Monday, August 17, 2026
7:00pm
Location: St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 209 W Main St, Sharpsburg, MD 21782
Website: https://heartofthecivilwar.org/event/battlefield-calculus-tactics-technology-and-the-battle-of-antietam-steven-eden/ Event/Entrance Fee: Free & Open to the Public
Author Steven Eden will present “Battlefield Calculus: Tactics, Technology, and the Battle of Antietam.” Using examples from Antietam, and describe the factors that caused a unit to withdraw or stop advancing. Surprisingly, it was rarely because of casualties. In fact, it was fairly uncommon for a regimental commander to lose control of his unit because of fear; it happened much more often in the wake of some tactical success. Unit commanders typically weighed several factors when deciding to hold or withdraw. These include honor, exposure, ammunition, available cover, loss ratio, and support, among others. The talk will cover this “battlefield calculus” and show how it helps to explain the tactics of the Civil War.
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