New-York daily tribune., 1862-11-10
mrlLRLxAN AT ANTHETAm.

When Lee determined to risk battle OF
tho Maryland side Of the Potomac. instead o.
retrcating beyond the Potomac without con
test, az be might have done. be halted hii
army in front Of Sharp.burg, and occupied Q
line of connecting hills, rayines. and woods
From that position there were two lines o.
retreat-the road to Williamsport and the road
TO Shepherdstown, both leading to iords across
! the Potomac.
Mcclellan. finding his enemy strongly posted
in front Of him, formed bis plan of battle or
hi. usual theory, endoavoring to provide before
hand for the capture as well as the deient OF
the Rebel army. This plan contemplated
! /. That Hooker should cross Abtietam Creek
on tho right, turn tho enemy's lett, and. sap
ported by Sumner. carr! tao Wiiliam'Por'
road
I >. An artillery demonstration on the center.
supported by Porter's corps. acting slso as
reserves.
3. Tha, BurnSdc should carry the Aptie.au
bridge on tho left. and subsequently, the shep-
herdstowD road.
With both tue WilEsmsport aud Shepherds
town roads in his possession, Mcclellan migbt
confidently count on the annihilailon or surren-
der Of tbs Rebel army--if he could defeat IT,
Hooker crossed Antetam Creek on tuesday
afternoon. and by rapid and brilliant recon
no.ance, unmarked ue Rebel front on the
right aud seizus the strongest positions nearest
TO his enemy. after a short engagement which
tie dsrknes. suspended, rent word 10 McC lean
that the battle would begin 1T daylight, aud
that Summers corps should be on the ground
at that hour.
From the extreme right OF Hooker to the
extreme left Of Burnside, the line Of battle
was four miles long. On such leDgth Of line,
and with two flank movements in progress, il
is obvious that success must depend--hrst, on
the distribution OF forces; aud secondly, on the
correspondence ia tine between the separate
attacks.
Hooker attacked az daylight, Mlnsheld's
corps forming part Of his forces. From day
/ light until 9 o'cOck--more than four hours
he fought with unequaled skill aud courage. but
without support. AZ . o'clock he was wounded,
and Sumner, whom Mcclellan should have sent
to the field at daylight arrived and took com-
maId. lIooker's troops, though victorious. were
greatly exhausted. Sumner relieved them with
his own corps; and, attacking with headoag
impetuosig, WAS beaten in an hour, and driven
back to the position first held by Hooker.
Not TIL all this was over; till Sumner had
lost all Hooker had gained, and 5000 killed
nDd wounded lay on the field; rot TIL The flame
of battle had burnt itself out on the right. was
Burnside ordered TO attack on the left. As
Hooker and Sumner had been loit 70 fight their
own battles successiyely, unaided 80 Burnside
moved without help from aay diversion OF the
enemys attention. Once over the bridge, be
advanced toward the Shepberdstown road, but
MAS speedily checked. AJir he was checked,
Franklin, in turn, renewed the attack VA the
right. aud recovered the ground which Sumner
had lost, but he, being also without support,
could DO nothing more.
Thus it stood at O'Clock in the afternoon.
the attacks oil day long having oscillated from
any moment becoming general, concentrated,
or effective. Mcclellan, up to this tlmc, bad
neither attacked with bis whole available force
at any one point, nor made any two move.
ments at the same time, or in cooperation.
At 4 o'clock, however, sending urgent word to
Burnside that this is tie battle Of the war,
and bis tue decisive movement OF the battle,
be orders him to carry the hill in his front at
any 'cost. At the same hour, he ordered
Fraukin to carry the woods on the right-the
key Of the position there. But Sumner replied
that be could not support Franklin if repulscd
whercupon Franklin was ordered to run no
rishs, and accordingly lay still. Burnside
therefore advanced to the decisive movement
Of the great battle Of the war" without 60.
operation or support, aud with tho remnant of
49, 600 men. Hooker, Mansfield, Sumner, and
franklin had been successfully sont to tho
right until not less than 10000 troops, living
aud dead, lay massed on that part Of the Geld;