A masterful account of the Civil War's turning point in the tradition of James McPherson's Crossroads of Freedom.
In the summer of 1862, after a year of protracted fighting, Abraham Lincoln decided on a radical change of strategy—one that abandoned hope for a compromise peace and committed the nation to all-out war. The centerpiece of that new strategy was the Emancipation Proclamation: an unprecedented use of federal power that would revolutionize Southern society. In The Long Road to Antietam, Richard Slotkin, a renowned cultural historian, reexamines the challenges that Lincoln encountered during that anguished summer 150 years ago. In an original and incisive study of character, Slotkin re-creates the showdown between Lincoln and General George McClellan, the “Young Napoleon” whose opposition to Lincoln included obsessive fantasies of dictatorship and a military coup. He brings to three-dimensional life their ruinous conflict, demonstrating how their political struggle provided Confederate General Robert E. Lee with his best opportunity to win the war, in the grand offensive that ended in September of 1862 at the bloody Battle of Antietam. 10 illustrations; 8 maps
The Long Road To Antietam
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“Starred review. Historian Slotkin moves from his path-breaking studies of America’s cultural mythology of violence to a set piece of real-life carnage in this gripping, multifaceted history of the Civil War’s bloodiest day… Grounding military operations in political calculation and personal character, Slotkin gives us perhaps the richest interpretation yet of this epic of regenerative violence.” (Publishers Weekly )
“Throughout the book, the author exhibits his vast knowledge of the numerous generals involved in both sides of the conflict. Slotkin’s comprehensive descriptions of the battles of 1862 show his deep understanding of the terrain, the difficulties of communication, the impossible logistics and the characters that influenced the outcome. The author deftly exposes his egocentric, messianic tendencies as he purposely prolonged the beginning of the conflict.” (Kirkus Reviews )
“Slotkin has produced an absorbing revisionist history of what could be called the second American Revolution.” (Newsweek )
“Slotkin does an excellent job of tracing the strategies used by both sides.” (Military Heritage )
“Slotkin tells a great story and for those interested in battle narratives, I have little doubt that you will enjoy his narration of Antietam.... Slotkin does a great job laying out this conflict and how Lincoln managed to rid himself of the McClellan problem, issue the Emancipation Proclamation, and turn the Civil War into a holy war that ended slavery. Notably, Slotkin notes that the alleged international reasons for the Emancipation Proclamation are vastly overrated and it had little to no effect on British or French policy toward the conflict.... The Long Road to Antietam will change how I teach the first two years of the war. In my world, that’s a pretty high compliment.” (Erik Loomis - Lawyers, Guns and Money )
“A remarkable piece of work, an eye-opening double history of a battle and a war.” (Randy Dotinga - Christian Science Monitor )
“A riveting, perceptive analysis of the Civil War campaigns of 1862, of the reasoning behind the Emancipation Proclamation and of the complex power struggle between President Abraham Lincoln and the 35-year-old Union Commander of the Army of the Potomac, Gen. George B. McClellan… This is one of the most moving and incisive books on the Civil War that I have ever read.” (Chris Patsilelis - Tampa Bay Times )
“Richard Slotkin has added significantly to the literature… Slotkin evokes drama and, where appropriate, dark humor in recalling what became an extraordinary test of civilian authority over the military… Slotkin is an accomplished social historian (and novelist) with a focus on war and race, and he brings all his considerable skills to bear in this book. What makes even his unsurprising conclusions unfold at such a gripping pace is his great gift for narrative. It is as if Carl Sandburg were writing again—but with footnotes—for the author is a master at telling a story, capturing a mood, bringing characters to life, and making substantive and well-documented historical points in the bargain.” (Harold Holzer - Military History Quarterly )
“An absorbing account… Slotkin paints a detailed portrait of the talented but flawed general who helped Lincoln bring about his revolution, if ever so unwillingly… Slotkin’s description of the battle is essential to completing his meticulous, maddening portrait of McClellan.” (John Swansburg - Slate.com )
“This is much more than another treatise on the battle itself. Yes, the movements and countermovements on the battlefield are there, but this sprawling book has multi-faceted tentacles which Slotkin, an award winning author and former university professor, skillfully weaves into a cohesive narrative… This is a thought-provoking book which goes well beyond the standard battle narratives and places Antietam in its full context as a significant point of change in U.S. domestic policy, a shift with far-reaching ramifications for the next century.” (Scott Mingus - Cannonball )
“In this engrossing book Richard Slotkin looks beyond that blood-drenched battlefield to explore how President Abraham Lincoln linked victory at Antietam to his decision to free slaves and declare that they could join the Union Army.” (Thomas B. Allen - HistoryNet.com )
