The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-05-11

before US, more than mile away to the east,
Is a mountain several hundred feet above the
general level around, upon the summit of
which the signal corps was stationed during
the battle. and some days AFTER Up we go,
through the dense wood, aud soon find our
selves at the top, in an area of felled trees of
about an acre. From this elevation the whole
battle field is exposed like a map. To the
west, more than two miles, lies Sharpsburg;
further away, nearly five miles, is Shepards-
town, Va. TO the right, a mile and half
| northerly, our guide points out large house
near the Antetam - Gen. McClellan's head
quarters. As we turn to the east. we view
Pleasant Valley, one of the loveliest wales in
all the world. Northeasterly are Boonesboro
and South Mountain. The signal station is a
large Chestnut tree, the small branches cut off,
and scafiolds built of poles laid across the
large limbs. One last fond look at the mag
nihcent panorama to the north and west
stretching from the Blue Ridge away in the
southwest to the Pennsylvania mountains
nearly hundred miles - and we start down
the mountain. A view from that signal sta
tion is worth a journey of five hundred miles.
Our course is now northerly, along the foot of
the mountain, and we observe small ceme-
terry neatly walled in, and containing sixty
two graves, all with neat head boards plainly
lettered with black paint. Here are buried
two members of the 20th Maine regiment
w. Ii. Jones and NJ. B. Washburn, both of
Co. CO
Near one corner of the cemetery is a plain
wooden obelisk, painted white, and surmount-
ed by round cannon ball, and by the side OF
the monument Is 20 FOUNDER Parrott gun.
which am told was taken from the rebels as
ter being shattered at the muzzle and dis
mounted by our shot. This monument has
the following inscription on the West side :
SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF THE UNION
SSoLDIERS SgLD d,s r., WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN DE.
OF ANIlErAM SEPT. II. 1862.
And on the south side:
ERECTED BY THE ATTENDANTS OF LOCUST
SPRING HOSPITAL DEC 90 1862.
With saddened feelings we leave this conse-
Grated spot and take a course to the north
ward. We soon come to the residence of Mr.
Philip Pry, large brick mansion, the head
quarters of Gen. Mcclellan during the bat
tie. BY leave of Mr.. Pry's son, we ascend
to the house top through scuttle, and
stand by the chimney where the great strate-
gist observed the movements of his vctori-
GUS army. Here Gen. Hooker was brought
after he was wounded. This place commands
view of a large part of the battle field. the
signal station and the country to the rear to-
wards South Mountain.
From here We recross the Antietam. and
proceed further northerly to the Smoketown
Hospital, composed Of wall tents well situat-
ed and in good order, in healthy location
There were several hundred patients here af-
ter the battle but they have nearly all been
sent to their regiments or discharged from
service. There are now about 75. Only one
Maine man remains, George Sherwood, OF Lu-
bee, 9th Maine regiment. This hospital is
nearly as large as regimental camp.
From here we go back towards Sharpsburg,
leaving large portion of the battle ground on
our right, towards the Potomac, unexplored,
We wish to 60 to the cornield where Hooker's
men fought so desperately. On our way, we
pass many graves of UEion soldiers. One board
says "A member of the 10th Maine Regt.''
All! here is the ground fought over by
the brave sons of my own State. / feel
thrill ofpride cominingIed with grief for the
sad tate OF those heroes lying wrapped in their
martial shrouds in this sacred ground. A few
rods further on, in the edge OF a grove of grand
old oaks, are more 10th Maine men. Capt. n.
i. Furbish, Of Portland, Co. |. Lieut.. WIN.
Ward, same company, Lieut.. L. Bracket, OF
Co. ID, and James Jordan, of Portland, CO. b,
all lie side by side. There are doubtless others
near, but we have not time to seek them.
Here we pass into the cornfeld, where are
many Union graves, nearly all marked by
boards, containing the name, company, regi-
ment, and date Of death. Here are long tren-
ches, where many hundred rebel soldiers lie
uncofiined and unknown. They were all bur-
led by our soldiers. On one head board is
scores of similar trenches on the ground fought
over by the Union right wing. At this point
the rebels were reinforced by Stonewall Jack
sons force, and here seems 10 have been the
hardest fighting. Mr.. Miller living near this
place says that not less than nine thousand re-
bels were buried ON his farm. Around us lie
the carcasses Of horses and mules and the de-
brts OF beef cattle. Specimens of nearly all
the paraphernalia Of war are strewn over these
fields. Here is a woolen sock with the shoe
well tied up, which is found to contain the foot
OF the former wearer. In a corner of the for
est near by Is a huge oak, under whose wide
branches satGen. Hooker. when he was wound
ed. We are lucky enough to find here nearly
an entire lock belonging to Springfield
musket
We now cross the Hagcrstown road near
by, and enter the woods near the old Dunkard
church. We are at least 800 yards to the
rear OF the rebel line of battle. The graves
show who fell here, and how far our men
drove the enemy. In stone quarry lie near
ly hundred men of the New York 42d-the
Tanmany regiment. These trees attest the
deadly nature OF the conflict; large oaks shat
tered and broken off by Shells the trunks lit
orally "peppered" with mimic balls. Near by
here are buried two lieutenants of Mississippi
regiment.
Back to the road where stands the wreck of
the Dunkard church, alluded to in McClellan's
official report. 1t is perforated in many pla-
ces by shot and shell, and its walls look as il it
had had the small pox. Across the road,
through several large fields containing many
graves, and we visit the Bloody Lane" where
1t is estimated by those citizens who saw il
Immediately after the fight, not less than 500
rebels were slain by our infantry. This lane
is twenty feet wide, and is now strewn with
equipments and remnants of clothing.
From here we take our way across the fields
to town. having had jaunt of about twelve
miles, and yet there thousands of acres
fought over and containing relics of the bat
tie, which we have not seen.
The battlefield of Antietam is about five
miles by four in extent. Almost every square
rod can be seen from the signal station with
the naked eye, except some places occupied
by woods The course of the Potomac for
miles, the ford and the Virginia side, are all
plainly visible without the aid of a glass
lien. Mcclellan was at the signal station him
self the day after the battle and must have
been aware of the retreat of the enemy, which
was going on briskly all day Thursday, though
1t appears from his report that he had no
knowledge or suspicion that the enemy would
not be in position TO fight on Friday. There
is not man OF scores of the most intelligent
gentlemen of this town, who thinks that the
Commander Of our army followed up the adj
vantages which he gained in the battle of An.
tietam, and which all assert from positive
knowledge, he had the means at command to
do. But that matter is before the country.
The reader will pardon this lengthy but i'm
perfect description of our review Of the "situ-