The Battle of Antietam is remembered as the bloodiest day of the American Civil War and the history of the United States. This battle, also known as the Battle of Sharpsburg, was fought on September 17, 1862; and was named by the Union because it took place near Antietam Creek. The Union Army led by General George McClellan and the Confederate Army led by General Robert E. Lee met near Antietam Creek in Sharpsburg, Maryland. The Battle of Antietam was the first battle of the American Civil War to be fought on Northern soil. Although the battle was not a clear victory for either side, for the North the battle near Antietam Creek "saved" the nation. The victory furthered President Lincoln's ability to issue his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation (September 22, 1862) announcing that unless the Confederates laid down their arms by January 1, 1863, he would free all non-resident slaves in the controlled territory from the Union. Until the Battle of Antietam, all major battles were fought on Southern soil. After the Union defeated the South at the Second Battle of Bull Run, Confederate General Robert E. Lee decided it was time to go on the offensive, so he and his army marched into Maryland. On September 17, 1862, General Robert E. Lee's army crossed into Union territory for the first time hoping that a victory on their land would end the war. Both General Lee and Confederate President Jefferson Davis thought that a successful invasion would convince France and Great Britain to officially recognize the Confederacy as a nation. Union soldiers led by General McClellan were desperate to drive the enemy back to their homeland. The cannon fire had become so intense that Confederate Colonel Stephen D. Lee, who commanded... middle of paper... on September 17, 1862, Lincoln knew the time had come to issue the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. . The proclamation reflected Lincoln's high morality and his new way of thinking about the issue of slavery. As Congress urged emancipation, President Lincoln was under great pressure. Once Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, no civilized nation would stand against the "defenders of liberty." Works Cited Hama, Larry. The Battle of Antietam: "The Bloodiest Day of the Battle" New York: Rosen Pub. Group, 2007. PrintThe publishers of the Encyclopædia Britannica. "Battle of Antietam (American Civil War)." Encyclopedia Britannica online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 December 2013. Web. 06 April 2014United States. National Park Service. "Artillery at Antietam." National Park Service. U.S. Department of the Interior, March 19, 2014. Web. April 06. 2014.