The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-07-31

horses, at a full run, was unlimbered In the
tWinkling of an eye, and began to pour snots
into the enemy, who were also sunering sew
erely from our infantry discharges. 1t was
not many seconds before they began to waver.
Through the rifting smoke we could see their
| line sway to and fro; then 1t broke like thaw
| in great river Hooker rose up IN bis saddle,
and, in voice of suppressed thunder, exclaim-
| ed:
aTbere they 90, ** Forwardp
| Our whole line moved on. It was now near
| Iy dark. Having shared the experience OF
| Fighting Joe Hooker quite long enough,
| turned toward the rear. Fresh troops were
| pressing forward, and stragglers were ranged
in long lines behind rocks and trees.
Riding slowly along grassy slope, as sup
| posed quite out OF range, my meditations were
disturbed by cannon ball, whose rush of air
famed my face, and made my horse shrink
and rear almost upright. The next moment
came another behind me, and by the great
blaze of fire of rails, which the soldiers had
built, saw 1t ricochet down the slope like a
football, and pass right through column OF
our troops in blue who were marching steadily
forward. The gap which it made was inn
mediately closed up.
Men with litters were cropping through the
darkness, bearing the wounded back to the
ambulanceS.
AT nine o'clock wandered to farmhouse
occupied by some of our pickets. We dared
not light candles, as it was within range ofthe
emmy. The family had left. / tied my horse
to AN apple tree, and lay down upon the parloI
door, with my saddle for pillow. At inter
yals during the night we heard the popping oi
musketrv, and at the first glimpse Of dawn
the picket officer shook me by the arm.
My friend said be, you had better go away
as soon as you can; !; the place is getting rather
not for civilians"
rode around through the field, for shot and
shell were already screaming up the narrow
lane.
Thus commenced the long, hotly contested
battle of Antietam. Our line was three miles
in length, with Hooker on the right, Burnside
on the left, and great gap in the middle,
occupied only by artillery; while Fitz John
Porter with his fine corps was held in reserve
From dawn until dark, the two great armies
wrestled like athletes, straining every muscle,
losing here, gaining there, and at many points
lighting the same ground over and over again.
1t was a fierce, sturdy, indecisive conflict
Five thousand spectators viewed the struggle
from hill comparatively out cf range. Not
more than three persons were struck there
during the day. Mcclellan and his staff
| occupied another ridge half mile in the
rear. ~
iid by Heavenl it was goodly sight to see ~
For one who had no friend or brother there
No one who looked upon that wonderful
panorama can describe or forget it. Every
hill and valley, every corn-feld, grove and clus-
ter of trees was fiercely fought for.
The roar of artillery was unceasing we could
often count more than sixtyguns to the minute.
1t was like thunder; and the musketry sound
ed like the patter of raindrops in an April
shower. On the great field were riderless
horses and scattering men, clouds of dirt from
solid shot and exploding shells, long dark lines
Of infantry swaying to and fro, with columns
Of smoke rising from their muskets, red flashes
and white puffs from the batteries-with the
sun shining brightly on all this scene of tumult
and beyond it, upon the dark, rich woods and
the clear blue mountains south ofthe Poto-
mac" giid