Would McClellan have been routed at Antietam if a copy of Lee's orders hadn't fallen into his hands?

Answer 1

Probably not - - although the battle may not have occurred at that time and place if McClellan did not have these orders to give him an iota of aggressiveness.
Lee did not have sufficient concentration of force at Sharpsburg (Antietam) on September 17, 1862. The Union army was far superior in numbers; yet, McClellan withheld an entire corps due to his tentative nature and constant fear that he was outnumbered. Even with Lee's orders in hand, McClellan faltered.
If Grant had been in command that day, we might have been saved the horrors of 1863, 64, and 65 - - Andersonville prison and similar prisons in the North - - Sherman's march, etc.
That is assuming that a decisive victory over the Army of Northern Virginia might have shortened the war.

Answer 2

Barbara, I believe McClellan's Army just might have been defeated in detail in Pennsylvania if it wasn't for the unfortunate luck of having Special Order 191 fall into McClellan's hands.
The battle of Antietam would have never happened if it was for the carelessness of one of Lee's staff officers
Lee's plan of moving into Pennsylvania was, in My opinion, sheer strategic brilliance. McClellan would have moved with His usual glacially slow speed and Lee would have had plenty of time so set up the perfect trap for the Army Of The Potomac in Pennsylvania. Then after delivering a crushing spectacular defeat on the Union Forces on their own soil, I'd say there's a pretty good chance the War would have ended with a Confederate Victory soon thereafter.

Answer 3

Actally, the fortituous discovery of Lee's orders, wrapped around a couple cigars, did little to aid McClellan at Antietam. McClellan's legendary "case of the slows" - his reluctance to move quickly and engage the enemy - completely negated the advantage those capured orders should have given him. An outstanding administrator and organizer,McClellan was no figher, and should have been kept on as chief-of-staff to General-in-Chief Halleck, but as far from field command as possible.

Answer 4

Yes, without any shadow of a doubt.

McClellan was a superb general who knew how to build an army and how to give it pride in itself. But he had no idea how to fight a battle. At Antietam in particular he had several opportunities to annihilate Lee but he refused to commit his total strength because he always believed that Lee had another 50000 men hidden just over the hill. McClellan made the Army of the Potamac what it was but he simply did not know how to fight it.