September, 1862
September of 1862 was an especially bloody month during the
Civil War, with multiple large-scale battles taking place. Much of the
fighting was between Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and McClellan's Army of
the Potomac. Early in the month, Lee moved his army into Maryland to take
out the North’s railroads. This would be the site of most of the
fighting. On September 14, McClellan and Lee fought over Harper's
Ferry. Battles fought on that day include: Battle of Turner’s Gap, Battle
of Fox's Gap, Battle of South Mountain, Battle of Crampton’s Gap, and the
Battle of Munfordville. By the end, McClellan had won, however, Lee had
control of Harper's Ferry capturing large amounts of supplies. On
September 17, the battle of Antietam would lead to the bloodiest day in
American history. McClellan won the battle. On September 22,
President Lincoln issued a preliminary form of his famous Emancipation
Proclamation, which freed slaves in the states controlled by the South, not in
states controlled by the North. It did not go into effect, however, until
January 1, 1863. September also saw the creation of the first black
regiment, officially known as First Regiment Louisiana Native Guard.
Sources:
http://blueandgraytrail.com/year/186209
Further Reading:
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured_documents/emancipation_proclamation/
Sources:
http://blueandgraytrail.com/year/186209
Further Reading:
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured_documents/emancipation_proclamation/