The New York herald., 1863-04-28

orders cueral Mcclellan 10 advance with nv coffs
the noh sle OF the road for the purpose Of making
ient 10 iayor o. Burnside troops. AT that time De-
longcd t right wing. OF which General Burnside pad
been placed IA command Feeling thai attack on the
south side o the road would result iavorably to US
G'es putting my column IN mott directed my tiools 70
advance othe baseo the mountain on the north sde o ,e
road. and as RAPIDLY the divisions arrived had he
depioycd tor battle. As soon they were depioyed
J directed an advance, which resulted Ia our gam
irg ossesiono OF the spiral ridge OF the mountn t'
night Where directed my troops 10 remain unt iu''r
Ordc 4 was dark when we gained those helghts ~
the morning tic skrmishers took possession o. tne
which enabled army TO advance. As soon as ms va
mmunwatcd 10 Gen Mcclellan was INSTRUCTED e '" ,e
low up hc rotreatitg army and, II nv trop s 10
rest, let schtrl sons division when hHu peon se4
report 10 nc take the advance while MY men were iaA
ns coffee aiG getting something TO eat Iney ,nf
TIE pursuit vigorously taking prisoners all tnc way a
MI, ten click thai av they canie 70 the position
which the enemy had taken 10 make stthu inie "1s
a,out midway between Autetam creek aud sharpsDurs
on ,be roYd c,din 20 he FORD Potomac. the enc
my Two lines, each OF whlcn !uussu "
be about SIX miles long ney the raad abna
thee mites r line sde OF the road and about three
miles ca tie other judged that they had IN those TWO
lines hont ftty thousand II seemed 10 me al the
time that they drawn up aud displayed
for effect | already informed that they
had fallen from South Mountain hastily and IN dis
order thai time only Richardson's division, some OF
Pieasantons cavalry and brigade OF my CORPS tuo-
eemy. TIE creek was between me aud the enemy About
two O'clock saw that tho rear ol the enemy nne was
breaking into column and marching 70 the rea,, ~ S erS
direction Of Will mspot, where there was sno'ner oaa
across the Potomac. fully expecte iah ney were Oh
the retreat immediately sent en- ecr OF the Engineer
fords across creek By which could cross when
the rebel should be mucn reduced that u wouia
be safe or me to attack. was prevented from crossing
An,ictam bridge by reason Of the batteries which the
rebels had lnted defend t. Probably not iess tnah
sixty guns coad have swe. the bridge haa 20
cross there by five O'Clock that day, think the pai
a. my corps mad arrived and the otner corps were
coming up About that time General Mcclellan arrived.
THAT was before tho front Of me had been SUN
cieptly reduced justify an attack by me. When ne
arrived of course, not at liberty TO make the
attack We remained in these positions until about two
O'CLOCK ON the 10TH when received orders to cross An
ttam crock Cadysviehat Is, some three or Tour
mios above the road leading 70 sharpsourg ! immedi,
e,ey put my corps notion and after proceeding about
three miles fell upon the outposts of the enemy and
drove them in drove them ahead Of me until dark that
night When night came had as much resistance in
front Of me as could well stand up under. AS soon as
hnd established my lines with view 10 make my camp
secure during the nsn "a hs EARLIEST dawp
des take the initiative. was aware that the enc
my already In great strength in front OF me- ana tnat
in all prob sbty they would be reinforced during the
night When had left with my corps to make this at
tark had been assured that simultaneous with my
tue centre and the left tho next morning sent word
& General Mcclellan when proposed TO attack, in order
he might direct the other attacks TO be made at the
same time.
BATTLE OF ANTIETAM.
AT dawn made the attack, and gained the high ground
which commanded the position which the enemy had
taken, which they held at the time commenced the
IN vement AT nine O'Clock that morning had advanced
steadily. but securely to the point that desired had
battery OF hOWtZerS THIS nlgn ground.
had sc for two additional batteries to double quick up
10 that position number OF my infantry regiments
well posted 10 protect them on their arrival.
