Comments on: Sculpting a Scapegoat: Ambrose Burnside at Antietam

By: Antietam, Slavery and the Emancipation Proclamation

Antietam, Slavery and the Emancipation Proclamation — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 21:50:08 +0000

[...] offering the notion that his pre-war friend and commanding general, George B. McClellan, unjustly offered up Burnside as a scapegoat for the battle's unrealized potential for crushing Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern [...]

By: Matthew In Wisconsin

Matthew In Wisconsin — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 00:05:11 +0000

I've waded in that creek; just over knee deep. I was not there in 1862. But you'll never convince me that Antietam Creek could not have been forded at a multitude of points by a full grown man. If fact, I'd say that a man could cross that creek at ANYPONT and kept his ammo dry. I have never seen a photo of the water higher than it was the day I was there. And 1862 was suppose to be a very dry summer. Steep banks? This 49 year old man strolled ride up on to dry ground and then strolled right back down and across to the other side. I never used my hands and my shorts stayed dry. You will never convince me the creek would have been a barrier.

By: gary d. snyder

gary d. snyder — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 04:59:06 +0000

mcclellan wasbrilliant at engineering ,logistics and welfare of his troops.Unfortunately he was a tactical, and worse strategic,moron.
Not a coward,just a politician in uniform.General Burnside was one of many blamed for his superiors incompetence.

By: Ted

Ted — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 09:10:41 +0000

I found this doing lineage research, very interesting. Turns out ambrose is my great, great, etc… grandfather.

By: Jamie

Jamie — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 03:54:08 +0000

as a student of the civil war since i was 9 years old. the blame for
the battle of antietam being a draw and that burnsides is
responsible rests on three assumptions. 1 that general mcClellan
was in active command(near the battle and actively
commanding the troops. 2 that the antietam creek was easily
fordable near the bridge. 3 the staffs of generals mcclellan and
burnside had acted with due dilligence . count 1 little mac was
almost 2 miles from the rohrbach bridge not in active command
but more of an observer . count 2 antietam creek is very deep
and swift in this area (the rohrbach bridge is a substantial
structure). count 3 no one's staff had done any sufficient scouting
of the area to find snavleys ford no had any troops attacked over
the middle bridge towards the rohrbach bridge . the statement
that antietqm was a soldiers battle is essentialy true as no one
general took command of the battle on the union side

By: Tom

Tom — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:36:23 +0000

I have recently gotten into the Civil War and have found it facinating. I am constantly amazed with the pettiness and grandstanding of the officers. I also wonder at the ambiguity of many of the orders sent.