commanding the 6th AL regiment at Sunken Road, and for his gallantry. He was wounded several times and kept fighting.

@edwardlulofs444 2 года назад

Very good. Thanks.

@JeffreytheLibrarian 2 года назад

Thanks for watching!

@lindawoody8501 Год назад

Very interesting. My Great Grandmother's uncle was seriously wounded at Antietam. His injuries caused his death just a few years later on. Very sad. He sure did suffer for several years. He died in the early 1870s leaving two young children.

@Jakobvielsted 8 месяцев назад

Very informative and a well done video I think 😊

@JeffreytheLibrarian 8 месяцев назад

Thank you!

@Pimpin_kev 2 года назад

Could you do a video that has 8th Connecticut in it? They were in all of these engagements - Newbern, N.C. March 14, 1862 Siege of Fort Macon, N.C. April 1862 Antietam, Md., Sep. 17, 1862 Fredericksburg, Va., Dec. 13, 1862 Fort Huger, Va. April 10, 1863 Walthall Junction, Va., May 7, 1864 Fort Darling, Va., May 16, 1864 Petersburg, Va., August 26, 1864 Fort Harrison, Va., Sep. 29, 1864

@ReallyLee Год назад

Thank you for these fine, detailed Civil War battle descriptions. A book I read 30 years years ago called the American Civil War "the first modern war". Abraham Lincoln's cabinet advised Lincoln to not release the Emancipation Proclamation until the Northern forces accomplished a military victory. The Battle of Antietam was that military victory. I puzzle about the tragic collision of a one day event where 23,000 men were killed and the extraordinary legal leverage brought to bear against the institution of slavery by the Emancipation proclamation. First, regarding calling the Civil War "first.." well we now have atomic bombs since 1945. But how about that idea gadget called the Emancipation Proclamation? Maybe we could use marketing and humor to re-tool civil wars into something like a Shrek musical with a catchy "lets get along" tune.. I appreciate your careful organized telling of the history. It is a great help to watch your video.

@eoyguy 2 года назад

Nice. Whenever I read or watch anything about the battle, especially this part of it, I can't help but think that if McClellan had came across the Middle Bridge, they could have rolled up the entire confederate line fairly easily. When I walked the battlefield, I was under the impression that the Bloody Lane was oriented more facing east and blocked the middle bridge advance, but obviously not the case. The confederated right flank was basically wide open.

@JeffreytheLibrarian 2 года назад

McClellan had another corps to deploy, and he almost did. However, he was afraid of losing his last reserves.

@fortusvictus8297 7 месяцев назад

If I remember correctly, it was Longstreets units covering the highground overlooking the middle bridge, it was not undefended. And to have pressed that final corps through that chokepoint could have been a needless waste of life as well. Had that corps been able to go north and cross where the other corps did that may have been another story, but from what I understand the area was already choked full of supply wagons and moving elements.

@betaiotaiotabetainc6249 2 года назад

hi nice sharing

@vincentyeaman2797 2 года назад

Yes, the maps helps, explation excellent

@JeffreytheLibrarian 2 года назад

Thank you!

@borntoshitforcedtowipe9570 2 года назад

Nice video bro you’re sleep on for real

@JeffreytheLibrarian 2 года назад

Thank you!

@larrygrossman8021 2 года назад

Another great lesson! I know there were MD regiments fighting on both sides. Did they actually face off against each other anywhere?

@JeffreytheLibrarian 2 года назад

Yes, actually at Gettysburg at Culp's Hill this happened. A Union Maryland threw off a rebel attack, and then afterwards realized it was a Maryland regiment. There's a good chance somebody knew somebody on the other side.

@tberkoff 2 года назад

Well done. Interestingly, the 29th MA in the Irish Brigade was made up of Protestants of English stock with no Irish ties. In November 1862, the 29th MA would be removed from the brigade and replaced with the 28th MA and 116th PA.

@JeffreytheLibrarian 2 года назад

That is a neat fact that I did not know.

