The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-04-17

without reinforcing columns. A view Of
the shattered state of some of the corna7
sufficed to deter me from pressing them
into immediate action, and / felt that NV
duty to the army and the country forbade
the risks involved. in hasty movement.
which might result in the loss of what had
been gained the previous day. Impelled
by this consideration, waited the arrival
of my reinforcements, taking advantage
OF the occasion to collect together the dis
|persed, give rest to the fatigued, and re-
move the wounded. Of the reinforce
ments, COUGHS division, although march
ing with commendable rapidly, was not
imposition until a late hour in the morning,
and Humphreys division of new troops,
fatlgued with forced marches, were arri-
wing throughout the day, but were not
available until near its close Large rein
fOrcements from Pennsylvania, Which were
expected during the day, did not arrive
at all. '.li" s'" " -nn'' 70 t...-
During the 18th orders were given for
a renewal Of the attack at daylight on the
10Th. On the night of the 18th the enc
my, after having been passing troops in
the latter part of the day from the Viz
ginia shore to their position behind Sharps-
burg, as seen by our officers, suddenly
formed the design of abandoning their
line. This movement they executed be-
fore daylight Being but a short distance
from the river, the evacuation presented
but little difficulty. 1t was, however,
rapidly followed up. .. ...
A reconnaissance was made across the
river on the evening of the 10Th, which
resulted in ascertaining the near presence
of the enemy in some force, and in our
capturing six guns.
/ A second reconnaissance, the next morn
ing, which, with the first, was made by a
small detachment from Porter's corps, re-
suited in observing heavy force of the
enemy there. The detachment withdrew
with slight loss. submit herewith list
of the killed, wounded, and missing in the
engagements of the 18th, and of the 10th
and 18th. The enemy S loss is believed,
from the best sources of information, to
be nearly 10000. Their dead were mostly
left on the field, and large number of
wounded were left behind
While ii gives me pleasure to speak Of
the gallantry and devotion of officers and
men, generally displayed through the con-
flict, feel it necessary to mention that
some officers and men skulked from their
places in the ranks until the battle was
over. Death on the spot must hereafter
be the fate Of all such towards, and the
hands of the military commanders must
be strengthened with all the power of the
| government to infict it summarily
The early and disgraceful surrender of
Harpers Ferry deprived my operations of
results which would have formed brill
liant sequence to the substantial and graft
flying success already related. Had the
garrison held out twenty four hours longer,
| should, in all probability, have captured
that part of the enemy's force engaged in
the attack on the Maryland Heights. while
the whole garrison, some twelve thousand
strong, could have been drawn to rein
force me on the morning of the 18th. |
would have been in position to have de-
stroyed the rebel army. Under the same
circumstances, had the besieging force on
the Virginia side at Harper's Ferry not
have been withdrawn, would have had
thirty-five or forty thousand men less to
encounter at Antietam, and must have
captured or destroyed all opposed to me.
AS it was, had to engage an army fresh
from recent, and to them a great victory,
and to reap the disadvantages of their be-
ing freshly and plentifully supplied with
ammunition and supplies.
The object and result of this brief cam
paign may be summed up as follows: In
the beginning Of the month of September
the safety Of the national capital was seri-
ously endangered by the presence of VIC
torious enemy, who soon after crossed into
Maryland, and then directly threatened
Washington and Baltimore, while they oc-
cupied the soil of loyal State, and threat
ened an invasion ofPennsylvania. The army
of the Union, inferior in numbers, wearied
by long marches, deficient in various sup
plies, worn out by numerous battles, the
last Of which had not been successful, first
covered by its movement the important
cities of Washington and Baltimore then
boldly attacked the victorious enemy in
their chosen strong position, and drove them
back, with all their superiority OF numbers,
into the State of Virginia; thus saving,
the loyal States from invasion, and rude
ly dispelling the rebel dreams of carry
ing the war into our country and sub
sisting upon our resources. Thirteen guns
and thirty-nine colors, more than fifteen
thousand stand of small arms, and more
than six thousand prisoners, were the
trophies which attest the success of our
arms.
Rendering thanks to Divine Providence
for its blessing upon our exertions, l close
this brief report. beg only to add the
hope that the arrays efforts for the cause
in which we are engaged will be deemed
worthy to receive the commentator OF
the Government and the country.
am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN,
rI.. Major General U. S. Army.
To Brgadier General L. THOMAS,
Adjutant General U. s. Army.
Faith in the Lord and General VIC.
CleIlan.