New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-09-19
C. Giligsn, A, sidA n IoAvI
VIM. H. Taylor, c. = Shntvf
X. Whitney, X, chest : M.rdcr A. svsAs 49,
T.. Norton, C. IGds n M -
r. Culliop, II. .Rshtlv -" s'ssss
The Great Battle or wednc.d.v.

Special Dispatch to The N. Y. Tribune.
WAsHIssros, Thursday, Sept. ls, lss1,
The following dispatch has been received from
one Of your special correspondents:
BATrLn-yIELp OF SHA.PsRuRe. Nd,
Wednesday Evening. Sept IL, ise3 !
The greatest battle of the war fought to-day.
lasting from daylight till dark, and closing without
decisive result. The whole forces of Mcclellan and
Lee were engaged for fourteen hours. Two hun.
dred thousand men have fought with the utmost
determination on both sides. Neither can claim
complete victory, tut Mcclellan has partially carried
the Rebel position, holding most favorable ground
ior renewing the attack, and holding all the ground
which was gained at any time during the fight.
All our own dead and wounded, and many of the
enemy's, are in our bands.
On the left Of the Rebel position Hooker Sumne~.
and Franklin have crossed Antietam Creek. and
have driven the enemy from the ground they chose
to cover their TANKS in front of our batteries and
troops have steadily advanced and occupy tonight Q
range If bills considerably beyond those first TAKEN
On the Rebel right, they have lost the bridge over
the creek which was carried after hard fight and
Burnside has crossed with all his forces.
The result Of the days fight, therefore, is that tho
Rebels have everywhere lost ground their position
and their rear and only line OF retreat seriously
threatened.
After the brilliant victory on Sunday at South
Mountain, near Middletown, Mcclellan pushed biz
army rapidly forward, sending cavalry and artillery
out on the Hagentown road, Burnside through Fog
Gap to the Sharpsburg road and the rest Of bic
forces through Boonsborough to Keedysville, and
thence toward Sharpsburg.
On the crest of the bill this side Of Sbarpsburg.
the enemy were discovered in great force. Their
troops had been brought down from Hagerstown, up
from Harpers Ferry, and part Of the army held in
Virginia as reserve. Lee, Jackson, Longstreet,
Hill, and all the best Generals left with them were
there and with all OF their best troops.
Except occasional artillery contests, the armies
faced each other in quiet during the rest Monday.
On Tuesday there was no movement on our side
till toward night. The Rebels had kept batteries In
position, but their infantry was withdrawn from
view, and it was still uncertain whether they were
rereating or Reinforcing
About in the afternoon of Tuesday Hooker wae
ordered to cross Antietam Creek, at the upper ford
on the right, with his whole corps, attack the
enemys left and occupy position on their Hank.
He crossed without opposition sent forward cavalry
skirmishers who were speedily driven back, and
then, advancing with bis whole force about g. took
possession of strong ground, cose to the Rebels left,
and Immediately became engaged with artillery and
infantry Darkness ended the fight with slight loss
on either side, Hooker carrying aud holding tho
woods FROM which the enemy's fire first came.
There were constant alarms during the night, the
hostile pckets being cose to each other all along tho
line Early in the evening the Rebels took to fight
ing among themselves, and several heavy volcys
were delivered there before they discovered their
mistake.
At daybreak the fight was renewed suddenly and
vehemently, both sides opening fire together. The
number and position of the Rebel batteries the even.
lug before had disclosed that they were in great
force on the right, and word had been sent to Nc.
Clelan TO advance Summers corps during the night,
1t did not arrive on the field till in the morning.
McClesn's plan OF battle was briefly a. follows:
Hooker was to cross the creek the right az before
stated; Sumner, Franklin and Mansfield to CO.
operate with and sustain his attack. In front the
batteries were 10 push forward with infantry sup.
ports, and All effort to be made to carry the nights
Oh the left. Burnside to cross the creek by the
bridge, and attack the Rebel right, moving on
Sharpsburg Also which was in their rear, and thus
cut Of their retreat. Porter and Sykes were held
in reserve. The plan, if successful, must result noe
merely in the defeat but the destruction surrender
of the Rebel army. The ground is peculiar.
The Rebel line was formed on a crescent-shaped
ridge, which in front slopes down into an
undulating valley irregularly broken by con-
Meeting ranges of hills. Behind the crest tho
L.
sheltered by ridges and hills, and especially strong
on the TANKS. Antetam Creek, q stream TOO deep
to be forded except in very few places sweeps ny
the base of their position and protected it from
assault.
McCcllans forces We're first formed in front,
afterward thrown to the right and left. There 70
little or 10 ground ON our side equal in hight to tho
Rebel position.
Hooker sustained, unaided, the attack on tho
Rebel left force nearly four hours. His line nad
been formed tie night before and fought to-day ID
the same order. Ricketts, Division was on the leftr
Meade's Pennsylvania Reserves in the center,
Doubeday's Division on the right. These terms
are of course 10 be understood referring only To
Hooker's line. not to the whole field. There was
artillery at all points. Meade gained ground in his
first attack.
Ricketts, also went forward through the woods in
his front, and Doubleday, with his guns, held FROM
agains, heavy cannonade. Meade advancing iinal-
" met heavy body of fresh troops thrown suddenly
and vigorously against him and was driven back
over part OF the ground be had Just won. Ricksttss
line was at the same hard pressed and became de.
serted. Mansfield, who had come over the creek
the night before, was ordered into the woods to
Rickettss support, and Hartsufl's Brigade, part Of
Doubleday's command, was sent to sustain Meade.
Mansfield took the greatest part Of his troops to
RiL eft Lnln hut they were unable 10 extend theie