Antietam

Donald R. Jermann’s Civil War history book “describes the impact of the discovery of this lost order on the pivotal Battle of Antietam” (Book News Inc.).   On September 13, 1862, Union forces recovered a copy of Confederate battle plan Special Order 191, detailing General Robert E. Lee’s planned Northern invasion. “If I can’t beat Bobby Lee with this piece of paper, I will be willing to go home,” said General George B. McClellan, commander of the Union’s Army of the Potomac, upon reading the document.   In Antietam: The Lost Order, Donald R. Jermann, USN, retired, retraces the fateful events that placed the plans in Union hands and reveals how the using that information not only affected the outcome of Battle of Antietam, but the course of the Civil War. Thirty-seven maps display the tactics employed by both armies between September 9 to September 19, including Harper’s Ferry defenses, McLaw’s Brigade deployments, relief routes for Harper’s Ferry, the Battle of Maryland Heights, and other significant plans and battles.   In addition, Jermann explains why Harper’s Ferry was key to the Union victory in September 1862, the importance of the location and timing of the Battle of Antietam, and how its outcome influenced the future of our country. He delivers a thorough analysis on what went wrong on the Union side, the lasting impact of finding the lost order, and finally, the fates of the major players. With as much emphasis given to human foibles as to troop movements, Antietam: The Lost Order presents a unique perspective on this crucial Civil War battle.