he didn't lose at sharpsburg. it was a bloody draw, and barely so. now, i know that jim mcpherson contends and -- contends nobly and righteously that sharpsburg, antietam was a significant turning point in this war, that this was the point at which the war was destined for union victory. bob crick insists, who is not with us -- he's now watching virginia v. north carolina in basketball. bob crick insists the army of north virginia stood its ground in the face of vastly superior numbers and that this was the dumbest thing that anybody -- and robert e. lee included -- could ever have done. i think he stayed put on the 17th because he thought he could win. he thought he could fight mcclellan on the defensive. whatever. he stayed put on the 18th all but daring mcclellan to renew the offensive. and then finally, barely, was able to get across butler's ford and back across the potomac into virginia. and then, of course, he fought on december 13th at fredericksburg. the plain between fredericksburg and crossed a significant drainage ditch, then the attackin

sharpsburg involved a lot of movement, but not nearly as much as chancellorsville. second manassas was a masterpiece, jackson's execution of the joint plan that he and lee had crafted and certainly contributes mightily to the success of the confederacy. there's a very interesting quote from lee that pertains to all of this, and that is in the fall of 1862 when the confederate congress finally had authorized the creation of the lieutenant general's rank, northerners never did it get that far, they created corps legally and lieutenant generals to command those corps. in acknowledgement of jackson's failure, although the public didn't recognize it, everyone in the army did during the seven days, jefferson davis inquired of lee are you sure that jackson deserves this? now, davis' letter does not survive but it can be enter poe lated from his response which was every since the seven day, jackson has been everything i expected him to be or want him to be. so that was a nice rubric for the rest of 1862 for jackson. >> robert krick is joining us, one of forgave historians l

soon after the battle was concluded at sharpsburg, lincoln gave up trying to urge mcclellan to destroy lee's army rapidly. he came up there. had this meeting that was captured by the famous photograph, yes, yes, i understand we'll move into virginia as soon as i get my horses shod properly and my men back in proper uniform. they followed the virginians south to the potomac in late october and, in fact, when positioned to undertake a vigorous campaign in the spring of 1863. that was enough for lincoln. on the 7th of november, he relieved mcclellan of command. and on the 11th of november, mcclellan's train pulled out. his duty with the u.s. army was over. so, why am i recommending him as a person of the year? huh? well, because this general built the army of the potomac, not once, but twice. this general infused it with a spirit that would carry it through three successive commanders. this is the army that took the most casualties, this is the army that took lee's surrender. and i believe as their first great commander, mcclellan helped that to happen in that first year of 1862. so, if w

. >> a little later in 1862, stonewall performed at sharpsburg. whe when did his difficulties with a.p. hill a rise? >> well, jackson had a good bit of difficulty with everyone who was sub ordinary maordinate to y without exception. the question i'm asked second most often, first what if jackson had been at gettysburg. why did the southern confederacy struggling with no leadership of any quality in the western theater despite jefferson davis' view, why did they never send jackson there or contrairely, leave jackson here and send lee. i have very little doubt that jackson would have been a complete failure because he could not get along with his subordinates. his world view was so narrow, so tight, so rigid that he just could not get along with sub ordinary thannants. and with lee to shield those subordinates to some degree with him, jackson got away with being a grumpy person. by himself, he would have had the whole command of the tennessee in irons almost immediately. maybe that wouldn't have been a bad thing. but he was not cut out for that. rea

sharpsburg involved a lot of movement but not as much as subsequently chancellorsville. >> fredericksburg senior the joint plan that he and lee crafted and it certainly contributes mightily to the success of the confederacy. there's a very interesting quote from lee that pertains to all of this. and that is in the fall of 162 when the confederate congress finally authorized the lieutenant general's rank. northerners never did that far. they created corps legally officially and lieutenant generals to command those corps. lee proposed that jackson and long street be given the two the lieutenant general bill lets and the two corps commands in the northern army of virginia. in acknowledgement of jackson's failure although the public didn't recognize it, everyone in the army did, jefferson davis inquired of lee, are you sure that jackson deserves this? now, davis's letter to lee saying that does not survive so far as i know but it can be interpolated from lee's response which was ever since the seven days, jackson has been everything i expected him to be or could want him to be. so that's a ni

. >> a little later in 1862, stonewall performed at sharpsburg. when did his difficulties with a.p. hill arise? >> well, the jackson had a good bit of difficult with everyone who was subordinate to him virtually without exception. one of the -- the question i've been asked second most often in my speaking endeavors, first is what if jackson had been at gettysburg needless to say, why did the southern confederacy struggling with no leadership of any quality in the western theater, why did they never send jackson there or contrairely send lee there and leave jackson in charge here. and i in that parallel universe, i have very little doubt that jackson would have been a complete failure at the head of an arm because he could not get along with his subordinates. his world view was so thenarrowe could not get along. with legal to shield the sub order flats from him and jackson got away with being a grumpy person as i an corps commander. by himself, he would have had the command of the army of tennessee in irons. maybe that won't have been a bad thing from what i know of the army of tenne