What do you think?
Rate this book
When Hell Came to Sharpsburg: The Battle of Antietam and its Impact on the Civilians Who Called it Home
Discover a forgotten chapter of American history with Steven Cowie's riveting account of the Battle of Antietam.
The Battle of Antietam, fought in and around Sharpsburg, Maryland, on September 17, 1862, was the bloodiest day in American history. Despite the large number of books and articles on the subject, the battle’s horrendous toll on area civilians is rarely discussed. When Hell Came to The Battle of Antietam and Its Impact on the Civilians Who Called It Home by Steven Cowie rectifies this oversight. By the time the battle ended about dusk that day, more than 23,000 men had been killed, wounded, or captured in just a dozen hours of combat—a grim statistic that tells only part of the story. The epicenter of that deadly day was the small community of Sharpsburg. Families lived, worked, and worshipped there. It was their home. And the horrific fighting turned their lives upside down. When Hell Came to Sharpsburg investigates how the battle and opposing armies wreaked emotional, physical, and financial havoc on the people of Sharpsburg. For proper context, the author explores the savage struggle and its gory aftermath and explains how soldiers stripped the community of resources and spread diseases. Cowie carefully and meticulously follows the fortunes of individual families like the Mummas, Roulettes, Millers, and many others—ordinary folk thrust into harrowing circumstances—and their struggle to recover from their unexpected and often devastating losses. Cowie’s comprehensive study is grounded in years of careful research. He unearthed a trove of previously unused archival accounts and examined scores of primary sources such as letters, diaries, regimental histories, and official reports. Packed with explanatory footnotes, original maps, and photographs, Cowie’s richly detailed book is a must-read for those seeking new information on the battle and the perspective of the citizens who suffered because of it. Antietam’s impact on the local community was an American tragedy, and it is told here completely for the first time.
The Battle of Antietam, fought in and around Sharpsburg, Maryland, on September 17, 1862, was the bloodiest day in American history. Despite the large number of books and articles on the subject, the battle’s horrendous toll on area civilians is rarely discussed. When Hell Came to The Battle of Antietam and Its Impact on the Civilians Who Called It Home by Steven Cowie rectifies this oversight. By the time the battle ended about dusk that day, more than 23,000 men had been killed, wounded, or captured in just a dozen hours of combat—a grim statistic that tells only part of the story. The epicenter of that deadly day was the small community of Sharpsburg. Families lived, worked, and worshipped there. It was their home. And the horrific fighting turned their lives upside down. When Hell Came to Sharpsburg investigates how the battle and opposing armies wreaked emotional, physical, and financial havoc on the people of Sharpsburg. For proper context, the author explores the savage struggle and its gory aftermath and explains how soldiers stripped the community of resources and spread diseases. Cowie carefully and meticulously follows the fortunes of individual families like the Mummas, Roulettes, Millers, and many others—ordinary folk thrust into harrowing circumstances—and their struggle to recover from their unexpected and often devastating losses. Cowie’s comprehensive study is grounded in years of careful research. He unearthed a trove of previously unused archival accounts and examined scores of primary sources such as letters, diaries, regimental histories, and official reports. Packed with explanatory footnotes, original maps, and photographs, Cowie’s richly detailed book is a must-read for those seeking new information on the battle and the perspective of the citizens who suffered because of it. Antietam’s impact on the local community was an American tragedy, and it is told here completely for the first time.
536 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 5, 2024
32 people are currently reading
52 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 12, 2022
I sometimes find non-fiction, especially history, hard to read. The information usually just doesn’t stay with me. Maybe it’s because the author was a screenwriter in a previous incarnation but this book was incredibly accessible. There is so much historical information and the writing is extremely detailed, but I was completely absorbed. I wish that all the history books I read in school had been written by this author.
November 30, 2022
When hell came to Sharpsburg is such a fantastic read ,it's hard to put down. The book is very informative on the suffering of the townsfolk around Antietam.
From personal recollections to government documents the author leaves no stone unturned.
It can be repetitive at times, but not a deal breaker.
I would reccomend this book for any civil war buff who wants the civilian point of view when armies collided and fought near their town.
From personal recollections to government documents the author leaves no stone unturned.
It can be repetitive at times, but not a deal breaker.
I would reccomend this book for any civil war buff who wants the civilian point of view when armies collided and fought near their town.
November 13, 2024
This book might also be called, The Battle of Two Sharpsburgs because the aftermath of September 17, 1862, was, in some ways, even worse than the 'bloodiest day' in Civil War history. The small town in Maryland alongside Anietam Creek would never be the same. When the 'official' killing had stopped and Lee's army had left for the safety of home, the people of Sharpsburg were left with detritus of the horrific battle and a pack of locusts, better known as the Army of the Potomac. In the immediate days that followed buildings and homes became a vast hospital where citizens were evicted or allowed to stay in one room while soldiers died in the rest of the residence.
