September 17, 1862 caught the Union by surprise.  Up until that day, the fighting had taken place almost solely in the recently declared Confederate States of America.  What was viewed by the Confederates as a chance to sway Maryland for the Southern cause became the single bloodiest day in the War Between the States.  The contest between the Yankees and the Rebels began long before dawn rose on the lands around Sharpsburg, Virginia, but that mid-September day served to change the entire stance of the war.

 

The battle is typically broken up into three phases, the Morning Phase, Mid-day Phase and Afternoon Phase.  The Morning Phase saw approximately 6,550 Union and 6,050 Confederate casualties.  The Mid-day Phase was significantly lower, with 2,900 Union and 2,600 casualties.  The Afternoon Phase was also lower, with 2,350 Union and 1,120 Confederate casualties.  A casualty is defined as a person falling under one of four categories: killed (KIA), wounded, missing (MIA), or captured (POW).  Each phase can be found in more detail using the navigation bar on the left.

 

This site will be regularly updated as more information is obtained.