While advancing the morning Of the nth, and about
hall past o'clock, Manshelds corps at my request,
had boen sent to my support and as soon as all my re
serves were engaged ordered him forward, and about
one Of his command assisted in taking possession Of
this commanding position. While looking for point at
which 70 post the batteries had sent for was wounded
At that tnc my troops In the finest spirits. They
had whipped jackson and compelled the enemy to fly
throwing away their arms their banners, and saving
apft tho In
officers OF the regiments were riding up and down
in front Of their with the coiors captured from
the enemy In their hands, the troops almost rent
the skies with their cheers there the greatest good
feeling that 1 have ever witnessed on the field OF
bate was at that time !hat sent word TO General
bring his corps forward was conscious Of bis arrival,
OF the condition OF his advance Headdrcssed and
passed on. hadprevousy tainted but was In state OF
partial consciousness At the time this happened was
then carried of the eld and that s about all know Of
ing Tho enemy encountered on the 10Th had been re-
inorced during the night by jackson, from Harper's
Ferry All that party my troops had nled with panic aad
they werc falling back fleeing upon their comrades In
disorder cd condition. knew that had gained enough
there. that when Sumner came up-from converse
supposed would take command. felt as though there
would be troops enough with to drive the rebel army
aS nc do s 81 Ssd
early Ia order to be able to do It.
@ You regarded that battle won, only requiring y
be followed up TO make the victory decisive oney
Az evidence or my feeling when sy tho neld, tele
graphed 70 my brother In law-supposng they would b
did not sapposs @ has anything could happen b. which
any drawn battle could be made out Of It, teegraphec
contested on both sides had lost about ave Thousand
myself but supposed that we bad everything IN ouI
own hands. Instead Of q simultaneous attack being
where Burnside was, there was no attack where Porter
was and they told Afterwards that Burnside attacked
There was therefore, plenty Of time 70 transfer the
troops had In my front to meet Burnside when he at
ing the whole rebel army with only my own force.
DEcExsxR 20, 1852.
Major General Joseph Hooker sworn and exsmnsd:--
BY the Chairman-Q What position do you hold IN th'
military scrvices A. am Major General Of Volunteers
and command one OF what Ia called the Grand Divisoni
Of to army of the Potomac
THE CHANGE OF BAsH.
Q. You have road the resolution OF the Senate unde
which this committee is now acting Will you please u
go and state, in your manner what you consider
necessary order TO give us clear and concise hisor
Gen. Burnside assumed the command Of its A. jone
the army at Warrenton about the 10th Of November
that tine Gen. burnside was in command. After ha'
been there q day two, during which time there
talk Of transferring the line Of operations from tn
line OF the railroad at warrenton to the line of raroa
at Aqua crock, Gen. Haeck and Gen. Meigs visite
cen. Burnside, as was informed 10 determine whethe
this trausfer oi the line OF operations should be made
AS near as recoect that about the lth Of No
vember That matter was discussed between those Gene
rails and General Burnside and II determined tina
that transfer should be made. Some one OF the party
which that they thought they could have every
thing ready this line in three days. This not
private consultation. was present in the at th
time these things discussed, and although my opn
ion IN regard them asked heard the
ton rney said they thought they could have the po
toons ready the stores lded and everything In read
ness advance three days. remember that though
that was marvellous at the time that not With
the range q human possibility to do that soon after th
movement 20 the Rappahannock commenced will sa
here that brought up the rear OF the army Il
narchng from Warrenton To this point. ] mentor
this matter because think IL has important hear
iIg upon matters which 10 com
~ rrwsrds fhc Of this movement con
iercd the post Of houor After being upon the
aro tnree days, stop cd one day with my command a
iiartwood From that point addressed letter TO Gen
Rurnsde requesting that he would permit the 10 tn
river with my grand division az OF the fors there
and come down the south side VI the Rappahanno,k
hut Tor reasons assigned In communication from him th
request was denied ! then marched 10 this place
ln the meantime had received orders 20 have my CON
u,nd furnished with twelve days rations, forage TO
three lays and the requisite amount OF ammnniuon
tIartA Aboi | had three days provisions with me. y
reaching this point found that the division which ha