“Provide[s] detailed and careful renderings of these events and of Lincoln’s intellectual journey.” (James M. McPherson - New York Review of Books )
“Throughout the book, the author exhibits his vast knowledge of the numerous generals involved in both sides of the conflict. Slotkin’s comprehensive descriptions of the battles of 1862 show his deep understanding of the terrain, the difficulties of communication, the impossible logistics and the characters that influenced the outcome. The author deftly exposes his egocentric, messianic tendencies as he purposely prolonged the beginning of the conflict.” (Kirkus Reviews )
“Slotkin has produced an absorbing revisionist history of what could be called the second American Revolution.” (Newsweek )
“Slotkin does an excellent job of tracing the strategies used by both sides.” (Military Heritage )
“Slotkin tells a great story and for those interested in battle narratives, I have little doubt that you will enjoy his narration of Antietam.... Slotkin does a great job laying out this conflict and how Lincoln managed to rid himself of the McClellan problem, issue the Emancipation Proclamation, and turn the Civil War into a holy war that ended slavery. Notably, Slotkin notes that the alleged international reasons for the Emancipation Proclamation are vastly overrated and it had little to no effect on British or French policy toward the conflict.... The Long Road to Antietam will change how I teach the first two years of the war. In my world, that’s a pretty high compliment.” (Erik Loomis - Lawyers, Guns and Money )
“A remarkable piece of work, an eye-opening double history of a battle and a war.” (Randy Dotinga - Christian Science Monitor )
“A riveting, perceptive analysis of the Civil War campaigns of 1862, of the reasoning behind the Emancipation Proclamation and of the complex power struggle between President Abraham Lincoln and the 35-year-old Union Commander of the Army of the Potomac, Gen. George B. McClellan… This is one of the most moving and incisive books on the Civil War that I have ever read.” (Chris Patsilelis - Tampa Bay Times )
“Richard Slotkin has added significantly to the literature… Slotkin evokes drama and, where appropriate, dark humor in recalling what became an extraordinary test of civilian authority over the military… Slotkin is an accomplished social historian (and novelist) with a focus on war and race, and he brings all his considerable skills to bear in this book. What makes even his unsurprising conclusions unfold at such a gripping pace is his great gift for narrative. It is as if Carl Sandburg were writing again—but with footnotes—for the author is a master at telling a story, capturing a mood, bringing characters to life, and making substantive and well-documented historical points in the bargain.” (Harold Holzer - Military History Quarterly )
“An absorbing account… Slotkin paints a detailed portrait of the talented but flawed general who helped Lincoln bring about his revolution, if ever so unwillingly… Slotkin’s description of the battle is essential to completing his meticulous, maddening portrait of McClellan.” (John Swansburg - Slate.com )
“This is much more than another treatise on the battle itself. Yes, the movements and countermovements on the battlefield are there, but this sprawling book has multi-faceted tentacles which Slotkin, an award winning author and former university professor, skillfully weaves into a cohesive narrative… This is a thought-provoking book which goes well beyond the standard battle narratives and places Antietam in its full context as a significant point of change in U.S. domestic policy, a shift with far-reaching ramifications for the next century.” (Scott Mingus - Cannonball )
“In this engrossing book Richard Slotkin looks beyond that blood-drenched battlefield to explore how President Abraham Lincoln linked victory at Antietam to his decision to free slaves and declare that they could join the Union Army.” (Thomas B. Allen - HistoryNet.com )
“Provide[s] detailed and careful renderings of these events and of Lincoln’s intellectual journey.” (James M. McPherson - New York Review of Books )
About the Author
The author of the award-winning American history trilogy Regeneration Through Violence, The Fatal Environment, and Gunfighter Nation, Richard Slotkin, an emeritus professor at Wesleyan University, won the Shaara Award for Civil War fiction for Abe. He lives in Middletown, Connecticut.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
64 of 69 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
The Long Road to Antietam takes a very close look at an episode usually understated in histories of the Civil War: George McClellan's flirtation with a coup in 1862. For this reason he adds depth and drama to the familiar story that makes his a first-rate book and an exceptionally important contribution to Civil War literature. He makes a persuasive case that no small part of McClellan's reluctance to commit his Army to battle was that his political agenda was to conserve the Army for his purposes. McClellan's inclination to plot against Lincoln makes Lincoln's position even more poignant and his handling of it even more admirable. Of all the crises Lincoln had to contend with, this one with McClellan had to have been one of his most stressful. Lincoln's long road was by no means over when, with the Emancipation Proclamation, he deftly converted the scant military capital McClellan's tied battle at Antietam gave the Union to his (Lincoln's) political purposes.
