The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1863-04-22

"a ne general features characterize the one
shat characterized the other IN each
may BE- seen the same unreadness TO move
promptly and act vigorously; the same desire
Tor more troops before advancing; and tie
same references 10 the e.eat superiority o.
numbers on the part Of the euemy. Your com
mttee, therefor, content themselves with re-
ierring briefly 10 the leading operations Of the
On the 18th of September, the battle Of
South Mountain was lou gbt. the troops at Tur-
ner's Gap being under command Of General
Burnside and those at Champions Gap being
under the command Of Gen. Franklin-result-
ing in the enemy retiring to the vicinity OF
Shepherdstown.
On the 18th Of September the battle Of An
tietam was fought II was commenced by Gen.
Hooker on the right at dawn. our troops driv-
ing the enemy beiore them. and gaining al I'M
portant position. When Gen Hooker was
wounded and taken from the field Gen sum
ner took command Of our right. Gen. Sumner
had been ordered 10 bold his corps in readiness
to advance an hour before daylight. but did
not receive the order to advance until 7:20 in
the morning. Gen Mansfield. who bad come
up to the support Of Gen. Hooker had been
killed. Our troops, seeing their leaders fall,
and being very heavily pressed by the enemy.
were forced back for some distance from the
advanced position Gen. Hooker had reached ;
but finally, with the assistance Of the troops
brought up by Gen. Sumner. checked the enc
my's progress and maintained their position
On the left Gen. Burnside. about 10 q clock.
was ordered 20 attack the enemy at the bridge
across the Antietan in his front and 30 effect a
crossing there. The advance OF Gen Burnside
was met by a most obstinate resistance on the
IL. .
o'clock that the bridge was carried. By o.
clock Gen. Burnsdrs whole command had
crossed and taken position on some elevated
ground just above the bridge. He was then
ordered TO take the nights commanding the
town OF Sbephei dsiOwn, which was done after
desperate fighting.
By that time the enemy on our left had been
reinforced by Withdrawing some OF their troops
from opposite our right. where our advance had
been checked. aud Gen. Burnside was compelled
TO give up some Of the ground b. had succeed
cd in occupying. He had sent to Gen Nc
Clellan for reniOrcements, but received in re-
ply that there were none to be had. but he mus
hold the bridge at all hazards.
The corps Of Gen. Fitz John Porter, in the
centre. was not brought into action at all. Gen.
Hooker testified that he had been given to IN
derstand that there were TO be made attacks
simultaneously on the right. center and left of
our army. He attacked at dawn; but Gen.
Burnside on the left was not ordered To attack
until 10 o'clock. and there was no attack made
in the centre by Gen. Porter.
In regard to the manner of conducting the
attack at Autietam, Gen. Sumner testiGes:
Il have always believed that instead OF
sending these troops into that action in driIlets
as theg usrs sent, if Gen. Mcclellan had au-
thOrzed me to march these 10000 men on the
left faux OF the euemy. we could not have
failed to throw them right back in front of the
other divisions Of our army on the left Burn
sides Franklin's and POrter's corps. AS il
was. we went in division after division, until
even one of my own divisions was forced ont
The other two drove the enemy and held theil
position Ny intention at the time was to have
proceeded entirely on by their left and move
down. bringing them right in front of Burn
side, Franklin and Porter
Question. Aud all escape for the enemy
would have been impOssible?'
Answer. | think So"
The battle closed at dark, cur army having
gained some little advantages. at a heavy loss
renewed the next day. the two armies occupy
ing the positions held by them at the close o
the yesterdays battle.
WIZ iuL AllANh " A. NbA LFNENED.
In relation to the policy OF renewing tn
attack on the day after the battle, Gen. Nc
Clellan testifrs:
The next morning. (the 1sth.) I found tha
our loss had been so great. and there was 81
much disorganzation in some OF the commands
that did not consider it proper to renew IN
attack that day, especially as | was sure Of th
arrival that day of two iresh divisions
amounting to about Is 900 men. As an in
stance OF the condition of some of the troop
that morning, l happen to recollect the II turn
of the First COrps-Gen. HOokers- made th
morning of the 18th. by which there wer
about 3 500 men reported for duty. Four day
after that the returns of the same corps shove,
1850.
a had arranged, however, to renew tb
attack at daybreak on the 18th, but learne
sometime during the night or early in th
morning, that the enemy had abandoned hi
position. 1t afterwards proved that be move
with great rapdty, and not being encumbere
/ by wagons. was enabled 10 get his troop
across the river before we could do him an
serious injury. | think that taking into cor
sideratiOn what the troops had gone through
We cot as much ont of them in this AntietaI
campaign a. human endurance would bear"
The testimony Of Gen. Burnside. on the sui
ject of renewing the attack upon the enem
I the day after the battle is as follows:
Question. Did you express any opinion
Gen Mcclellan. or to any one at headquarter
in relation to renewing the attack the next da-
and if so what opinion did you express.
Answer. did express an opinion to Ge
Mcclellan on the subject. After my comman
was all in pOsition-say 3 l-2 O'clock at nigl
i weuF over to Gen. McClellan's headquartel
at Cadysville. and expressed the opinion
Gen. Marcy. his chief OF staff. that the attaC
ought to be renewed the next morning. at
o'clock. | also expressed the same opinion
other members Of the staff Gen. Marcy to
me that | Ought'tO see Gen. Mcclellan and T.
him what thought OF the matter. Invent in
Gen. McClellan's tent and in the course OF Il
conversation. expressed the same opinion
! him. and told him that If could have sol
b fresh troops To pass in advance of mine.
would be willing to commence the attack
, the next morning He said he had been thin
: ing the matter over. and would make up
mind during the night and if I would send
T staff officer 10 his headquarters. to rema
/ there over night be would send me Orde
early in the morning. aud if be concluded
r renew the attack. be would send NE the nee,
sarv men did send the staff officer over. b
Gen. Mcclellan concluded not 10 renew the
tack the next day.
Question Would there have been a
. difficulty in furnishing the 5000 fresh troo
p which YOU desired. as the corps Of Gen. F
: John Porter. some $4,000 or 10000 men b
not been engaged,
Answer. There would have been no di
Guilty in furnishing the 5000 fresh troops.
: fact Gen. Mcclellan did send Gen Morrel
4 division. Of quite that strength. TO report
/ me. but not with orders to me to renew the
e tack