@jacksoncurtain9612 Месяц назад

Even though it's widely known, it would have been good to mention the lethal upclose Volleys of the Irish Brigade in this battle. The South took large numbers of KIA from those Volleys.

@Dadecorban Год назад

The incredibly timely and convenient misunderstanding by LT COL Lightfoot

@JeffreytheLibrarian Год назад

I think he might have saved a lot of lives by misunderstanding his orders. I think they were about to be enfiladed.

@Dadecorban Год назад

@@JeffreytheLibrarian Yep, that's exactly what I was insinuating.

@sean6775 Год назад

Idk if i heard the words "sunken road" enough today... I've now met my lifetime quota

@DerpyDaringDitzyDoo Год назад

I just want to know what Kimball was feeding his men because wow were they hardcore and persistent.

@JohnDoe-vs4rq 4 месяца назад

My great, great, great Grandfather Lt Col James Mitchell Newton (6th Ga)was killed in this battle I believe. I’m assuming he was killed on the left side of the sunken road, but I’m not sure. I’m planning a visit to Antietam this spring. Any information you could provide would be very helpful. Thanks

@kensvideos1 4 месяца назад

Lees brilliance is shown in what he thinks is the resilience of union philosophy ie the resolve to war for an ideal. He was wrong.

@wyattmcgee1 8 месяцев назад

Featherstone? Oh nooo

@Baskerville22 Год назад

The Confederacy lost out when they replaced Stonewall Jackson with Ewell instead of D.H. Hill after Chancellorsville

@JeffreytheLibrarian Год назад

DH Hill would be an interesting choice. He faced terrible odds at South Mountain and Antietam, but nevertheless held his ground amply.

@Baskerville22 Год назад

@@JeffreytheLibrarian Hill (D.H.) may have earned his reputation as a difficult subordinate, and the disfavour of Jeff Davis, but given what was at stake, there should have been a more pragmatic approach to a General who demonstrated the abilities that D.H. Hill possessed. I think he would have been more pro-active than the often hesitant Ewell.

@fortusvictus8297 7 месяцев назад

@@Baskerville22 That brings up an interesting point about how leadership positions were viewed between the Union and CSA armies. While they both technically were using the same doctrines, culture, and training there were very real differences in how they viewed such things. The USA was interestingly shaped by Lincolns involvement in officer appointment as he favored great violence of action over strategy and long-term plans. I don't know enough about how the CSA appointed officers but get the impression it was entirely based on reputation and parlor talk.

@Baskerville22 7 месяцев назад

@@fortusvictus8297 In the North, Lincoln saw much less enthusiasm for the War, after Sumpter, than existe d in the South. To help gain political & military support in some luke-warm states - particularly as regards military enlistments - Lincoln made quite a few General-rank appointments of "favourite sons", some with little or no West Point level training, in order to shore up support in those states. These 'Political Generals' included, Banks, Butler, McClernand and Fremont. They proved to be hopeless Generals. The equally hopeless Franz Sigel had European military experience but was appointed primarily because he could attract enlistments from the immigrant German community. The competent John A. Logan was an exception whilst Frank Blair, Carl Schurz and James Wadsworth were adequate. Like yourself, I have only an impression regarding the situation in the Confederacy. I know that Jeff Davis had his favourites and those he disliked or distrusted. Still, with a much more cohesive, committed confederation of states he did not need to choose Generals on political grounds, and with a much inferior manpower pool available, needed to put the troops under the most capable Generals that could be found.

@rascal211 Год назад

The Irish brigade were some of the toughest fighters in the war.

@RealLifeWorthLiving Год назад

Two Andersons, two hills, and two Custers had a part in this battle

@samuelculper4231 Год назад

Was there no cannon exchange here?

@JeffreytheLibrarian Год назад

DH Hill had to pull his cannons out because they were too exposed. Once the union lines took the sunken road, they received close fire from cannon in the cornfield. That's what halted the advance.

@johnzajac9849 4 месяца назад

The use of the French pronunciation for the plural of corps is confusing.