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Richard Slotkin has written an excellent account of the Antietam Campaign and the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation
August 10, 2012
Format:Hardcover
Historian Richard Sloktin, professor emeritus at Wesleyan College, has written a new book "The Long Road to Antietam" which is an erudite examinaion of that turning point of the American Civil War. Slotkin's work looks at both the political, military, strategic and tactical concerns of both North and South in the crucial months prior to Antietam fought on September 17, 1862.
Slotkin details the runup to the Maryland battle by delving into the relationship between President Abraham Lincoln and General George B. McClellan (1822-1885) who commanded the Army of the Potomac. McClellan was a conservative Democrat who believed the war should be settled through compromise. He opposed the emancipation of chattel slaves. McClellan had a "Messiah Complex" thinking he was the most important man in the Union. He despised Lincoln and hated Edwin M. Stanton the Radical Republian Secretary of War and General Henry Halleck the Chief of Staff of all Union armies. McClellan was a smooth operator who pulled strings to have his quondum commander and mentor General Winfield Scott removed from his position as Commander of the federal army. McClellan called Lincoln a "baboon" mockiing the tall Kentuckian's background and education.
He failed to recognize Lincoln's genius and political acumen. Little Mac was the 2nd ranking cadet in the West Point class of 1846 and a product of upper middle class parents in Philadelphia. He was a railroad executive prior to the Civil War.
McClellan could prepare and inspire an army but was a very poor battlefield general. He schemed to have General John Pope replaced by himself after Pope's futile effort to defeat the Army of Northern Virginia at Second Manassas. McClellan surrounded himself with yes men such as Generals Fitzjohn Porter, William Franklin and other toadies. Mac relied on Detective Allan Pinkerton and faulty Union intelligence to estimate the number of enemy soldiers he was facing in battle. The estimates were much higher than the actual number of troops at General Robert E. Lee's disposal. McClellan's army was defeated in the Seven Days battles around Richmond and he held Lee to a draw at Antietam.
Lee and President Jefferson Davis worked well together in plotting the strategy of the Antietam campaign. The main goals of the Southern military thrust into Maryland were:
a. A victory in the North might lead to recognition of the Confederacy by European nations such as Great Britain and France.
b. The invasion could lead to a defeat for the Republicans in the 1862 elections which would bode well for those in the North who wanted a negotiated settlement with the Confederacy.
c. The invasion would relieve Virginia farmers who were suppling Lee's ragged army needed food and equipment.
d. While Lee invaded Maryland, Braxton Bragg and Edmund Kirby Smith were invading Kentucky. Their invasion ended when Bragg was defeated at Perryville on October 8, 1862.
e.The invasion might persuade Maryland and Kentucky (border slave states) to switch their allegiance from the Union to the Confederacy.
As a result of the Antietam battle, Lincoln decided to make public the Emancipation Proclamation which freed slaves held in captive in Southern states while allowing border states loyal to the Union to continue practicing the "peculiar institution"
With the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation the war became a revolutionary experience moving the United States to a new birth of freedom for citizens of all races.
Slotkin devotes many pages to a blow by blow description of the battle of Antietam. We see again the bloodshed manifest in such hellholes as the Cornfield; the East and West Woods; the Sunken Lane and Burnside bridge. Antietam was the bloodiest one day of combat in the Civil War and in American military history. Over 20,000 casualties were recorded. Lee and his forces returned in retreat to Virginia.
The book is:
a. Well illustrated with period photos
b. Good maps of the battle of Antietam are provided.
c. A helpful glossary of military terms from the Civil War era is included.
d. Slotkin provides a chronology of the Civil War covering both the Eastern and Western theatres of the war up to the battle of Antietam
e. Helpful footnotes and a good bibliograhy of both first and secondary books and articles are provided for the reader.
