Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1863-04-04
PUBLISHED (DAILYl BIZ
EnGAIl SNOW D EN-. r.
ora~ OFFICE-No 1Ot King street, over
;3nc,s ~; formerly French s) Book Store.
NV NcCLErLAS's Official Report OF the
;, ,1tI,o of Snufh Mountain and Antletam has

T,+t}as Of South Mountain ana LAhtiet"'n nao
;n.t .t'I hnen made public OF the latter battle,
.ft. piy;ng the details Of the conflict, ne says
"Vith the day closed this memora6e battle
j. which nerhaps. near two hundred tnous-
~ md men were for fourteen hours engaged IN
n,roh,t We had attacked the enemy IN po-
,;r;on driven them from the line on one, Hank
>, / Secured footing within it on the ofher.-
J,nder the depression Of previous rcyerses, we
lad achieved a victory over an adversary N,
vested with the prestige OF former success and
Initiated with recent triumph. Oar forces slept
:loI NIGHT conouerors or a field won by their
,,.1nr and covered with the dead aud wounded
Ot the enemy
The NIGHT. however, presented serious ques
tionc. morning brought with it grave RESPONSE
}ilities 20 renew theattack again on the 18th,
or 70 defer it. with the chance Of the enemy's
retirement after day OF suspense, were the
Questions before me. A careful and anxious
,rry2y OF the condition Of my command,
and ny knowledge Of the enemy $ force
aaa position, failed to impress me with any
reasonable certainty Of success if | renewed the
attack without reinforcing columns. a view
d the shattered state OF some OF the corps
suticed to deter me from pressing them into
immediate action, and I fet that my duty to
The army and the country forbade the risks
involved in a hastv movement, which might
Jesuit in the loss OF what had been gained the
previous day. Impelled by this consideration
awaited the arrival of my reintorcements,
taking advantage Of the occasion to collect
,ogetherth dispersed, everest to the fat gued
sud remove the wounded. Of the reinforce
ments, Cou,h's division, although marching
with commendable rapidity, was notin position
until late hour in the morning. and Hum
phrey' division Of new troops, tatigued with
forced marches, we're arriving throughout
the day, but were not available until near
its close. Large reinforcements from Penn
sylyania, which were expected during the
day, did not arrive at all.
During the 18th orders were given for a re-
1ega ot the attack at day light on the 10TH
On the night Of the 18th the enemy, after hav-
ing been passing troops IN the latter part OF the
day trGm the Virginia shores to their position
behind Sharpsburg, as seen by our officers
suddenly formed the design Of abandoning
. Their line. This movement they executed be-
lore Daylight. Being but a short distance from
. lhe river. the evacuation presented but little
oDh(ully. 1t was however, rapidly followed up.
\ Reconnaissance was made across the river
/ On the evening OF the 10th, which resulted in
aScertaiuing the near presence Of the enemy in
some jorre, and in our capturing six guns. A
second Reconnaissance, the next morning,
"23ch' viii the first, was made by small de-
"eanent from Porter's corps, resulted in b.
55"t7iNS heavy force Of the enemy there. The
0eT4ttchmert withdrew with slight 'oss
~ j." nile It gives ne pleasure TO speak OF the
S"laAtry and devotion Of officers and men,
k.S'efaI!y displayed through this conflict, | feel
n :, necessary TO mention that some officers and
~ aS'' = kuked from their places in the ranks IN
/ 1~ ''e battle was over Death On the spot
.r1 .:sl 'ereatter be the fate Of all such towards,
{ ~,,.I ~,1 ne hands Of the military commanders
o%o 1S. Do strengthened with all the power OF the