When Hell Came to Sharpsburg

“Articulate and deeply researched, When Hell Came to Sharpsburg will be a great addition to the Antietam historiography.” ~Dr. Thomas G. Clemens, ed., The Maryland Campaign of September 1862, Vols. 1–3

“The residents of Sharpsburg and vicinity discovered in 1862 that war was indeed hell. The battle destroyed scores of town and farm buildings; the burial of almost 6,000 soldiers on and near the battlefield polluted the groundwater and spread devastating disease; and the occupation of the area by the Union army for six weeks after the battle swept away fence rails, woodlots, livestock, crops, and food from a wide swath of Maryland. As Steven Cowie documents in stark detail, it took generations for the region to recover from the Battle of Antietam and its aftermath.” ~James M. McPherson, author of Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era

“Steven Cowie’s When Hell Came to Sharpsburg is a superb book and a sobering look at the experience of the Sharpsburg community during and after the Battle of Antietam, as well as a reminder of the calamity the battle was for the civilian population. Cowie’s research and writing are outstanding. This is a book any student of Antietam will want to read.” ~D. Scott Hartwig, author of To Antietam Creek: The Maryland Campaign of September 1862

“When Hell Came to Sharpsburg tells the grim story of the tragedy faced by the citizens of Sharpsburg and its environs during and after the Battle of Antietam on September 16–17, 1862. Far from being just a history of the hardship faced by ordinary people in extraordinary times, Cowie’s study also details the Federal army’s dire condition after the Maryland Campaign. He raises new questions about the Army of the Potomac’s readiness to fight in the aftermath of Antietam and documents the devastating impact that the presence of McClellan’s men had on western Maryland’s civilian population. This book is a terrific, thought-provoking read.” ~Alexander B. Rossino, author of Their Maryland: The Army of Northern Virginia From the Potomac Crossing to Sharpsburg in September 1862

“Steven Cowie paints a vivid picture of Sharpsburg, Maryland, the site of the famous Battle of Antietam. He provides fresh, new information on civilians, including how quickly the line between noncombatant and combatant could break down. He describes in detail the town’s complex political allegiances, as well as how the battle was remembered. Deeply researched and clearly written, this book will appeal to many students of the conflict.” ~Joan E. Cashin, author of War Stuff: The Struggle for Human and Environmental Resources in the American Civil War

“I believe that this book makes a wonderful companion to the growing field of environmental history - further expanding the definition of military history beyond the drums and bugles. Further, the exhaustive research and concise writing style suggests much concerning our understanding of total warfare, or at the very least makes a good argument that this fight touched people in innumerable and long-lasting ways.” ~Keith Harris History

“…offers the most comprehensive accounting to date of all that a Civil War battle did to an individual community. Cowie’s work is clearly a labor of love. The book’s exhaustive catalogue of physical and environmental destruction packs an emotional punch—and supplies readers with an intimate, almost “real time” narrative of Antietam’s aftermath.” ~Civil War Monitor

“Cowie covers in grand fashion a Civil War subject rarely explored. Whether you’re a professional historian or general reader, “When Hell Came to Sharpsburg” is a great read.” ~HistoryNet

“…brilliantly conceived, thoroughly researched…insightful reappraisal of Sherman’s march through North Carolina.” ~The North Carolina Historical Review

“…gives us an insightful look at this seldom considered side of war. He is to be commended for his efforts to examine the consequences of fighting on communities, civilians, and the environment. …highly recommended, not only for those interested in Antietam, but for anyone seeking to better understand the impact of a battle on the local people and their environment.” ~The NYMAS Review

“Perhaps reflecting his background in film production and script writing, Steven Cowie knows how to tell a story and he tells an important and compelling one here.” ~Antietam Journal

"Cowie… delivers a powerful and informative narrative. Steven Cowie’s When Hell Came to Sharpsburg gives students of the Civil War a vivid reminder that the long-term impact of the conflict included others than just the soldiers on the battlefield. Here we see war’s tragic toll on civilians, both Black and White, free and enslaved, and how they attempted to cope with it and recover over several generations.” ~Emerging Civil War