The Bloody Summer of 1862 changed the face of the War, as both sides realized the conflict would be far longer than anticipated.

Following Pope's dismal failure at 2nd Manassas, General McClellan was once again placed in command of the Army of the Potomac. As Lee moved boldly into Maryland, McClellan maneuvered to keep his army between the Army of Northern Virginia and Washington. His big break came when a copy of Lee's orders for the campaign fell into his possession.

They revealed how divided and vulnerable Lee's army was setting the stage for a series of battle that would turn Maryland's landscape red.

Lee's Maryland Invasion Request
The Beginning of the Maryland Campaign
The Historical Basis of Whittier's "Barbara Frietchie"
Fighting For Time at Turner's and Fox's Gaps
Notes on Crampton's Gap and Antietam
A Woman's Recollections of Antietam