OF LEE
AND
MARYLAND
I
“
nterpretations of historical events evolve over time, driven by the discovery of new evidence and the introduction of fresh ideas,” Alexander Rossino opines in the introduction to his deep dive into the Antietam Campaign from the viewpoint of the Army of Northern Virginia and its commanding general, Robert E. Lee. “Thus, it benefits us every so often to reexamine subjects that may be considered settled in the historical literature.” How much benefit the reader may derive from Rossino’s meticulously researched analysis will depend on his ability to follow the author’s minutely detailed investigations. For the novice reader, it poses a challenge that is well worth accepting. Relying on a rich repository of primary source material, Rossino hopes “my interpretations of these
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Their Maryland: The Army of Northern Virginia From the Potomac Crossing to Sharpsburg in September 1862 By Alexander B. Rossino Savas Beatie, 2021, $32.95
sources enhances our knowledge on some subjects, and corrects the record on others.” Rossino begins by asking what Lee hoped to accomplish from the Confederacy’s first foray into Maryland, a slave state that did not secede. Was it a massive food raid to feed his hungry army? Did Lee believe he could challenge the security of Washington, D.C., or Baltimore? Did he expect that a second dramatic victory over a much larger Federal force, hard on the heels of his overwhelming success at Second Manassas, would impress foreign governments enough to recognize and aid the Confederacy? Rossino argues, convincingly, that September 6 was a pivotal date in the evolution of Lee’s thinking. While initially believing that the mere presence of his army would foment an uprising from thousands of sympathetic Marylanders,
TROIANI, DON (B.1949)/BRIDGEMAN IMAGES
REVIEWED BY GORDON BERG
CIVIL WAR TIMES APRIL 2022
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