Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-10-08
From the Cleveland Herald.
Military Correspondence.
FROM THR TwENTY-THIRD.

IL FROM THR TwENTY-THIRD.
NEAR SHARPsBURG, MD.. Sept. p
Els HeraM:-Long before this you hav,
probably received accounts of the grea
j battle fought on Sunday. the l4th. but
will send such minor details as came un
der my own observation. On the l2.i
Gen. Cox drove the rebels from Frederick
: City, and immediately followed them up
having small battle ON the 18th neal
Middletown, which place we occupied the
same evening.
Early on Sunday morning our artillery
was moved up To the front of the rebe
force and commenced a heavy cannonad
ing which WAS replied to with spirit by the
enemy. They We're advantageOusly post
ed near the ridge of what Is called South
Mountain or Middleton Heights. What
their force was we have no means of know
ing, but that it was superior Ia ours we
have every reason TO believe.
General Cox's division was in RenO's
corps holding the left. and the first brig
ade, composed of the 18th. 23d and 30th
Ohio regiments, the extreme left of the
division. This brigade. under command
of Col. +. p. ScammOn, was sent up the
side of the mountain through a dense un-
dergrowth of red cedar TO outtlank the
enemy on the left. Cos. A and F, of the
23d. were deployed as skirmisherS to
scouF the woods in advance of the column.
The rebel picRcts We're captured near the
foot of the mountain without making any
resistance. When near the summit of
| the mountain. small deiachment> of r.-b-
els were seen through the undcrLru>h,
some of which were captured. At the
edge of the forest. and on the ridge of the
mountain, was stone wall with corn
field beyond. As soon as this was reached
a hot fire was opened upon us by the reb-
els, when the column, headed by the 23d.
charged over the stone wall into the corn
field, where lay a whole division of the
rebel forces. The conflict AT this moment
was terrible, but of short duration. Our
loss wa> heavy. and that of the rebels i'm |
mense. Both parties fell back to rally
ours 10 the woods just left and the enemy |
across an open field to another slight ele-
walton. The column was formed again I
and led into the open field under fire of
the rebels, where we laid fiat on the
ground. fixed bayonets and prepared for
another charge. Previous TO this. Col.
Hayes. of the 23d was severely wounded
in the arm. but he retained command
until he was too faint to stand, when
Major Comfy took charge of the regiment.
We lay on the side hill waiting with
Dreathless anxiety the word, and when
Charge them with the bayonet" ran
along the line, the brigade rose as one
man, and sent up II shout that seemed to
shake the mountain, and rushed upon the
enemy. They had every advantage of US.
Part of the line had to go over a wall, and ;
he whole line of the rebels was sheltered
either by walls or piles of stone. We were :
net with a terrible reception, but the reb- :
is could not stand the impetuosity of our
nen, and broke through the woods in all :
directions. We followed them close and
pouring volley after volley into their rear.
Their dead lay in piles all over the field
nd in the woods in every direction. BY
singular coincidence the 18th Ohio met
he 18th North Carolina and the Sd Ohio '
net the 23d North Carolina. We took a
lumber of prisoners who said that they
lever saw such q furious onset before,
nd that it was the first time their regi- q
lent ever gave away. They also stated =
hat the force We met was whole diYi- q
ion of five brigades-the whole of which /
Te drove with three regiments Other +
roops laying in sight of us said that in Q
ne whole war they had not seen charge :
hat would compare with ours for impet- !
Osity and the reSults-not even on the =
where some of the most brill j
mt charges on record were made. While ~
he fight was raging on the left in the f
lanner have described the artillery held, n
nd finally drove them in front, assisted :
Y Pennsylvania and other troops :
Tho rahalS abarual ON p11p lat
hich opened upon them with grape and q
mister, moving them down by scores at a
very discharge. The day was finally de h
ded in our favor and the enemy driv N n
ntirely from the mountain. Our loss Il
We to our one. They left their dead in ii
he field and our men collected and bu-
ed over one thousand of their dead. ~
he greater part of their wounded seem a.
| to have been carried from the field hen 8
ley retreated, so we do not know their I
IS; but following the usual ratio of the i
ounded to the killed their loss could n
Dt have been less than five or six thou =,
nd. A great number of their killed n
ere in the woods, and it is more than ~
'obable that many of them were not q,
und. 10
During the day Gen. Reno was killed .
ID the command developed upon Gen. fir
)x, Col. Scammon taking command of
e Division. and Col. Ewing of the Both e.
lio, of the lst Brigade As soldiers we b,
ere proud of the days work and proud ii
our officers. Wherever Col. Scommon
II take the Brigade and Major Comfy w
e ODD, there we will follow confident of st
ccess. , pt
Other Regiments fought well and de- pi
rye great praise which / would cheer ST
lly give if | knew their State and no. co
have seeen several accounts of the bat 1t
, given by Eastern correspondents, de
me of whom totally ignored the fact in
at the Ohio troops fought at all, much
$ the principal part of the battle T
Our entire army followed close at the
els of the retreating enemy, and the r.
xt day established its lines some six -
les i'm advance of the boffla ,rror,pl