How did General McCleallen accidentally find General Lee's battle plans The Battle of Antietam?

Answer 1

General Lee wrote three sets of orders to be sent to the specific Generals concerned with the phase of the Maryland Campaign that he had planned. One set of orders went to James Longstreet, one to Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson and the third set of orders were sent to D.H. Hill.

Longstreet received his orders, memorized it then ate it.

Jackson received his orders and, seeing that it concern D.H. Hill directly and not knowing orders had already been written out for Hill, he personally copied his orders and sent them to Hill.

D.H. Hill received Jackson's handwritten orders, read it and then put it away for safe keeping. He never received order from Lee's HQ.

The orders from Lee's HQ intended for D.H. Hill vanished from the Confederate radar and were found by a Unionist wrapped up with some cigarettes and, recognizing the importance of what had been found, he sent the orders straight to McClellan.

D.H. Hill was made the scapegoat for the "lost orders" incident.

Answer 2

The so-called lost orders of General Lee were found on a field near Frederick, Maryland. These orders were not the battle plan for the upcoming Battle of Antietam. The orders referred to the division of his forces in order to prepare for any major battles with the Union's Army of the Potomac.For example, General Longstreet was ordered to seize the towns of Boonsboro and Hagerstown.