III 112th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 560 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 19, 2012 Mr. Cardin (for himself and Ms. Mikulski) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources RESOLUTION Commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Maryland Campaign during the Civil War.

Whereas because of geographic position, Maryland and the citizens of Maryland played a key role in the military and political struggles of the Civil War; Whereas during the conflict, controlling Maryland was key due to the proximity to Washington DC, the fact that Maryland shared a border with Virginia and the States still remaining in the Union, and the position of Baltimore as a key railroad link to the West; Whereas, on September 4, 1862, General Robert E. Lee led his Confederate Army of northern Virginia across the Potomac River near Leesburg, Virginia into Maryland, marking first invasion by General Lee of the North during the Civil War; Whereas, on September 7, 1862, General George B. McClellan moved the Union Army of the Potomac forces out of Washington DC in pursuit; Whereas, over the ensuing 2 weeks, pitched battles were fought in Harper’s Ferry and Shepardstown in West Virginia and South Mountain and Antietam in Maryland, as the 2 forces confronted one another amidst the Appalachian Mountains; Whereas, on September 17, 1862, the climax of the Maryland Campaign took place on the banks of Antietam Creek, near the town of Sharpsburg, Maryland; Whereas, on September 17, 1862, fighting began before dawn when Union forces advanced on Confederate defensive positions behind Antietam Creek, launching 3 assaults along the Cornfield, East Woods, West Woods, and Sunken Road for 8 hours; Whereas the brutal fighting to cross Burnside Bridge and into Sharpsburg lasted until the afternoon and both armies suffered heavy casualties, ending the combat after a gruesome 12 hours; Whereas both sides engaged in slow, savage fighting at close range, resulting in the single bloodiest day of war in American history, with nearly 23,000 total casualties, representing 25 percent of the Union force, and 31 percent of the Confederate force; Whereas the tactical result of the battle was inconclusive, as each side maintained position until the bitter end; Whereas, on September 18, 1862, as the opposing armies gathered the wounded and buried the dead, General Lee withdrew the Confederate Army back across the Potomac River into Virginia, ending the invasion; Whereas the Battle of Antietam pitted Marylanders on opposite sides of the fighting, emblematic of national division of the Civil War pitting brother against brother; Whereas the people of the United States honor those Marylanders and others who valiantly fought in the Civil War, endured the hardships brought on by the conflict, and who made the ultimate sacrifice to form a more perfect Union; and Whereas during the sesquicentennial of the Maryland Campaign, it is fitting that the National Park Service, the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, and all others involved recognize the bravery and steadfast determination of the Marylanders and all people affected by the Civil War: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1)commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Maryland Campaign of the Civil War, culminating in the Battle of Antietam; and (2)recognizes the dedication and commitment of the National Park Service, the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, and all others involved, for preserving the heritage and promoting the rich history of the United States.