f Lincoln in the South, was not
convincing to Marylanders, who knew the man himself and found him a
kindly, shrewd, and humorous man of the world, with much in his person
and character that recalled his Southern origin, who enforced the law
with strict impartiality wherever his power extended, and who, above
all, punctiliously returned any fugitive slaves that might seek refuge
in the District of Columbia.

Lee issued a dignified and persuasive proclamation in which he declared
that he came among the people of Maryland as a friend and liberator. But
Maryland showed no desire to be liberated. He and his soldiers were
everywhere coldly received. Hardly a volunteer joined them. In many
towns Union flags were flaunted in their faces--a fact upon which is
based the fictitious story of Barbara Fritchie.

The political failure of the move led to considerable military
embarrassments. Lee met with no defeat in arms, but his difficulties
increased day by day.

Believing that he would be operating among a friendly population he had
given less thought than he would otherwise have done to the problem of
supplies, supposing that he could obtain all he needed from the country.
That problem now became acute, for the Marylanders refused to accept the
Confederate paper, which was all he had to tender in payment, and the
fact that he professed to be their liberator actually made his position
more difficult, for he could not without sacrificing a moral asset treat
them avowedly as an enemy people. He found himself compelled to send
Jackson back to hold Harper's Ferry lest his communications might be
endangered. Later he learnt that McClellan, who had been restored to the
chief command after Pope's defeat, was moving to cut off his retreat. He
hastened back towards his base, and the two armies met by Antietam
Creek.

Antietam was not really a Union victory. It was followed by the
retirement of Lee into Virginia, but it is certain that such retirement
had been intended by him from the beginning--was indeed his objective.
The objective of McClellan was, or should have been, the destruction of
the Confederate army, and this was not achieved. Yet, as marking the end
of the Southern commander's undoubted failure in Maryland, it offered
enough of the appearance of a victory to justify in Lincoln's judgment
an executive act upon which he had determined some months earlier, but
which he thought would have a better effect coming after a military