The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-10-01
slasartIle aluiun.
WEDNESDAY MORNING OCT. !, 1862.
BATTLE OF sHARPsBURG.
The Blo0disst and Most Determined
Engagement ever Fought on TIE
American Continent
Battlefield or SHARPsBrRG,l
"Wednesday evening. Sept. II.

Correspondence Of the Now York rribune.
battlefield or SHARrsBrRG,)
Wednesday evening, Sept. II.
A fierce and desperate battle between
two hundred thousand men has ragged
since daylight, yet night closes on
an uncertain field. II is the great
est fight since Waterloo - all over
the field contested with an obstinacy
equal even to Waterloo. If not wholly
victory to-night, believe it is a prelude
20 victory tomorrow. But what can
be loretold OF the future OF fight in
which from in the morning till AZ
night the best troops of the continent
Z have fought without decisive result.
After the brilliant victory near Mid
dletown, General Mcclellan pushed for
ward his army rapidly, and reached
Keedysville with three corps on Monday
night. On the day following, the two
armies faced each other idly until night.
Artillery was busy at intervals once in
the morning opening with spirit, and
continuing for half an hour with yigor,
ill the rebel battery as usual, was 81
fenced
Mcclellan was on the hill where Ben
jamin's battery was stationed, and found
himself suddenly under a rather heavy
fire. IL was still uncertain whether the
rebels were rctreating or reinforcing.
Their batteries would remain in position
in either case, and as they had with
drawn nearly all their troops from view,
there was only the doubtful indication of
columns of dust to the rear
a Al. e L. .l.sts
was ordered to cross the Antietam Creek
with his corps, aud feeling the left of ;he
enemy, TO be ready to attack next morn
ing. During the day of apparent mac
tivity, Mcclellan had been maturing his
plan Of battle, of which Rockers move
ment was one development.
The position on either side was pecu-
liar. When Richardson advanced on
Monday, he found the enemy deployed
and displayed in force on a crescent
shaped ridge, the outline of which fol
lowed 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 it were complete.
During that day, they kept their troops
exposed, and did not move them even to
avoid the artillery fire, which must have
been occasionally annoying. Next morn
ing the lines and columns which had
darAened. corn fields and hill crests
had been withdrawn from view Bro
ken and wooded ground behind the shell
tering hills concealed the rebel masses
What from our front looked like only a
narrow summit frihged with woods was
a broad table land of forest and ravine
cover for troops everywhere, nowhere
easy of access for an enemy. The smooth
iy sloping surface in front and the sweep
ing crescent OF slowly mingling tines was
all delusion. II was all a rebel strong
hold behind.
Under the base of these hills runs In,
deep stream called Antietam Creek, ford
able only at distant points, Thre,
bridges cross il, one on the llagerstowr
road, one on the Sharpsburg pike, on,
TO the left in q deep recess Of sleepy fall
ing hills. Hooker passed the first {,
reach the ford by which he crossed, anC
il was held by Pleasonton with a rescry,
of cavalry during the battle. The sec.
ond was close under the rebel center
and no way important TO yesterday
fight. At the third, Burnside attacked
and finally crossed. Between the frs
and third lay most of battle lines. They
stretched four miles from right TO left
Unaidod attack in front was impOssi
BILE McClellan's force lay behind low
disconnected ridges, in front of the Reb
el SUBMITS, all or nearly all, unwooded
E,w cd
guns were therefore massed on the center
The enemy had the Shepherdstown roaC
and the lIagerstown and WILLIAMSON
road both open 20 him in rear for retrea
Along one or the other, it beaten, h
must ny. This, among other reasons
determined, perhaps, the plan Of battl
which Mcclellan finally resolved on,
The plan was generally as follows
Hooker was TO cross on the right, estab
hsh himself on the enemy's left, if pos
sible, thanking his position, and TO ope
the fight sumner, Franklin and Mans
field were TO send their forces also I
the right, cooperating with and sustain
ing llooker's attack while adyancin
also nearer the center. The heavy wor
Ia the center was left mostly 10 the bat
teries, Porter massing his infantry sup
port in the hollows. On the left Burn
side was 10 carry The bridge already re
Gerred to- advancing then by roa
which enters the pike at Sharpsbur
turning at once the Rebel flank and Il,
stroying his line OF retreat. Porter an
Sykes were held in reserve. II is oby
Gus that the complete success Of a pla
contemplating widely different NOV,
ments of separate corps, must largel
depend on accurate timing, that the a
tack should be simultaneous and M
successive.
Hooker moved Tuesday afternoon
four, crossing the creek at ford abo'
the bridge and we'll TO the right, will
out opposition Fronting southwest h
advanced not quite on the rebel fan
but overlapping and threatening it,
Turning ON from the road after psssir