The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-04-04
Preliminary Report Of General Mcclellan Of the
Battles Of South Mountain and Antietam.
Military Operations from the Time Of the
Evacuation Of Harrison s Landing
Until. Lee was Driven
Out Of Maryland.
THE HARPER'S FERRY SURRENDER
The Seven Days Battles ON the
Peninsula,
The Battles OF south Mountain and
Antictam.

The Battles OF south Mountain and
Antietam.
HEADQUARTERS, Army or THE PoroxAc,
Oct. ID, 1852. +
GESERAL-I have the honor 10 subsris preliminary
port or tho military operations my charge since the
evacuation OF Harrson's Landing.
The directed by the General In Chief was
cuted successfully with entire safety my command and
Its material between the I4th and 10th Of August. The
limo Of withdrawal selected that OF the mouth Of tho
| Chickahomny, Williamsburg and Yorktown Upoa this
line the main body OF the army, with all its trans
moved Hentzemans corps crossing the Chickahomny at
Jones bridge, and covering by its march the
Of the main column. The passage Of the Lower Chicka
hominy was effected by means Of bateau bridge two
thousand feet in engb The transfer Of the army to York
town completed by the 10th of August. The
enbarkation Of the troops and material Yorktown and
Fortress Monroe at commenced and az rapidly
as the means OF transportation admitted everything ives
sent forward to Aqua creek and Alexandria No
sketch OF an undertaking such magnitude yet OF so
deliAte military character, will suce 10 do justice.
must now, however, cor tent self with simple notice
., deerrng full description for my Official report OF
ife CAMPS before RIchmonda labor which propose
sary time Justice to tho chevements Of the Amy Of
| the Potomac and the brave men VINO composed u re-
9uires that the official record ef that cAnpagn should
have hitherto Permitted me 70 bes.ew upon u.
The delay will net have been fey as Injurious Injurious
sspors ,as puSs % ~ ..a ss ae %
I sdvisqd .. events as thoy occurred
reached Aqua creek with my star on the cath Of
August reported my arrival and asked for oders On
the 2Ith OF august received from the Generan CRct
permission to proceed TO Alexandria, where at 9ce ed
my headquarters. The troops composing me Army Of
the Potomac meanwhile ordered forward to re.
niorce the army General Pope. 60 Completely was
this order carried ont that the 3eh OF August had
os else nn bssa
TO reinforce General Pope In addition exhausted III
tho means at my disposal TO forward sappIes 10 that
officer, my headquarters teams being used for
Upon The unfortunate issue Of that campaiA "A ,sco,ved
intimation from the General In Chief Al nv ser vces
desired for the purpose OF arrang a sor t deence
Of the capital. They at ctessSiy given. 81
though while awaiting definite inst al
had endeavored, as just seer 70 promote favorable
result in the operations the pcndne and had tIus con-
u ~ =. =: ID % e. :, 70 ss
formal order Of ths War Eeparpcnt placed me in COM
mand q The for tcatvus Of washington "ass q ali
tooe Tor p defence of the capal On 4Ac 1st Of Sep
tembey Lad been instructed that had nothing 10 do
With The troops engaged in active operations under Gen.