This part of the story is at least understandable, and many of the Marylanders pitched in to save as many of the soldiers as possible. After all many were their sons, brothers or fathers. They even provided succor to the the wounded who were left behind by the Army of Northern Virginia. It was the Christian thing to do. BUT the story doesn't end there.
For months afterwards McClellan's army stayed in place, and as a result turned the area around Sharpsburg into a wasteland. Everything that could be used by the army: trees, fence rails, food, tools, horses and mules, fabrics, dishes and crockery, houses themselves were devastated. Their owners were told they'd be compensated, but despite a ruling of July 4, 1864, many citizens never received a dime. They didn't have receipts or some unfortunates were not deemed 'loyal' enough. All it would take was someone hinting that they had southern sympathies or that were trying to cheat the government in their claims and they would be denied compensation.
This book is detailed, perhaps too detailed at times, but it shows what the common, ordinary citizen suffered when battles were fought nearby. Not only deprivation, but also epidemics of typhoid fever, dysentery, and other diseases brought on by questionable hygiene practices when thousands of men are in a confined space for months at a time. It is not a pretty picture, but then war never is.
This part of the story is at least understandable, and many of the Marylanders pitched in to save as many of the soldiers as possible. After all many were their sons, brothers or fathers. They even provided succor to the the wounded who were left behind by the Army of Northern Virginia. It was the Christian thing to do. BUT the story doesn't end there.
For months afterwards McClellan's army stayed in place, and as a result turned the area around Sharpsburg into a wasteland. Everything that could be used by the army: trees, fence rails, food, tools, horses and mules, fabrics, dishes and crockery, houses themselves were devastated. Their owners were told they'd be compensated, but despite a ruling of July 4, 1864, many citizens never received a dime. They didn't have receipts or some unfortunates were not deemed 'loyal' enough. All it would take was someone hinting that they had southern sympathies or that were trying to cheat the government in their claims and they would be denied compensation.
This book is detailed, perhaps too detailed at times, but it shows what the common, ordinary citizen suffered when battles were fought nearby. Not only deprivation, but also epidemics of typhoid fever, dysentery, and other diseases brought on by questionable hygiene practices when thousands of men are in a confined space for months at a time. It is not a pretty picture, but then war never is.
Read
July 31, 2024In a war the places the battles take place are left with many things that impact it long after the battle has ended and the armies have moved on. This is an extensive look at the town where the battle of Antietam took place.
Is is a look at the ways peoples lives are changed before, during and after the battle.
There is a lot to think about here that we often don't read when we read the story of a battle.
Is is a look at the ways peoples lives are changed before, during and after the battle.
There is a lot to think about here that we often don't read when we read the story of a battle.
July 27, 2025
Exhausting detail and thorough but not what I could say 'enjoyable'.
Title says it all. Mainly for those who want a deeper dive into the aftermath of the battle. I'm glad that I read it.
Title says it all. Mainly for those who want a deeper dive into the aftermath of the battle. I'm glad that I read it.
May 17, 2023
The citizens of Sharpsburg
Well written and detailed account of how the sleepy little town of Sharpsburg was thrust into the national spotlight in September 1862.
Cowie explains how the citizens reacted to not only each army, but also how they protected themselves from the battle. Most poignant is the aftermath. How the citizens tried to receive just compensation for goods that the armies "commandeered" and how their government developed loopholes to deny those claims. Human interest stories abound in this work. Families forced to flee their homes during the battle, returning to destruction after the battle, and in many instances forced to relocate thanks in part to the impoverishment well after the battle and the war.
The details of what the people in this area endured is unimaginable by current standards.
Well written and detailed account of how the sleepy little town of Sharpsburg was thrust into the national spotlight in September 1862.
Cowie explains how the citizens reacted to not only each army, but also how they protected themselves from the battle. Most poignant is the aftermath. How the citizens tried to receive just compensation for goods that the armies "commandeered" and how their government developed loopholes to deny those claims. Human interest stories abound in this work. Families forced to flee their homes during the battle, returning to destruction after the battle, and in many instances forced to relocate thanks in part to the impoverishment well after the battle and the war.
The details of what the people in this area endured is unimaginable by current standards.
September 10, 2022
Excellent book. Well researched and written. This book should be on every Civil War buff or researchers library. Reveal a narrative of the hell of battle on soldiers , civilians, farmers and families in the Sharpsburg area in Maryland. The tribulations and trials of many attempting to obtain reparations for damages to their property went on for years. I enjoyed reading this work and highly recommend it to others to read. You will not be disappointed.
July 15, 2024
I enjoyed how the experience does not stop a few days after the battle. This book shows just how long the struggle continued for Sharpsburg and its population. Loved it.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews