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The Maryland Campaign of September 1862 #2
The Maryland Campaign of September 1862: Volume II - Antietam
Antietam is the eagerly awaited second volume of Ezra Carman's magisterial The Maryland Campaign of September 1862.
Many authors have written about the climactic September 17 battle of the 1862 invasion of Maryland, but it is impossible to do so without referencing Carman's sweeping and definitive maps and 1,800-page manuscript. His work guides every Civil War historian and comprises the basis of the National Park Service's interpretive programs at Antietam. Indeed, even the basic layout of the National Park battlefield was based upon Carman's groundbreaking work. Carman had the advantage of not only participating in the battle as a colonel in the Union army, but knowing, corresponding, and conversing with hundreds of Northern and Southern soldiers from corps commanders all the way down to privates. Over the decades he amassed a vast collection of letters, maps, and personal memoirs from many key participants.
He used this treasure trove of firsthand accounts to create his compelling narrative. No one has devoted more time and effort to understanding what happened at Antietam than did Ezra Carman-the campaign's first true historian.
Unfortunately, Carman did not always note from where he obtained his information, making the authenticity and reliability of his work problematic. Editor Thomas G. Clemens, recognized internationally as one of the foremost historians of the Maryland Campaign, has spent more than two decades studying Antietam and editing and richly annotating Carman's exhaustively written manuscript. As Clemens discovered, Carman used his sources judiciously, and the stories he relates withstand scrutiny for accuracy and reliability.
Carman's invaluable prose is augmented by his detailed maps of the dawn to nearly dusk fighting on September 17, which have never appeared in their original form in any book on the battle. Even more exciting are the newly discovered 19th century photographs authorized by Carman to document his work laying out the battlefield, a haunting visual record of how the battlefield appeared to Carman as he tried to unravel its mysteries.
The result is The Maryland Campaign of September 1862: Antietam, the most comprehensive and detailed account of the battle ever produced. Jammed with firsthand accounts, personal anecdotes, detailed footnotes, maps, and photos, this long-awaited study will be read and appreciated as battle history at its finest. Indeed, we will never see such a study again.
Many authors have written about the climactic September 17 battle of the 1862 invasion of Maryland, but it is impossible to do so without referencing Carman's sweeping and definitive maps and 1,800-page manuscript. His work guides every Civil War historian and comprises the basis of the National Park Service's interpretive programs at Antietam. Indeed, even the basic layout of the National Park battlefield was based upon Carman's groundbreaking work. Carman had the advantage of not only participating in the battle as a colonel in the Union army, but knowing, corresponding, and conversing with hundreds of Northern and Southern soldiers from corps commanders all the way down to privates. Over the decades he amassed a vast collection of letters, maps, and personal memoirs from many key participants.
He used this treasure trove of firsthand accounts to create his compelling narrative. No one has devoted more time and effort to understanding what happened at Antietam than did Ezra Carman-the campaign's first true historian.
Unfortunately, Carman did not always note from where he obtained his information, making the authenticity and reliability of his work problematic. Editor Thomas G. Clemens, recognized internationally as one of the foremost historians of the Maryland Campaign, has spent more than two decades studying Antietam and editing and richly annotating Carman's exhaustively written manuscript. As Clemens discovered, Carman used his sources judiciously, and the stories he relates withstand scrutiny for accuracy and reliability.
Carman's invaluable prose is augmented by his detailed maps of the dawn to nearly dusk fighting on September 17, which have never appeared in their original form in any book on the battle. Even more exciting are the newly discovered 19th century photographs authorized by Carman to document his work laying out the battlefield, a haunting visual record of how the battlefield appeared to Carman as he tried to unravel its mysteries.
The result is The Maryland Campaign of September 1862: Antietam, the most comprehensive and detailed account of the battle ever produced. Jammed with firsthand accounts, personal anecdotes, detailed footnotes, maps, and photos, this long-awaited study will be read and appreciated as battle history at its finest. Indeed, we will never see such a study again.
696 pages, Hardcover
First published October 18, 2012
27 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
About the author
Ezra A. Carman
8 books4 followersColonel Ezra Ayers Carman was an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War, commanding a New Jersey infantry regiment and a brigade.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 13, 2014
The classic off The Maryland Campaign of September 1862 has long been considered a classic in military literature but something which has been missing in the document is annotations. Upon reading primary sources, there are some questionable things which have been written in these accounts, but with a good annotation, the errors are corrected and sources properly. Thomas G. Clemens has provided these annotations and are an excellent way to re-read this classic.
