The Turning Point

It was the morning of September 17th, 1862, the smell of burnt coffee and gunpowder filled the air. The Confederate Army was moving upward and is making their first offensive move in Northern territory. Even though the North and South have been fighting for over a year The Battle of Antietam was "considered the first real victory of the Union army and was reason for President Lincoln to enact the "Emancipation Proclamation"'. This meant that slavery would be outlawed in southern states by January 1863.

This video describes how the Battle of Antietam was an important Battle for the Union army, and how this victory was a major key win for the North.

Being able to defeat and repel against the South when they attacked gave the North some serious standing ground in this War. A showing of this strength that the North had helped for more than just fighting the Confederate alone. With the south selling cotton to other countries such as France and Great Britain, support from these European countries is what the Confederates were asking leading up to this battle. In contact with British Prime Minister Lord Palmerston’s son-in-law,  Confederate envoys were told that '"the event you so strongly desire'—diplomatic recognition—'is very close at hand."' But once word of the South's loss at Antietam and of President Lincoln signing the Emancipation Proclamation at gotten to these European allies, they decided to hold their horses on helping the South, this allowing the power to lie heavily on the Northside.