Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1862-09-27
,Ssllli- 4peaklq 5tun1nrh,
THE BATTLE OF sHARPsBURG.

The Richmond Enquirer gives the following &C
count of this battle:
We have succeeded in obtaining, from the most
reliable sources the following details oil lhe g'e''
battle of Wednesday: 1890, o,
On the afternoon of Tuesday the lou, inc e"e-
NV ononeS light artillery fire on our line. early
a. 1T r,orninp it was renewed more vigorously,
and large masses of the Federas who had crossed
the Antietam above our position, assembled on our
Left They advanced in three compact lines. Inc
divisions of Generals McLaws, H. ii. ANDERSON, a.
p. Hill and Walker, who were expected TO nave
Joined Gen. Lee on the previous night had hot
come I'D, Generals Jacksons and Eweils ai'i
.ops were throwG to the left of Generals Hall ana
Iopcstreet. The enemy advanced between the hn-
tistam and the Sharpsburg and IIagerstOWn tulH III
pike and was met by Gen. d. Fl. Hills ana the 1it
Of Gen. Longstreets divisions, where 1Ge co-lCs
ragged, extending to our entire LETT. Inc e'leuiy
was repused and held in check; but pTi1 10 ths
arrival of the divisions of McLaws, ANDERSON anu
Walker, who had been advanced &c Support lie te''
wing and centre. as soon as they had crossed the
Potomac on the morning of the l7th that portion
eff eur line was forced back by superior numbers.
rs soon, however as these forces could he brought
into action, severe conflict ensued. The enemy
was driven back, our line was restored, and our po-
sition maintained during the rest of the day.
In the afternoon the enemy advanced ON our
right WQeTe 0eE tOueS ulNlSlOiI was P'S'SN1
he handsomely maintained bis position. The bridge
over the Antietam creek guarded 10y General
Teomb's brigade, which calamity resisted the ap-
proach Of the enemy; but their superior numbers
enabling them to extend their left, they crossed be-
how the bridge and forced our line back in some
confusion. Just at this time, between and T.
81, General A. P. Hill, with five of his brgadcS,
having reached the scene of action, drove the enc
my Immediately back from the position they had
fox and cODrinupl tho contest until dark TeStOr
ing our right and maintaining our ground.
When the battle closed after having ragged tur-
ousy during the entire day, we retained possession
of the field and the enemy retired TO his former po
sition The conduct of many of our officers Is re-
ported by Gen. Lee to have exhibited the most con-
Spicuous and brilliant courage. Our loss was con-
siderable and we have to deplore the fall of Gen.
erals Branch and Starke, who died as soldiers love
to due, in defence of their country.
Generals r. II. Anderson Lawton, Ripley, Arm
stead, Gregg and Wrg ht are reported to have been
wounded-none OF them, however, dangerously.
In addition to the above learn from persons who
have arrived from the field that on the following
day Gen. Lee, who remained in possession of the
field, took measures to renew the engagement; but
the enemy had disappeared from his 'front.' and it is
further reported that after the removal of his wound
ed and the burial of his dead, Gen. Lee determined
to the Potomac, and had established his Head
quarters at near Shepherdstown.
The Enquirer in another article says:
We quoted in our last from Northern paper of
date the 18th inst. Papers of previous date have
been received which state that Gen. Reno was
killed on Sunday evening, in the battle near BoonS-
horo, or South Mountain as the Yankees call it. He
was shot dead while issuing orders, about P. NJ.
Gen. Miles, who was struck by shell, Just as he
had ordered the white flag to be raised at Harpers
Ferry, on Monday morning, had his leg Immediately
aInpltated, and died that night.
Gen Mcclellan has been again diSgracing himself
by false dispatches. He is mighty hero according
to his own story, but the fasehoods worthy his
Chickahomiuy fame. The fight at South Mountain
on Sunday he teegraphs as "a glorious victory!"
and he quotes Gen. Hooker as authority for saying
that Gen. Lee admitted he had been shockIngy
whipped" And as if Gen. Hooker was not enough,
he quotes rumor, stating that our loss in that
battle was seventeen thousand men.
Now the truth is that General Lee has distinctly
said that the battle referred to was reBuLse of the
enemy, although he had his whole force and we out
= portion of ours. The statement Of our loss is
absurd. We had hardly that number engaged
Surely Mcclellan is the last man who can be excus-
ed for resorting to rumOr His most chastened dis
patches are themselves reckless as ordinary ru-
NOR; what must his rumorS be! One of the enc
my letter writers says:
estimate that two thousand will cover the list of
our casualties. | think that the enemy's loss in
Killed and wounded will not exceed our own. Alto
gcther we captured two thousand prisoners
As there seems to be considerable confusion even
IN some OF our own papers, as to the times and
places of the late battles, We will state Them At
Harpers Ferry, on Sunday evneing and Monday
morning; at the Blue Ridge or South mountain
passes near Boonesboro' on Sunday and at Sharps.
burg on Wednesday.
After the battle near Boonesborough closed, Gen
eral Lee, as we have heretofore stated withdrew his
forces the same night to Sharpsburg On Monday
Mcclellan slowly followed. There was no fighting
that day, and none the next, except short and
harmless cannonade in the afternoon. Wednesday
was the day of the great fight which lasted until
night The next morning the enemy had retired,
abandoning to US the battle field