aS garrison u wsshingtcr On the nexs day. however
was verbally sostrucsd by the President and ths Gene
(ncudipg my Army Of the Potcs,ac) they
approached the viciSty OF wassagton 70 - out and
cetthem and TO pest them NJ deemed best 70 repulse
the enemy and insnrc the safety'e< the city. '1f
| Al .bs lime the task impossd upon me Was limited
the escmy upon she capital such indeed was the dan
ger naturally Indicated by she defeat our forces
trcBt. The NJ strengthened
and put In crder and the troops were disposed
70 cover all the approaches " the city, and
so,s ds % onces %,re ,hrc~s Sp where oosne
neorzsary A few days only had eiaFsed before . com
parative security was felt with regard 20 our ability TO
resist any attack upon the city The dsappearance Of
the enemy from the rent Of Washington and their pas
into Maryland enlarged the ssere OF operatobs, and
made active campaign TO baltimore
proven, the invasion ot Pennsyv and drive them ou
OF Maryland. Beng honored 9Th the charge Of th'
imposed upon with chcerfgncss and trust, yet
wiihou, feeling the weigh, q ue responsibilities thus
sgmes and being ssspJ Impressed with 'hs magnitude
Having made ,he necessary arrangements for the de
fence the city the condition u thrgs, pushec
forward First and Ninth corps under Genrals Renc
and Hooker forming the right wing under General Burn
side % Lcesburg the Jth instant; th,ncc the FRS
corps, by Brooksville, Gainesville aud Ridgeyile, u
frederick, and The Ninth eofps by damascus, On New
under Generals sumner and Williams, on the 9th were
moved from Tenalytown 70 Rockville tbeece, by Middle
ing by lateral road between trbana and New Market
thus mantaning the between the centre
Frederick to %ashins,on Ihe sis,h eorps, under Geu
Franklin moved 10 Jamestown on The 9th instant
The ro.S om sSs mSan o u. Mosy
Rockville, and being 10 position 70 connect with and sup
ss % hs sass S ss been
divison thrown forward 70 0uts Crcss Roads and
y the river road thus covering cha. sgIroseh
ing and supporting the sxtk corps The ebect Of these
mosemsnis vas 10 feel tne enemyto compel him 70 de-
iogisn, 10 attack Sm should he hold the line
OF The hopocacy, or 70 follow him unto Penn
right wing entered Frederick, after brisk srir.
tho lsh the main bodies Of the right wing centre
passed through Frederick. In this city the manifesto.
The treops received The mos eothusasic wccsme a The
hands Of tho Inhabitants On The 18th tho advance
skrmishng cleared the passage over the Ca
toctin hhs leaving no serious obstruction 10 the
ment Of e main body until the base OF the South Noun
While At Frederick the 18Th obtanca reliable In
formation OF the movements and intentions OF the enemy
which made clear thst necessary 20 force rEs
passage Of the Sonth Mountain gain Iosess
OF Boonsboro and RShesve before any relief could be
Afforded 10 HArper's Ferry.
on the morning of tho Ish received a verbal message
from Colonel Mlss, commanding Harpers FERRY, IN
forming that on the preceding afternoon the Maryland
Heights had been abaudonsf, after rspclpg attack By
the rebels and that the whpc force was concontraied
| Iiaper's Ferry. the Maryland, Ioudon aud Bolivar
heights being all IA possession Of the enemy The mes
sengcr stated tha, there apparent for
Abandonment of the Mary Wand Heights, though
Colonel Mics asked fr asstace, be said be could bod
out certaisy two dass directed him 70 mako as way
back, " possible, with the information that rapidly
approaching and would undoubtadly relieve the place
By three other couiiers sent The message with
| The order to hoid DOT to tse lat. ~
do not learn that asy Of those messengers succeeded
10 reaching Harpers Ferry. Ao~ld Acre xas, noi on
'ea at Horrsyt Ferry, Cur h1 ORDER reached nv are,
al oemnanioai.a gik ne oarrio~ sas cut Of. Reioss
penscd the proper aathoriies that the garrison ot
larIsrs Ferry should be thdr avn via Hagerstowp.
up e bridge uy saa ossuns c ss
II should fali back 10 the Marylsnd Heights and there
hold - o'so 70 the last. In this ro,itn could have
maintained itself for weeks t0 oa yroysr 10
at0p sihsr a these sugeesoas, md s1iee ,oas
Ln nv d.sereson uas too late DO anything esoyf :,
directed artisy 20 be fre1ncniiy nred BY our ad
yarccd guards AZ signal . the garrison tina, relief was
% hand This aere and learn that our nrnz wls
distinctly heard at Hus.rs Ferry. and that they were
thus made aware that W were sppfoaeninE rapdy. u