The Sassafras River

Historical marker location:

Earleville, Maryland

( Marker is on Mount Harmon Road.)

Gateway to the Chesapeake Bay.

The Battle of Antietam was one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War: The Battle of Antietam, which took place on September 17, 1862, was one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. More than 23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded, or missing after 12 hours of fighting. The battle is considered a turning point in the war, as it gave President Lincoln the opportunity to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.