The classics on the battle of Antietam include: Stephen Sears' "Landscape Turned Red"; James V. Murfin's "The Gleam of Bayonets"; John Priest's "Antietam: The Soldier's Battle" and the writings on the sanguinary slaughterpen by such luminaries as Douglas Southall Freeman, Shelby Foote and Bruce Catton (among many other authors on this turning point of the war).
Slotkin's book is a welcome addition to the Antietam literature. Boo and hiss to McClellan the insufferable egotist and hurrah for Abraham Lincoln!
Slotkin details the runup to the Maryland battle by delving into the relationship between President Abraham Lincoln and General George B. McClellan (1822-1885) who commanded the Army of the Potomac. McClellan was a conservative Democrat who believed the war should be settled through compromise. He opposed the emancipation of chattel slaves. McClellan had a "Messiah Complex" thinking he was the most important man in the Union. He despised Lincoln and hated Edwin M. Stanton the Radical Republian Secretary of War and General Henry Halleck the Chief of Staff of all Union armies. McClellan was a smooth operator who pulled strings to have his quondum commander and mentor General Winfield Scott removed from his position as Commander of the federal army. McClellan called Lincoln a "baboon" mockiing the tall Kentuckian's background and education.
He failed to recognize Lincoln's genius and political acumen. Little Mac was the 2nd ranking cadet in the West Point class of 1846 and a product of upper middle class parents in Philadelphia. He was a railroad executive prior to the Civil War.
McClellan could prepare and inspire an army but was a very poor battlefield general. He schemed to have General John Pope replaced by himself after Pope's futile effort to defeat the Army of Northern Virginia at Second Manassas. McClellan surrounded himself with yes men such as Generals Fitzjohn Porter, William Franklin and other toadies. Mac relied on Detective Allan Pinkerton and faulty Union intelligence to estimate the number of enemy soldiers he was facing in battle. The estimates were much higher than the actual number of troops at General Robert E. Lee's disposal. McClellan's army was defeated in the Seven Days battles around Richmond and he held Lee to a draw at Antietam.
Lee and President Jefferson Davis worked well together in plotting the strategy of the Antietam campaign. The main goals of the Southern military thrust into Maryland were:
a. A victory in the North might lead to recognition of the Confederacy by European nations such as Great Britain and France.
b. The invasion could lead to a defeat for the Republicans in the 1862 elections which would bode well for those in the North who wanted a negotiated settlement with the Confederacy.
c. The invasion would relieve Virginia farmers who were suppling Lee's ragged army needed food and equipment.
d. While Lee invaded Maryland, Braxton Bragg and Edmund Kirby Smith were invading Kentucky. Their invasion ended when Bragg was defeated at Perryville on October 8, 1862.
e.The invasion might persuade Maryland and Kentucky (border slave states) to switch their allegiance from the Union to the Confederacy.
As a result of the Antietam battle, Lincoln decided to make public the Emancipation Proclamation which freed slaves held in captive in Southern states while allowing border states loyal to the Union to continue practicing the "peculiar institution"
With the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation the war became a revolutionary experience moving the United States to a new birth of freedom for citizens of all races.
Slotkin devotes many pages to a blow by blow description of the battle of Antietam. We see again the bloodshed manifest in such hellholes as the Cornfield; the East and West Woods; the Sunken Lane and Burnside bridge. Antietam was the bloodiest one day of combat in the Civil War and in American military history. Over 20,000 casualties were recorded. Lee and his forces returned in retreat to Virginia.
The book is:
a. Well illustrated with period photos
b. Good maps of the battle of Antietam are provided.
c. A helpful glossary of military terms from the Civil War era is included.
d. Slotkin provides a chronology of the Civil War covering both the Eastern and Western theatres of the war up to the battle of Antietam
e. Helpful footnotes and a good bibliograhy of both first and secondary books and articles are provided for the reader.
The classics on the battle of Antietam include: Stephen Sears' "Landscape Turned Red"; James V. Murfin's "The Gleam of Bayonets"; John Priest's "Antietam: The Soldier's Battle" and the writings on the sanguinary slaughterpen by such luminaries as Douglas Southall Freeman, Shelby Foote and Bruce Catton (among many other authors on this turning point of the war).
Slotkin's book is a welcome addition to the Antietam literature. Boo and hiss to McClellan the insufferable egotist and hurrah for Abraham Lincoln!
