Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1863-04-29


it dispersed, after brief skirmish, killing
and wouuding many, taking some two
hundred and fifty prisoners and two guns.
Richardson S division Of Summer corps,
passing Boonsboro' to Kedysville, found a
few miles beyond the town The enemy's
forces displayed in line Of battle, stror =
both in respect to / umbeIs and position,
and awaiting attack Upon receiving re-
ports Of the disposition Of the enemy, l
directed all The corps, except Franklin's,
upon Sharpsbu 2, leaving Franklin to OBJ
serve aud check the enemy in his front,
and avail himself Of any chance that might
offer | had hoped to come up with the
enemy during the 18th in sufficient force
to beat them again and drive them into
the river. My instructions were that if
the enemy were not on the march they
were to be at once attacked if they were
found in iorce and position the corps were
to be placed in position for attack but
no attack was 10 be made until reached
the front.
On arriving at the lront in the afternoon
| found but two divisions Richardson's
and Sykes) in position. The rest we're
halted in the road, the head Of the colum
some distance in the rear Of Richardson.
After rapid examination of the position
! found that it was too late 10 attack that
day, and once directed locations to be SO,
lected for our batteries of position, and in
dioated the biyouacs for tho different corps,
massiug them near aud on both sides ot
the SharpSburgpike The corps were not
all in their places until the next morning
some time afte: sunrise,
On the 10th the enemy had slightly
changed their line and were posted upon
the heights in the rear Of the Ar.ietam
creek their left and centre bearing upon
and in front Of the road from Sharpsburg
TO Hagerstown, and protected by woods
and other irregularities Of the ground.
Their extreme left rested upon a wooden
eminence near the cross roads TO the nor, b
Cf j. Miller'G farm, the distance at this
point between the road aud the Potomac
which makes herea great bend to the east,
being about three fourths Of mile.
Their right rested on the hills to the right
Of Shorrsburg, near Suavely farm, covers
ing the crossing of Antietam and the ap,
proaches to the town from the southeast.
The ground between their immediate
front and the Antietam creek is undula.
ting Hills intervene whose crest in gem
erai are command ed by the crests of others
in their rear. On all favorable points
their artillery was posted. 1t beca1e ev
ident, from the force Of the enemy and
ths strength oftheir position, that desper.
ate fighting alone could drive Them from
the field. and all lelt that great and
terrible battle was at hand.
In proceeding TO narrative Of the q,
vents of this and succeeding day. must
here repeat what have observed in re.
porting upon the other subjects Of tbi.
communication. that I attempt in tb;,
preliminary report nothing more than
sketch of the main feature. of this great
engagement, reserving for my Official re-
port, based upon the reports of the CORPS
COMMANDERS that full DESCRIPTION of de.
tails which shall place upon record the a.
cheivemerls of individual, and Lartjcular
bodies of troops. The design was to make
the attack upon the enemy's le(l-at least
to create diversion in favor IF the main
attack, with hehope o oisomething more
by a,saiiug the enemv's right, and, as soon
as one or both Of the flank movements
we're fully successful, to attack their cen,
tire with any reserve might then have on
hand
The morning of the 10th during which
there was considerable artillery iiring) was
spent in obtaining information as to the