The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-05-11
COMMUNICATIONS.
A Visit to Antietam.
SHARPSBURG. MD

=
SHARPsBURG, MD, April 26, 1863
To the Editor Qf the Press:
There are different ways to do many things.
This is not late discovery, but recent obscr-
vations have iorcibly illustrated it to me. For
instance, L came here two days ago to take a
look at the battle field of Antietaln. have
Travelled about twenty-five miles-llave not
been outside of the ground occupied by the
contending armies on that memorable 18th
September, and have only visited a few of the
points OF prominent interest in an area of not
less than twenty square miles, the whole of
which was the scene of active fighting aud
retreating; and l must leave the place only
partly satisfied with this brief examination.
Some visitors do Antietam in this way. They
ride into town-leave horse at hotel-take a
drink or cigar-go out upon commanding
knoll, look up and down the Antietam a few
minutes-perhaps put a few questions to the
citizen who has kindly volunteered to show
them the field, and turning on heel with sat
isfied air, wend their way back to the hotel
take drink-call for their horse and away
they go; they have seen Antietam!
Many people, 1 suspect, "go through col
lego" in this way, and probably know almost
as much when they graduate as when they
enter.
Reader, If you are possessed of patriotic
impulses, If you delight to view the scenes
where the power OF our country was manifest
ed and a part OF her glory achieved, if you
desire TO have your mind disaSused of the
.h win "nich the perusai OF
sh o;as,as iepol1 li'ls nlieu II. ahayou are
:. Sa,.',' ~ 'n;s paee VIC" A'le.ali
yo"r ,eisuIe, s''e s. y meeA VIII repay
s e,' ne paI.;. ms. sApcui'ous lcu.e 10 th,s
H. ,Sa pa,,iora and os;,. sa;,u " .a". oiiy Is
~ .ao Da'..o'o 1.,, anu onio .al'roau wa mar
there is good conveyance by stage to this
h.va ON aasv I'D ,hra,s.,, ,.;a,a anu
ha.n,;r,, son,,., 49,. =, ,vas,t;'s..,-' "n
. L.,l. - layi p = 81, ~ ~iaen :. na @,. se'
al ~, a,.J 49,, anu ono "a
49,, aas ~. "n soo ~ Iuas N way III
Whan a.s 49,. III -. ss., !" ~ y.
of M a.ron Cod ,,ho a"1 s,1a sss
o,.,s;,d ,l.o a.,.a w ~ s,ee .ne oas'ie Ina. nls
sold;ars or ,,o,i, a,.;as n',,a. - a'.;' ,a.sn .,a
Gil Ha - w., ;,,.aii;,,.as az "" 'ne
rndad hnndrads an'r a. h.,,I, a.,n ,"n, '"a ),
Sor ras;or vonrseJf ~ h;s ,.,;da, a"a III,
gat ! e,oed iong ualL .nd @ ;,,a.,s.. 80
or ;nsormat;o5 M;na No., pn,no. l,f ~,
Sb.rns,,nr. hasal nil, s,,anJ -. .sn.,. ~ sne
comt,ris ie ~, a,ni,hIe ,,a,,nar ~ 'oe' - '0"'''e
Rnt as there ar. nosnv ,sho c.n,o, oo,,o -
An,ietam yot have graa, ;n,oroa, IN an,,n;'r, w.
,,ar,.;a;n., -, ,ha ha,sla Iii ;.;, -,
Come with mo IL VIZ ,.e d ;neni 70
n.ny x,h oar ,s1'n ';',, "na ~ IN, soali-
,ore ~. hs,,la ,,ra,,nd e"'"' "e "'i ca
Sbarnshnrg ;s mr. ,,.s hac,ra ,,o ,..
,,.,, * .,l'.'... ,o,oo ;.,"sl,;, ~, ny "ai' d
ioa,, .,i.a ..,''' .yop s;., , ine'e nave
.ArmyNMarsianJ va,,,a,a4.s. 'V e sne Sn,on s.''.
dosan have rano ~ W;r,,;,.;. q, ell, go. o;".
their own S,ass a,d ,,a ir,,;l, ~ s rh asans'
lies two miles J;s,an, s.o,, ,ho po,I.., oo"a
the ford nv which shs rahai .rr,,, ,ne rs..n,a AZ
n;x;a - ""'s" ''ie ieoei amy ie'iea'eu W
~
.o,,,,,.sI.;.P Ps .a ny oaio siounu d. .ne
;ae ~, snhe VI 'hc Town, anu iihiheuiatiy
49,, he ,h ,.., ms ~ .ue s.rne anu carnage'
,aio,'a,, ~ Nv, h.,,.' anip'e piooi Vi .he
,a.saN :. va va ,,s as o'! IVY VI .uiee
i;,arai, ,;%9aa e ~, ,aa, unen' s many were
hn, s,r.nra - ;,'t.,',,i anu re." ourn,' ,iin
od ,laa,a. not aa ,,',iaoi'an. was ki'i-
49,, ''s;s''I,. , ,',,,@, o''o wv pe'sohs na'e
oeeh aeciaehtaily Killed ana iour wounded,
,rns " oopeh u.. ioau.u snens.
.,'" s'ua'e aooa, = slIe"n WIN AhapsacAs'
n uaseisa.ns, caruiuge poAes' cap ponches,
po.s, snoes, sosns' shir's, mats caps all tatter-
eu ana torn-and many other things. Graves
anu long trehches hiiea WIN decaying bodies,
a.e III heariy every heid Here, on high
iiuse was reoei battery within lew rods OF
lhe Town. Behind this wall a few rods further
oi, .ne reoei infantry ana sharpshooters dealt
aeaah ana destruction among the gallant men
., Duinsiue corps-the Union leit-as they
.na' seu W ,ne ascent 10 lhe repei me; You
must no.ice mere lnat the reoeis had decided
s., vantage ., posihon' as our troops fought up
niii, eAposeu 10 rahihg batteries ana sharp
shoolers.
~ .,ie slhooth noiloW between Two knobs,
Dulnslue men were lying thickly around al
te, 'ne oatie. ihere are comparatively few
reuei graves IN TINS part oil the field, as the dead
were removed by wagon loads, to the rear
near the river, and buried, or carried across
W oHepdTustoWn.