@TanukiDigital Год назад

It seems so crazy that the land these battles were fought over were just forests and cornfields. Nothing of value was gained or lost, certainly nothing worth the carnage of such battles. The ultimate goal is therefore not land or strategic ground, but just the targeted attrition of the enemy forces.

@JeffreytheLibrarian Год назад

That's a good point. There was actually discussion about this during the conflict. McClellan and other general were very focused on getting to Richmond, while Lincoln wanted the Army of Northern Virginia decisively defeated. In Lincoln's mind, Lee had to be defeated on the battlefield, as opposed to capturing Richmond.

@chasechristophermurraydola9314 2 года назад

Just saying but out of the fighting during The battle of Antietam the bloody lane and the fight for the cornfield are my favorites and I like the cornfield fight because during the battle of Antietam I had a 4x great uncle who fought in the battle of Antietam and he served in the ranks of Company K first Pennsylvania reserves infantry regiment and at the time of the battle he was a corporal and he led company k during the battle and I like the bloody lane fight because fighting on the side of the union was my brave Irish brothers of the 69th New York infantry regiment and just saying but even though I am part Irish and not full Irish I still consider anyone full or part Irish to be my fellow Irish brother or sister.

@JeffreytheLibrarian 2 года назад

Irish and German immigrants saved the Union.

@beaumeehan4014 Год назад

Weird as hell when I hear someone say Hagerstown in a historical context, especially being from Hagerstown

@JeffreytheLibrarian Год назад

Hagerstown was at an important crossroads, and it was critical in the Antietam and Gettysburg campaigns. Lots happened there in Maryland.

@michaelbruce6190 Год назад

It's crazy how an absolutely fantastic defensive position like a sunken road, especially when you are facing frontal assault, can turn into an absolute deathtrap when you get flanked or pincered....if you have seen the pictures that Matthew Brady took of the Sunken Lane you'll get a very ugly visual.

@JeffreytheLibrarian Год назад

You bring up a great point. Because trenches face one direction, it is critical that they are abandoned efficiently once the flank is threatened. It takes alot of coordination to effectively retreat in order. It's possible that the "miscommunication" with the Alabama regiments that lead to a premature exit actually saved countless lives by getting those guys out of there.

@michaelbruce6190 Год назад

@@JeffreytheLibrarian I absolutely agree with you about the miscommunication within the rebel formations saved countless lives

@Dadecorban Год назад

Jeffrey the Sleep Aid....thank you!

@JeffreytheLibrarian Год назад

I might have cured insomnia :)

@richardoneal1055 Год назад

I can't comment on your topography map, but I've been at Sharpsburg many times and walked the sunken road. I've also walked out into the field east of the road and looked down into the sunken road. There was no advantage to the position in the sunken road, not even with rails thrown up. The Union line held all advantages here. The were able to move rapidly over a crest in the field about a 100 yards out and fire directly down into the road. They could enfilade Rodes's section of the line, and they could pull portions of their line back behind the crest to reorganize and advance again. Your topography is very misleading.

@JeffreytheLibrarian Год назад

Well, the rebels knocked back a whole division and part of a second. They had some cover.

@DCShaneTours Месяц назад

McClellan was such a horrible general, we could have crushed the insurrection right then and there but he hesitated and didn't pursue the defeated mob across the Potomac.

@TomDondero-my1xe Год назад

If you want to know what really happened during the civil war go check out whisper Jack on RU-vid

@Kurio71 Год назад

Couldn't the Yanks have attacke from the cornfield? Why attack frontal???

@JeffreytheLibrarian Год назад

These brigades were actually off course. They were destined for the cornfield/west woods, but got turned down the wrong road.

@hvymettle Год назад

Sumner got Sedgewick's Division slaughtered because he decided to lead from the front instead of acting like a corps commander and then lost control of his other divisions which operated on their own hook and made their own attacks. Of course the II Corps took heavy casualties, Sumner was incompetent to lead a corps.

@dubsy1026 2 года назад

Great work by Barlow