The confederate general in the battle of antietam was Robert E lee  a fact about ee was he renamed his command the Army of Northern Virginia, and under his direction it would become the most famous and successful of the Confederate armies.. And the general  for the union was George B. Mcclellan a quick fact about him was he led the unions armies of the potomac through the battle of antietam maryland in september 1862 after the fight he was fired by president lincoln. 

From 1852 to 1855, Lee served as superintendent of West Point, and was responsible for educating the men who would later serve him. In 1855 he left the academy to take a position in the cavalry and in 1859 was called upon to put down abolitionist John Brown’s raid at Harpers Ferry.