Battle of Antietam: 150th anniversary

The battle along Antietam Creek, about 60 miles north of Washington, on Sept. 17, 1862, was the bloodiest day of combat on U.S. soil. More than 23,000 Union and Confederate soldiers were reported killed, wounded or missing during 12 hours of fighting with no clear winner.

Gen. Robert E. Lee withdrew his troops to Virginia the next day. The Confederate retreat gave President Abraham Lincoln the political strength to issue a preliminary Emancipation Proclamation five days after the battle.

Images of the battle, known in the South as the Battle of Sharpsburg, were captured by photographer Alexander Gardner, an associate of photographer Matthew Brady. It has been argued that some of the scenes in Gardner's photos of the Civil War had been posed.

This photograph shows President Lincoln and Gen. George B. McClellan in the general's tent.

Watch CBS Sunday Morning on the 150th anniversary of the battle of Antietam

A cavalry orderly.

Caption information taken from the Library of Congress.

Watch CBS Sunday Morning on the 150th anniversary of the battle of Antietam

View on the battlefield of Antietam.

Caption information taken from the Library of Congress.

Watch CBS Sunday Morning on the 150th anniversary of the battle of Antietam

Antietam, Maryland - Lt. Col. Charles B. Norton at headquarters of Gen. Fitz-John Porter.

Caption information taken from the Library of Congress.

Watch CBS Sunday Morning on the 150th anniversary of the battle of Antietam

Antietam, Md. - Allan Pinkerton, President Lincoln, and Maj. Gen. John A. McClernand.

Caption information taken from the Library of Congress.

Watch CBS Sunday Morning on the 150th anniversary of the battle of Antietam

Antietam, Md. - Confederate soldiers after they fell inside the fence on the Hagerstown road.

Caption information taken from the Library of Congress.

Watch CBS Sunday Morning on the 150th anniversary of the battle of Antietam

Antietam, Md. - Confederate dead by a fence on the Hagerstown road.

Caption information taken from the Library of Congress.

Watch CBS Sunday Morning on the 150th anniversary of the battle of Antietam

Antietam, Md. - Col. Turner G. Morehead of the 106th Pennsylvania Volunteers.

Caption information taken from the Library of Congress.

Watch CBS Sunday Morning on the 150th anniversary of the battle of Antietam

Antietam, Md. - Allan Pinkerton ("E. J. Allen") of the Secret Service on horseback.

Caption information taken from the Library of Congress.

Watch CBS Sunday Morning on the 150th anniversary of the battle of Antietam

Antietam, Md. - A lone grave.

Caption information taken from the Library of Congress.

Watch CBS Sunday Morning on the 150th anniversary of the battle of Antietam

Antietam, Md. - Battlefield near Sherrick's house where the 79th N.Y. Vols. fought after they crossed the creek; group of dead Confederates.

Caption information taken from the Library of Congress.

Watch CBS Sunday Morning on the 150th anniversary of the battle of Antietam

Soldier standing at graves of Federal soldiers, along stone fence, at Burnside Bridge, Antietam, Md.

Caption information taken from the Library of Congress.

Watch CBS Sunday Morning on the 150th anniversary of the battle of Antietam

Antietam, Md. - Bodies of Confederate dead gathered for burial. Caption information taken from the Library of Congress.

Watch CBS Sunday Morning on the 150th anniversary of the battle of Antietam

Antietam, Md. - Buried Federal soldiers and unburied Confederate soldiers, where they fell. Caption information taken from the Library of Congress.

Watch CBS Sunday Morning on the 150th anniversary of the battle of Antietam

Antietam, Md. - Bodies in front of the Dunker church. Caption information taken from the Library of Congress.

Watch CBS Sunday Morning on the 150th anniversary of the battle of Antietam