The outcome of the battle
The Union won the Battle of Antietam. They defeated the Confederate forces, nd crushed Lee's forces. In total, about 22,000 troops from both sides lay dead. Even though this battle was a costly one, it gave Lincoln the confidence to issue the Emancipation Proclamation which freed all slaves. This turned the tide in the Civil War. The Confederates were losing soldiers while the North recruited more, including African American soldiers. The tide turned, and in the end, the Union won.