The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-10-02
The great Battle Of the Antietam.
n Full, Gruphic and EnteresIing ac-
count of the Maryland Battle of Wed.
nesdny, September l7fFa
Correspondence New York Tribune


Correspondence New York Tribune.
BATTLE-F1ELD OF sHARPsBURG, MARYLAND,
Wednesday evening, Sept. 18th, 1862.
a fierce and desperate battle between 200,-
600 men has ragged since daylight, yet night
closes on an uncertain field. 1t IS the greatest
fight since Waterloo-all over the field con-
tested with an obstinacy equal even to Water
loo. If not wholly victory Tonight. believe
it is the prelude to victory tomorrow. But
what can be foreteld Of the future of fight in
which from in the morning rill at night the
best troops of the continent have fought with
out decisive result? .F.
| have no tine for speculation--no lime even
to gather details of the battle-only time to
state its broadcast featureS-tben mount and
spur for New York '5 'e .'.' -t..t
Alter the brilliant victory near Middletown,
Gen. Mcclellan pushed forward his army rap
idly, aud reached Keedysviile with three corps
on Monday night. That march has already
been described On the day following the two
armies faced each other idly until night. AIRS
tilery was busy at intervals; once in the
morning opening with spirit, and continuing
for half an hour with yig0r, till the rebel bat
terry, AS usual, was sienced,
Mcclellan was on the hill where Benjamin S
battery was stationed and found himself sutl>
denly under rather heavy fire. 1t was still
uncertain whether the rebels were retreaLing or
reinforcing -their batteries would remain III
position in either case, and az they had with>
drawn nearly all their troops from vew there
was only the doubtful indication of columns OF
dust 10 the rear. --t ,t-, . f..
On the evening Of Tuesday, Hooker was orr
dered to cross the Antletam creek with his
corps, and feeling the left of the enemy, to be
ready to attack next morning. During the
day of apparent inactivity, Mcclellan had been
maturing his plan of battle, Of which Rockers
movement was one developed. e5 .- ="
The position on either side was peculiar -
When Richardson advanced on Monday he
found the enemy depoyed and displayed in
force on crescent shaped ridge, the outline Of
which followed more or less exactly the course
of Antietam Creek. Their lines were then
forming, and the revelation of force in front OF
the ground which they really intended to
hold, was probably meant TO delay our attack
until their arrangements to receive 1t were
complete. .Ht fHaL .ssma
During that day they kept their troops ex.
posed, and did not move them even to avoid
the artillery fire, which must have been oc ca
sionally annoying. Next morning the lines
and columns which had darkened the cornfieIds
and hill crests, had been overdrawn. Broker
and wooded ground behind the sheltering hills
concealed the rebel masses West from oui
front looked like only narrow summit fringeC
|
and ravlne :; cover for troops everywhere, no
where easy of access for an enemy. The smooth
ly slopipg surface in front. and the sweeping
crescent of slowly mingling lines was only a
delusion. It was all rebel stronghold be-
yond @a5-
Under the base of these hills runs the deer
stream called Antietam Greek, fordable only al
distant points. Three bridges cross it, one OF
the Haserstown road, one on the Sharpsburg
pike, one to the left, in deep recess Of steeply
falling hills Hooker passed the first TO reach
the ford by which he crossed and it was helc
| by PleaSanton, with a reserve of cavalry dur
ing the battle. The second was close nnde
the rebel center, and no way important to yes
terday' fight At the third Burnside attacked
and finally crossed. Between the first anc
third lay most of the battle lines. They
stretched four miles from right to left
Unaided attack in front was impossible
McClellan's forces lay behind low, disconnect-
ed ridges, in front of the rebel SUBMITS, all o.
nearly all unwooded. They gave some cove
for artillery, and guns were therefore masset
on the center. The enemy had the Sheppards
town road aud the Hagerstown and Williams
port road both open for him in the rear for re
treat. Along one or the other if beaten, ht
mus, fly. This, among other reasons, deter
mined, perhaps the plan of battles which Nc
Cellsn finally resolved upon.
The plan was generally as follows Hooke
was to cross on the right, Establish himself OF
the enemy's left, if possible, Ranking his posi-
ton, and to open the fight. Sumner, Franklin
and Mansfield were to send their forces also tC
the right, cooperating with and sustaining
Hookers attack while advancing also neare
Il the center The heavy work in the center was
left mostly to the batteries. Porter masslng
his infantry supports in the hollows. On hi
i left Burnside was to carry the bri9ge already
referred to- advancing them by q road which
enters the pike at Sharpsburg, turning at ones
the rebel left flank and destroying his line o
retreat. Porter and Sykes were held IN re-
serve. 1t is obvious that the complete sue
cess OF a plan contemplating widely divergent
movements of separate corps, must largely de
pend on accurate timing, that the attacks
should be Simultaneous and not successive.
Hooker moved on Tuesday afternoon al
flour, crossing the creek at ford above the
bridge and well 10 the right, without opposi'
ton. Fronting southwest, his fine advance
| not quite on the rebel flank, but overlapping
and threatening it. Turning off from the road
after passing the stream, he sent forward cav
airy skirmishers straight into the woods and
over the fields beyond, Rebel piekets with
drew slowly before them firing, scattering anG
harmless shots Turning again 10 the LETT, the
cavalry went down on the rebel flank coming
suddenly close to a battery which met then
with unexpected grape andcannister. 1t beine
the nature of cavalry to retire before batteries
this company Loyalty followed the law of it,