Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1862-09-27

lie crossed without opposition, e-1, ~. -
cavalry skirmishcs who were speedily driver
back. and then, advancing with his wholC
force about six o'clock, took possession ot
strong ground, close to the Rebels left, and
Immediately became engaged with artillery
and infantry Darkness ended the fight
with slight loss on either side Hooker carry
ing and holding the woods from which the
cncmys first fire came.
There were constant alarms during The
night, the hostile pickcts bcing'cosc to each
other all along the line Early in the even.
ing the Rebels took to fighting among them
selves, and several heavy volleys were dc.
ltvcrcd there before they discovered their
mistake
At daybrcak the fight was renewed sud
denly and vehcmcntly, both sides opening
fire together. The number and position OF
| the Rebel batteries the evening before had
disclosed that they were in great force on
the right, and word had been sent to Nc
Clclan to advance Summers Corps during
the night. 1t did not arrive on the field till
nine in the morning.
| McClcllan's plan of battle was briefly as
follows: Hooker was to cross the creek on
the right, as before stated; Sumner, Frank
lin and Mansfield to cooperate with and
sustain his attack. IN front the batteries
were to push forward with infantry supports
and an effort to be cmadc to carry the heights
on the left Burnside was to cross the
creek by the bridge, and attack the Rebel
right, moving on Sharpsburg also, which
was in their rear, and thus cut off their re-
treat. Porter and Sykes were held in re
serve. The plan if succassrul. must result
not merely in the defeat Dut the destruction
/ or surrender Of the Rebel army. The ground
! is peculiar.
The Rebel line was formed on n crcsccnt-
shaped ridge, which in front slopes down
/ into an undulating valley irrcgulaly broken
/ by connecting ranges of hills. Behind the
crest the Rebel army lay in uneven and
strong positions, sheltered by ridges and
! hills, and especially strong on the tanks
/ Antictam Creek, stream to deep TO be ford
ed except in very few places, sweeps by the
! base Of their position and protected it from
assault.
! McClclan's forces were first formed in
! front, and aftCrward thrown to the right and
| left. There is little OF no ground on our
/ side equal in height to the Rebel position.
| Hooker sustained, unaidcd. the attack on
I the Rebel left force nearly four hours. His
! line had been formed the night before, and
/ fought to-day in the same order. Rickctt's
/ Division was on the left. Mecde's Pennsyl-
! vania Reserves in the centre, Doubledays'
| Division on the right. These terms are, of
course, to be understood as referring only to
/ lIookcrs line, not the whole field. There
was artillery at all points. Meade gained
ground in his first attack.
/ Ricketts, also went forward through the
woods in his front and Doubleday, with his
guns held front against a heavy cannOnadc.
Meade advancing, finally met heavy body
Of fresh troops thrown suddenly and vigor-
( ously against him, and was driven back over
part of the ground he had just won. Rick
ctt's line was at the same time hard pressed
and became dcrangcd. Mansfield, who had
come over the creek the night before, was
ordered into woods to Ricketts, support, and
liurtsuf's Brigade, part of Doubday's COM
mand, was sent to sustain Meade. Mansfield
took the greatest part of his troops to Rick
cts help, but they were unable to extend
their line, and in the effort to push forward
/ his men, General Mansfield was mortallv
wounded. General IIartstuir advanced to
the relief of Meade with the 18th and 18th
Massachusetts and another regiment. The
| Pennsylvania troops were retiring in haste
and some confusion. Ilartstutf seized a
/ bridge in front of the field over which the
/ Rebels were pressing, and held it in splendid
style for more than half TN hour against Il
| greatly superior attack His men behaved
most gallanty, standing on the exposed
ground firing steadily and never waYering
once.
| General ITartstuffwas very severely wound
| ed. His troops retained their position, and
| finally, by the precision and rapidity ofthcir
! fire, compelling the enemy To retreat instant
ly, advanced in pursuit While they had
been engaged Hooker ordered up Crawtord's
and Gordon's brigadcs to their support
IlartstuH retained the advance, and Craw-
ford and Gordon followed in support. 4
Rebel battery on the right, which had been
most annoying by an initiating fire was
about the same time silcnccd 10y Doubleday's
guns, and Hooker ordered his whole line
forward.
The Rebels were driven through the corn
field again into the woods beyond where
they could not easily be disloiged with
out artillery. Gen. Hooker, who all the
morning had kept himself under fire aud
generally in the hottest of il, rode forward
To examine the ground in front in order to
plant battery. As lie rode up the hill he
became 4 conspicuous mark tor the Rebel
sharpshootcrs; their fire increased very sud
denly and Gen. Hooker was wounded in the
left foot, bullet passing entirely through it.
The wound was excessively severe and pain
iul, and he was compelled 10 leave the field
Three men were shot down by his side at
the same moment lie was wounded.
Up to this time the attack has been u
success. The hardest fought ground was in
the undisputed possession Of Hookers troops
and his last order, as be was borne from the
field, was that Crawfords and Gordons
Brgadcs should Immediately advance and
carry the woods to the right The whole
line had gone forward with the widest
cheering and everything looked like com
p!cte and speedy success AT this fortunate
moment General Sumner arrived on the field
at the head OF his veteran corps. Pursuing
the forward movement he led his meu i'm
mediatcly against the Rebel line and to the
support of Crawford. Scdgwick's Division,
the flower of the Peninsula army, advanced
on the right, Richardson and French, at a
considerable interval on the left. The first
yolley from Scdgwick's troops was tremeu-
dous but it was answered 10y heavier one,
Crawford had found the Rebels in great
force in the woods, and was already in need
of assistance. Sedgwick's flank also became
exposed ON the left in consequence of the
distance between him and the other div-
sions.