September 17, 1862, was America's bloodiest day. When it ended, 3,654 soldiers lay dead on the land surrounding Antietam Creek in Western Maryland. The battle fought there was as deadly as the stakes were high.

For the first time, the Rebels had taken the war into Union territory. A Southern victory would have ended the war and split the nation in two. Instead, the North managed to drive the Confederate army back into Virginia. Emboldened by victory, albeit by the thinnest of margins, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing the slaves and investing the war with a new, higher purpose.

In this vivid, character-rich narrative, acclaimed author Justin Martin reveals why this battle was the Civil War's tipping point. The battle featured an unusually rich cast of characters and witnessed important advances in medicine and communications. But the impact of the battle on politics and society was its most important legacy. Had the outcome been different, Martin argues, critical might-have-beens would have rippled forward to the present, creating a different society and two nations.

A Fierce Glory is an engaging account of the Civil War's most important battle.

About the Author
Justin Martin is the author of four highly praised books: Greenspan: The Man behind Money; Nader: Crusader, Spoiler, Icon; Genius of Place: The Life of Frederick Law Olmsted; and Rebel Souls: Walt Whitman and America's First Bohemians. As one of the few journalists to gain access to Greenspan, Martin produced a bestselling biography of the secretive Fed chairman, selected as a notable book by the New York Times Book Review. His Nader biography served as a primary source for An Unreasonable Man, the Academy Award-nominated documentary, and Genius of Place received glowing national reviews. Martin's articles have appeared in a variety of publications, including Fortune, Newsweek, and the San Francisco Chronicle.


Book Information
ISBN 9780306825255
Author Justin Martin
Format Hardback
Page Count 304
Imprint Da Capo Press Inc
Publisher Hachette Books
Weight(grams) 570g
Dimensions(mm) 234mm * 91mm * 29mm