The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-10-04

for defense in their favor. McClellan's
army on that day confronted the entire
available rebel force that had invaded
Maryland or occupied Northeastern Nir-
RiniA. Subsequent eyeRis confirmed this.
Citizens Of Hsrper's Ferry assured me
that the Gouiederates. did not remain
there taorethAn eight hours after Tie sur
render. They paroled our prisoners 10
great haste; they did not stop 70 carry oil
half the available "spoils;" they let guns,
cannon, army stores ia abundance. Ii
was imperative that they should go, for
they knew the critical hour had arrived,
A reconnaissance TO l.eesburg by cavalry
sent out from Sigers corps revealed the
fact that there VAS no considerable rebel
force there. Another Reconnaissance TO
Thoroughlaro Gap proved that he had
Withdrawn everything but few cavalry
pickets. Where, then, was the enemy?
Theauswer Is % plain " thes nose ON
your fAce---in front OF Mcclellan.
As TO numbers, then, the armies were
pretty evenly balanced, the preponder-
ance, as usual being with the enemy II
anybody could have guaranteed the safe
~ Of Washington for a few days, perhaps
Sigeps corps might have been turned 10
account In discipline and valor there
was little difference. The rebels fought
with the greatest desperation, our troops
with the greales endurance. There was
equal obstinacy, perhaps equul impelu-
OsitY ....
la battle were all tho forces that 60
20 make up success 0h either side vera
so evenly balanced, a single bluudsr
Of auy magnitude in the disposition Of
the divisions, aud their timely reinforce
ments when pressed, would have been
fatal. but report the opinion Of officers
high in command, when | say that no
such blundct was committed No bri-
gadc, no division was brought into ac-
ton fatigued or exhausted. The men
were given time TO prepare their coffee
TO eat their rations, and 20 rest before
going into action. .
There was no ilinchiug, no stampeding,
Here upon the right, there upon the left,
n brigade may have given ground under
a cross fire, but they reformed quickly,
advanced steadily, and fought bravely,
To the heroic bearing Of the rank and
| files much so as to the ability dis
! played in handling them, the success of
the day may be attributed. .........
II was then a drawn battle, consider
! ed as q battle per Se We had gained
something ia position, taken perhaps
| fifteen hundred prisoners, a few stand OF
] colorS, No cannon that | could hear OF,
| and lost in Killed and wounded an az
! gregatc which the rebel loss will not
greatly exceed. II they lost more in
4 killed, it is not going far from the truth
l TO say, we lost more in wounded. They
fought to wound, our men TO kill la
general officers our men greatly exceed
ed theirs. A drawn battle, il wa. pre-
sumcd it would be renewed the next day,
andwitlr this, Expectation our troops slept
on their arms on Wednesday night
In another sense, the rebels staked
upon itwhat they alectedly STYLED the
"deliverance of Maryland" The night
before the battle in Sharpsburg the obi
GERS boasted openly of their ability 10
fog the Yankees" Over their wine
they discussed the delightful prospect OF
winter quarters in Philadelphia, and the
abundance of food aud clothing which
they would assess At the expense Of the
Pennsylvania Dutehmen. They talked
about il with the ASSURANCE of men who
are morally certain of success in any
enterprise. The army was cuthused
with the same idea. II was starvation
and raggcdness in Virginia, or plenty
and good clothing in Pennsyiyania and
Maryland. The battle dispelled these
/ lusions. 1t was then retreat or ami
hilatiOn. Retreat was yet feasible, as
have showu-should it have been per-
.mitted This, aud what transpired az
ter the battle, | reserve for another let
ter.
1t was deep in the night before we left
the hospitals, where every one who could
act IN the capacity Of nurse was needed
Moving back along the road to Boones-
bOro', the sight presented was singular
aud beautiful. The country, for mileG
upon miles on either hand, presented the
appearance of a city by night, only that
the lights were irregularly placed, scat
tered among forests and in fields To
move away from the hospitals, where the
suffering was now more agohfzing than
during the day (wounds at first pair
but lttle) from men begging you to shoot
them, and so bring the relief prayed fol-
IN yaln--7from men begging for a doctor
calling for water, asking for food-rron
the odOt of blood, from the sight Of
CHASTITY wounds, from the faint OF cor.
ruption, out into the peaceful country
with the night winds stirring the leaves
the waterfalls FLASHING with cooling
sound in the depths Of the forests, witt
the beautiful lights of heaven shining
serenely from The clear SKI, and th,
camp fires, before which men passed and
repassed, like ghosts glimmering below.
was a grateful and refreshing change
fortune directed me to The headquarter,
Of Lieutenant Jamison, Quartermaster OF
the 9th Indiana, for whose hospitalit :
and assistance in collecting the lisis OF
killed aud wounded OF that regiment,
wish to make this acknowledgement.
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