The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1862-10-14
TItE battle OF CRAMP-
TONS GAP.


TONS GAP,
An army eorrcsponden, OF the New
York Tribune writes an account Of
the engagement under Gen. Frank.
lin At Champions Gap, on the same
day with the battle Of South Noun
tain. This brilliant affair has been
generally overlooked, in consequence
Of the great interest excited by the
decisive movements elsewhere. II
will be remembered that while Burn
side and Hooker forced the enemy's
position on the right, Franklin held
the lefi Of our advance line:
ale had followed the line oi the
Potomac and hugged It's shore closely.
On Saturday he gained Sugar Loaf
Mountain, surrounded Il With bis cav
airy, cleared il Of rebels, and from a
rebel signal station charged il into a
lookout for our own signal corps.
Leaving Sugar Loaf Mountain on
Sunday morning he passed through
the small village Of Burketsville. and
had advanced but a mile before he
came in contact with the enemys
pickets at the top Of the South Noun
tain range. and near Champions Gap.
The enemy was strongly intrenched
at the base, on the sides, and in
strong force with infantry behind the
mountain. Howell Cobb's division Of
10000 held the Gap. Eight pieces
Of artillery planted high upon the
slope Of the mountain Immediately
commenced firing upon our most ad-
yanced division, under the command
Of Gen. Sloeum. Con. Slocum's d.
vision consisted OF three brigades, un-
der the command Of Gems. Bartlett,
Torlitt and Newton. The entire d.
vision was formed in line of battle
and ordered to advance up the side
Of the mountain and take the bate
ries. The brigades of Gems. Bartlett
and Torlitt had advanced but short
distance before they came under fire
of the enemy concealed in strong
force behind a high stone wall, rum
ming along the base Of the gap. At
this point desperate fight occurred,
and il was nearly an hour from the
time the first shot was fired until the
rebels were seen flying from the
charge Of the New Jersy brigade of
Gen. Bartlett. Once routed the reb-
els did not stand again until they |
gained the crest Of the mountain. |
When there they turned and prepared |
to hold our advancing column at bay.
But up the steep mountain rushed the |
gallant New York, New Jersey, and |
Pennsylvania boys, led by both their
division and brigade-generals. The
top of the mountain gained, another
fierce struggle ensued but the enemy |
finally gave way and rushed in great
disorder down into the valley beyond,
leaving in our possession 400 prison
ers, their regimental colors, two piec-
es Of artillery, and 5000 Springfield
rifles The rifles are now used by
the New Jersey brigade in place of
the muskets they carried before.
In this battle at Champions Gap
our loss, according TO official report,
is 1O5 killed and 448 wounded no
missing. The loss Of the enemy was
over 1000. Gen. Slocum told me to-
day that the dead upon the battlefield
of Antietam nowhere lay SO thick as
behind the stone wall at Champions |
Gap. This victory at Champions
Gap was also important in its rela-
lions 10 the battle of South Noun
tain. Both battles were fought and
both victories won on the same day |
and almost within the same hours. !
was present at the battle Of South
Mountain, and saw how nagnifcendy |
all our troops behaved, and the great
obstacles they had 10 overcome, but
from all / can learn the hardest hand
io-hand fighting was at Champions
Gap"
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ExPoRTs or PRoDUcE.--The cir