Which battle is known as the single bloodiest one-day battle in American history?

The Battle of Antietam is recognized as the single bloodiest one-day battle in American history, occurring on September 17, 1862, during the American Civil War. On that day, approximately 23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded, or missing, making it a pivotal moment in the conflict and in U.S. military history.

This battle is significant not only for its staggering casualties but also for its strategic impact. It halted the Confederate advance into the North, giving President Abraham Lincoln the opportunity to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. This declared the freedom of enslaved people in Confederate-held territory, redefining the purpose of the war. The sheer scale of loss in a single day set a grim precedent for the nature of warfare in the Civil War, highlighting the devastating human cost and foreshadowing the intense combat that would characterize the entire conflict.

In contrast, while the Battle of Gettysburg was the largest battle and marked a turning point in the war, its length over three days resulted in a higher total number of casualties but not in a single day's toll. Other battles listed, like the First Battle of Bull Run and the Battle of Vicksburg, also played critical roles in the war but did not have