The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-09-20
From the New York Tribune.
The Great Battle of "Wednesday
BATTLEFIELD OF SHARPsBURG. Md
Wednesday Evening. Sen, ~ 100

20
Cleilan and Lee were enga Led for fourteen bo".
Two hundred thousand men have fought with II
utmost determination on both Sides Neifbssr, u. Ws
cain complete victory, but Mcclellan has, VI. vaa
TALLY carried the rebel position, holding mnst pa'
vorable ground for renewing the attack and LYt1 10
ing all the ground which was gained at anr I NV
during the tight.
All our dead and wounded, and m,nv of =
enemy's are in our hands "s
On the lett of the rebel position. Hooker T..
ner, and Franklin have crossed Antie,sm r,
and have driven the enemy from the oransG
They chose to cover their tanks in front 81 Nul'
batteries, and troops have steadily advanced wy "u5
occupy tonight range of hills considerable, Il1
yond those first taken. w.
On the rebel right, they have lost the b,id,,
over the creek, which was carried alter t 1ss
fight, and Burnside has crossed w,hau his fo.s"
The result OF the days fight, Therefore i ,+.,
the rebels have everywhere lost ground, tba;r ~
sition is contracted both TANKS attacked with ~
cess, and their rear and only line OF retr-a, ,s,
ously threatened.
About in the afternoon OF Tuesday Hool
was ordered to cross Antetam Creek, at rho NV
per ford on the right, with his whole c,,,s =,
tack the enemy left and occupy position On
then flank lie crossed without opposition, sen,
forward cavalry >krmisher, who were speadIr
driven back, and then, Advancing wirh his Who'll.
force about 8, took possession OF strong yronnI
close TO the rebels left, and immediately becam.
engaged with artillery and infantry. Darkness
ended the light with slight loss on either >ids
Hooker carrying and holding the woods from
which the enemy's fire first came.
There were constant alarms during the Mon,
the hostile pickets being close to each other al
along the line. Early il the evening the rpbsI,
tooA to fighting among themselves, and spva,a
heavy volieys were delivered there before ,bey
discovered Their mistake.
AT daybreak the isht was renewed suddenly
and vehemensly, both sides opening fire toget1s,
The number and position of the rebe bs,,e,io,
the evening before had disclosed that they ve,s
IN great force on the right, and word had been
sent to Mcclellan to advance Summers corn. ,n,
ring the night 1t did not arrive on the 6ed m
8 IN the morning.
McCIelan's plan OF battle was briefly as hi.
lows HOOKER was TO cross the creek on the rigot.
as before stated, Sumner, Franklin and Mansfield
to cooperate with and sustain his attack In
front the batteries were to push forward with in.
fantry supports, and an effort TO be made 10 carry
the hi hts on the left Burnside was to cross the
creek by the bridge, and attack the Rebe ugb,,
moving on Sharpsburgh also, which was in lbe,,
rear, and thus cut off their retreat. Porter and
Sykes were held in reserve The plan, if success.
u, must result not only il the defeat, but the
destruction or surrender of the Rebel army, T1e
ground is peculiar.
Inc Rebe' line was formed on crescent-,baysd
rluSe, which In front slopes down into an uuduat
ing valley lrfegularly broken by connecting ranges
OF nils Behind the crest the Rebel forces as
IN uneven and strong positions, sheltered oy rlg.
eS ana hlls, and especially strong on the AlukS
''etath creek, streln! too deep to be OTdrd,
except III very lew places, sweeps by the b4,e Of
their position aud protected it IRON assault
."cClelan forces were first formed in front.
aiIer"aFu thrown to The right and left There
niue or no ground on our side equa in hgh %
the Rebel position.
HOOKER sustained, unaided, the attack on he
l1eoei !elt Tor nearly four hours. Hs Inc nd
oeen formed the night before, and fought to-day
IN the same order. Ricketts, Division was on tn.
el'' Meade'S Pennsylvania Reserves in the cen.et
Douoleday Division on the right. These terms
are, OF course, to be understood AS referring Oily
10 nookers une, not 70 the whole field. There
was artillery at all points. Meade gained ground
IN his first attack.
hlcheua also went forward through the woods
IN MS front, and Doubleday, with his guns, he'd
'front.' against heavy cannonade. Meade adva1'
eng, met heavy body of fresh troop, thrown
suddenly and vigorously against hin, and was
ufFen back over part Of the ground he had just
IN H., ..D,a
pressed and became deserted. Mansfield, wao
nad come over the creek the night before, was or
dered INTO the woods to Ricketts, support, ana
Hartsutt's brigade, rari of Doubledays commaO4
was sent TO sustain Meade. Mansfield took the
greatest part Of his troops 10 Ricketts, help, o|
they were unable to extend their line, and IN me
effort to push forward his men Gen. Mansfield
was MORALLY wounded. Gen. HartsuH advanced
10 the relief OF Meade with the 18th and l5tA
Massachusetts and another regiment. The Penn
syI'anla troops were retiring in haste and some
confusion. Hartsutf seized bridge in from Of
the held over which the Rebels were pressing,
and held 1t in splendid style for more than ball
an hour against greatly superior attack lis
men behaved most gaanty, standing on this tx
posed ground firing siea lily, and never wiyef0-
once.
Gen. Hartsuti was very soon severely woundfl'
ms troops retained their position, and finally
the precision and rapdlty of their fire, competing
the enemy to retreat instantly, advanced IN Pu.,
SUIT while they had been engaged. HookeT o.,
dered up Crawtord's and Gordons brigade> "
Their support Hartsutf retained the advance
and Crawford and Gordon followed in support \
Rebel battery on the right, which had been "'N
annoying yam enihding fire, VS. about thr same
Time 'ilenced by DoubIeday's guns, and HOOK"
ordered his whole liue forward.
The Rebels were driven through the corn me-.
again into the woods beyond wh,re they could nU'