Word reaches the president that General Lee's army is approaching Maryland. Military and Cabinet meetings were held to discuss the issue at hand. General McClellan reported that he had 80,000 men at his command in Washington City.
General Lee's forces forded the Potomac River just north of Leesburg on Friday September 12. Following his recent vicoty at Bull Run/Manassas, General Lee wanted to bring the action onto northern soil. The rebel soldiers sang "Maryland, My Maryland" in hopes that Marylanders would rally to support their cause. Instead, Lee's men, about one-fourth barefoot and one-half who one newspaper described as "scarcrows", did not make a favorable impression on Marylanders.
In Washington, President Lincoln saw Lee's invasion as an opportunity to crush the Confederate army and end the war.
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