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The War Moves North
In 1862, General Robert E. Lee led a Confederate army into the North for the first time since the Civil War began. This bold move, known as the Maryland Campaign, resulted in three significant battles over five days; Harpers Ferry from September 13 to 15; South Mountain on September 14; and Antietam on September 17.
Lee's invasion stalled in Maryland due to a garrison of Union soldiers at Harpers Ferry. The Southern army simply could not advance further north with an army force behind them in the Shenandoah Valley.
To counter the Union threat at Harpers Ferry, Lee sent General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson to surround the town. This Confederate movement against Harpers Ferry became the critical turning point of the Maryland Campaign. |