17 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Antietam was one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. Technically, perhaps, a draw. But, in all its implications, a Union victory. This volume is very readable; the author, Richard Slotkin, writes quite well.
Some key themes emerge here. The different strategic visions of President Abraham Lincoln and General George McClellan, commanding general of the Army of the Potomac; the common perspective of President Jefferson Davis and General Robert E. Lee; the issue of slavery; the political context of 1862; the state of the armies. The Emancipation Proclamation.
Timetable: McClellan failed miserably in the Seven Days, squandering his advantages and losing his courage in the face of Lee's aggressiveness; the dilatory response of McClellan while General John Pope was being targeted by the Confederate forces; Lincoln's decision to restore McClellan to larger command. All the while, the book considers the political context of both North and South. The Antietam campaign had a political element as well as a military component.
The book also discusses nicely the military side of this story. The action at Harper's Ferry, the battle for South Mountain, and--finally--Antietam. One gets a good sense of the military side of this battle.
The book has a real edge--with an analysis of McClellan that is hard nosed. And probably well deserved.
All in all, a good volume if you wish to know more about the background, battle, and aftermath of Antietam. The role of the battle in the issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation, which changed, at some level, the tone of the war.
Some key themes emerge here. The different strategic visions of President Abraham Lincoln and General George McClellan, commanding general of the Army of the Potomac; the common perspective of President Jefferson Davis and General Robert E. Lee; the issue of slavery; the political context of 1862; the state of the armies. The Emancipation Proclamation.
Timetable: McClellan failed miserably in the Seven Days, squandering his advantages and losing his courage in the face of Lee's aggressiveness; the dilatory response of McClellan while General John Pope was being targeted by the Confederate forces; Lincoln's decision to restore McClellan to larger command. All the while, the book considers the political context of both North and South. The Antietam campaign had a political element as well as a military component.
The book also discusses nicely the military side of this story. The action at Harper's Ferry, the battle for South Mountain, and--finally--Antietam. One gets a good sense of the military side of this battle.
The book has a real edge--with an analysis of McClellan that is hard nosed. And probably well deserved.
All in all, a good volume if you wish to know more about the background, battle, and aftermath of Antietam. The role of the battle in the issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation, which changed, at some level, the tone of the war.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
An excellent read! A MUST for true Civil War buffs.
Richard Slotkin puts the true face on this important battle, and it's affect on the issues of the Civil War.
I have new respect for Pres. Read more
I have new respect for Pres. Read more
Published 1 month ago by George Horn
3.0 out of 5 stars
history buff
The first and last third of the book are the type on information I enjoy. The middle third was a minute by minute description of troop movement during the battle and for me hard to... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Colorado Reader
4.0 out of 5 stars
Part of my College History Books Requirements
Even though it was required reading for my college course, I found the book interesting and full of information that earlier I was not pivey too. Read more
Published 2 months ago by zogarth
4.0 out of 5 stars
Educational
Good companion the the film "Lincoln". No fun on the Kindle because the maps are hard to read. I feel that I better understand the politics of the Civil War
Published 3 months ago by Robert Chad
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great study of the battle of antietam and its ramifications
This great book concisely combines the Battle of Antietam and the genius of Lincoln that culminated in that great moral, legal and political document, the Emancipation... Read more
Published 4 months ago by leelawok
4.0 out of 5 stars
An important event in American history.
This book explains the difficult relationship between Lincoln and General McCellan. I gained an appreciation of General Lee as a military straegist and it confirmed my belief... Read more
Published 4 months ago by william schaffer
5.0 out of 5 stars
A novice's humble opinion
Excellent book on the Battle of Antietam. This being only the third book I have read on the Civil War, I am just a novice only now becoming hooked on the subject so I cannot... Read more
Published 4 months ago by P. W. Lee
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Compelling Viewpoint
Professor Slotkin writes easily and compellingly while presenting a take on one of the most frustrating historical figures in American History that is unique and . . . . Read more
Published 4 months ago by R. R. Hicks
4.0 out of 5 stars
McClellan's War
The author, Professor Slotkin, is quite good on the political motivations of General McClellan as he faced not only General Lee, but also his own civilian leadership in Washington,... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Christian Schlect
2.0 out of 5 stars
Too much detail for a non soldier
While I am fascinated with Lincoln by necessity I read a lot about the Civil War that shaped his presidency. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Joseph Albiani
