I Dread the Thought of the Place

The Battle of Antietam and the End of the Maryland Campaign

By: D. Scott Hartwig

Narrated by: David Stifel

The memory of the Battle of Antietam was so haunting that when, nine months later, Major Rufus Dawes learned another Antietam battle might be on the horizon, he wrote, "I hope not, I dread the thought of the place." In this definitive account, historian D. Scott Hartwig chronicles the single bloodiest day in American history, which resulted in 23,000 casualties.

The Battle of Antietam marked a vital turning point in the war: afterward, the conflict could no longer be understood as a limited war to preserve the Union, but was now clearly a conflict over slavery. Though the battle was tactically inconclusive, Robert E. Lee withdrew first from the battlefield, thus handing President Lincoln the political ammunition necessary to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.

Based on decades of research, this in-depth narrative sheds particular light on the visceral experience of battle, an often misunderstood aspect of the American Civil War, and the emotional aftermath for those who survived. Hartwig provides an hour-by-hour tactical history of the battle, beginning before dawn on September 17 and concluding with the immediate aftermath, including General McClellan's fateful decision not to pursue Lee's retreating forces back across the Potomac to Virginia.

©2023 Johns Hopkins University Press (P)2024 Tantor Media

Engaging and Revealing

Having read a few books on Antom, I was interested in this particular text due to a battlefield guides recommendation. I was told that this book would treat McClellan more fairly than Sears had. The last few chapters of the book deal with McCellan and his politicization of his position and I found it very engaging.

Terrific story

“the battle as it was” on the ground, in the corn, in the woods, under fire. I was sorry to come to the end—so I have started over!

Incredible book

This book will be the “go-to” Antietam book for generations to come. Incredible well researched and written. Narration of the audiobook is fantastic as well

Details

So many details that I now understand so much better the field, timing, and actions.

The detail

Well done with all the detail of units and individual stories. Long read but well worth the time.