Sharpsburg, Maryland (Location Key)

Sharpsburg was the site of a very bloody Civil War battle on September 17, 1862; it is known in the North as the Battle of Antietam. Its importance is usually measured by the fact that there Union forces repulsed Robert E. Lee's first attempt to invade the North and threaten Washington, D.C. The references to it in Go Down, Moses don't mention that, but do refer to the daring way "Lee divided his forces" at the start of the invasion" and the accidental way "Lee's battle-order" became known to his enemies (272).