Ohio at Antietam: The Buckeye State’s Sacrifice on America’s Bloodiest Day

by Kevin R. Pawlak, Dan Welch

Remembering Ohio at the battle that changed the Civil War Among the thousands who fought in the pivotal Battle of Antietam were scores of Ohioans. Sending eleven regiments and two batteries to the fight, the Buckeye State lost hundreds during the Maryland Campaign's first engagement, South Mountain, and hundreds more "gave their last full measure of devotion'? at the Cornfield, the Bloody Lane, and Burnside's Bridge. Many of these brave men are buried in the Antietam National Cemetery. Aged veterans who survived the ferocious contest returned to Antietam in the early 1900s to fight for and preserve the memory of their sacrifices all those years earlier. Join Kevin Pawlak and Dan Welch as they explore Ohio's role during those crucial hours on September 17, 1862.

160 pages, Paperback

Published August 16, 2021

Reviews

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kevin Pawlak and Dan Welch do an incredible job of describing the events involving Ohio soldiers leading up to, and during the bloodiest day of the civil war. The book is dedicated solely to Ohio regiments, and even adds more insight to then Sergeant William McKinley’s day that earned him special recognition. The writing is well done, and incorporates journal entries and letters from Ohio soldiers.

Anyone interested in Ohio civil war history, or the battle of Antietam, would enjoy reading this well-written book.

[Paul Lunger · Rating 4 out of 5]

With "Ohio at Antietam: The Buckeye State's Sacrifice on America's Bloodiest Day", Kevin Pawlak does a decent job describing the Buckeye soldiers who fought in this battle as well as the consequences of their actions on that day in 1862. The book itself is well written but at times almost feels a bit drawn out simply because of how narrow the focus is. It's still a book worth picking up though for anyone interested in the Civil War & the state of Ohio's contributions to the effort.