Ezra Ayres Carman was born in Oak Tree, New Jersey and attended the Western Military Academy in Kentucky. During the Civil War, he fought with New Jersey units and faced some of the fiercest fighting throughout the war including the Battle of Antietam. After the war, he was appointed to the Antietam National Cemetery Board of Trustees and the Battlefield Board. Thomas G. Clemens has spent years studying the Maryland Campaign and gained his doctorate at George Mason University. He has written a myriad of magazine articles and has appeared in documentaries along with being a licensed tour guide at Antietam National Battlefield. Also, he is an instructor at Hagerstown Community College and also founded the Save Historic Antietam Foundation.
Much of volume one deals with the Battle of South Mountain and the process of reaching the battlefield of Antietam. Without volume one, volume two does not make much sense but both works stand as classics. In order to appreciate the full context of Carman’s work, both volumes need to be read and with Clemens’ annotations aid the work in the best way possible. Thomas G. Clemens has performed a labor of love and his notes on the Battle of Antietam are quite extensive. Throughout the text, there are quite a few good historic maps and the text is also fueled with many good photographs of the field. The Battle of Antietam is one of the most terrifying experiences from the Civil War and is considered the bloodiest day in American history. In all of the works on the battle, there are few which do not mention the work done by Ezra Carmen and since he was present at the battle, the primary source can be seen as more accurate than others. Without the words of Clemens, there could be some confusion on the part of the reader not quite familiar with the battlefield of Antietam or the rest of the Maryland Campaign.
The Maryland Campaign of September 1862 Volume II: Antietam, stands on its own as a great work of Civil War literature, but is more appreciated with both volumes. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the Maryland Campaign or is just interested in the Battle of Antietam. This in depth work by a Civil War veteran brings the horror of the battlefield to the reader and the annotations of Clemens bring academia to the work. These two volumes will be hailed as the greatest edition of Carman’s work and a great addition to the annals of Civil War history.
Matthew Bartlett - Gettysburg Chronicle
Ezra Ayres Carman was born in Oak Tree, New Jersey and attended the Western Military Academy in Kentucky. During the Civil War, he fought with New Jersey units and faced some of the fiercest fighting throughout the war including the Battle of Antietam. After the war, he was appointed to the Antietam National Cemetery Board of Trustees and the Battlefield Board. Thomas G. Clemens has spent years studying the Maryland Campaign and gained his doctorate at George Mason University. He has written a myriad of magazine articles and has appeared in documentaries along with being a licensed tour guide at Antietam National Battlefield. Also, he is an instructor at Hagerstown Community College and also founded the Save Historic Antietam Foundation.
Much of volume one deals with the Battle of South Mountain and the process of reaching the battlefield of Antietam. Without volume one, volume two does not make much sense but both works stand as classics. In order to appreciate the full context of Carman’s work, both volumes need to be read and with Clemens’ annotations aid the work in the best way possible. Thomas G. Clemens has performed a labor of love and his notes on the Battle of Antietam are quite extensive. Throughout the text, there are quite a few good historic maps and the text is also fueled with many good photographs of the field. The Battle of Antietam is one of the most terrifying experiences from the Civil War and is considered the bloodiest day in American history. In all of the works on the battle, there are few which do not mention the work done by Ezra Carmen and since he was present at the battle, the primary source can be seen as more accurate than others. Without the words of Clemens, there could be some confusion on the part of the reader not quite familiar with the battlefield of Antietam or the rest of the Maryland Campaign.
The Maryland Campaign of September 1862 Volume II: Antietam, stands on its own as a great work of Civil War literature, but is more appreciated with both volumes. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in the Maryland Campaign or is just interested in the Battle of Antietam. This in depth work by a Civil War veteran brings the horror of the battlefield to the reader and the annotations of Clemens bring academia to the work. These two volumes will be hailed as the greatest edition of Carman’s work and a great addition to the annals of Civil War history.
Matthew Bartlett - Gettysburg Chronicle
August 6, 2022
Excellent works that adds to the original manuscript from a veteran of the war. There are several areas that are unfortunate to incomplete due to missing pages of the original text. It is unknown how the pages may have added to the account.
As with most copies of older documents, the maps at times are unclear and hard to make out where units are located. The maps look like reprints of the maps used in Gleam of Bayonets.
I still would recommend this series to anyone looking for a serious account of the Maryland Campaign!!!
As with most copies of older documents, the maps at times are unclear and hard to make out where units are located. The maps look like reprints of the maps used in Gleam of Bayonets.
I still would recommend this series to anyone looking for a serious account of the Maryland Campaign!!!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews