The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1866-10-12
The Battle OF Antictam.

The struggle was lnnugulhicu on
the afternoon Of the 10th. by our old
familiar mannuvre Hooker, on our
right, being directed TO flank and beat
the enemys left, hacked by Sumner,
Franklin and Mansfield, who were to
come into action successfully some
what nearer the enemy's centre. 1t
would have been n serious objection,
ten hours before, to this strategy, that
it tended even if successful, to con
centrate the enemy. by driving him
back on his divisions arriving or ex-
pected from Harper's Ferry, rather
than TO interpose between HIM and
them
Hooker moved at p. NJ and,
making a long detour, crossed the An
tietam out of sight and range of the
rebel batteries. Turning at length
sharply to the left, he came to an open
field, with woods IN trout and on
either side, whence our skirmsners
were saluted by scattering shots, fol-
lowed 10y volleys of musketry from the
left and front Here Hooker recon
NOTHING in the advance, as usual
halted and formed his lines Rickett's
division on the left Meade, with the
Pennsylvania Reserves, in the centre ;
While Doubleday, on the right, plant
ing his guns on hill. opened at once
ON rebel battery that had begun TO
enhlade our centre. BY this time 1t
was dark, and the firing soon ceased f;
the hostile infantry lying down for the
night at points within half musket-
shot Of each other.
At daylight next morning the battle
was commenc in earnest the left
of Meade's and the right of Ricketts, ;
line becoming engaged at nearly the
same moment the former with artil-
lery the latter with infantry while n
battery was pushed forward beyond
the woods directly in Hooker's front,
across "A ploughed field, to the edge OF
a cOrn-hcld beyond it destined before
night to be soaked with blood.
Hoods thin division, which had
confronted us at evening, had been
Withdrawn duiiug the night and re-
placed by Lawton and Irimbles bri-
gadcs of Ewells division, under Law
ton, with Jackson's own division, I'M
der ID. X. Jones, on It's left, supported
by the renal my brigades OF Ewell.
jackson was IN chief command on this
wing, and here was substantially his
old corps around hun Against these
iron soldiers Rockers corps hurled
itself. and beng superior IN numbers
compelled them 10 give ground but
not until Jones and Lawton had been
wounded with many more field OH
GERS aud Stake. who succeeded Jones
in command killed Early, who sue
eeeded Lawton. was ordered 10y Jack.
son to replace Jackson 3 own division
which had suffered SO severely anc
was SO nearly out of ammunition that
it had TO be temporarily withdrawn
from the combat. BY TINS tim,
Ricketts, and Meade had pushed the
rebel line back across the cogn-iielC
aud the road, into the woods beyond
! and were following with eager, oxuit
ing cheers.
But Hoods division, somewhat re-
freshed had by this time returned tC
the front, backed by the brgades o
Ripley, Colquitt Garland NOW unde
Col McRae, and DR. r. Jones, b,
whom the equilibrium of the tight was
! restored our men being hurled bach
by terrible yolleys from the woods, fol
lowed by charge across the corn-felt
in heavy force Hooker called up his
nearest brigade, but ii was not strong
enough, and he sent at once to Dou
bleday GIVE me your best brigade
instantly That brigade came dow
, the hill on our right ut doubleq quick
and was led by Hnrtsuff into the corn
field, and steadily up the slope beyond
it forming on the crest of the rldg'
under hurricance of shot and shell
+ and firing steadily and rapidly at thu
7 rebel masses Just before them. The.
held their position half an hour, un
supported though many fell among
them their leader, Hartsutt, wounded
severely until for a second time the
q enemy was driven out OF the corn-iiel'
!, into the woods
j Meanwhile, both sides were strength
ening tins wing. Ricketts, dlylslol
having attempted to advance and fail
ed, had fallen back. Part of Mans
r fields corps had gone in TO their Al,
v and been driven back likewise, wit
i their General mortally wounded Dou
e bleday's guns were still busy on GU
+ extreme right, and had silenced are
e bel battery which for half an hour ha'
l. enhaded Hooker's centre. Rickett
/. sent word that he could not advance
but could hold his ground Hooker
with Crawfords and Gordon's fires
brigades of Mansfield corps, came II
to his support, determined again t
y advance aud carry the woods to Tia
right of and beyond the cornhelC
Going forward to reconnoitre on foo
'' Hooker satisfied himself as to the NJ
ture of the ground, returned and r'
mounted amid shower of rebel bu
let's, which he hal ell the morning di'
X regarded but the next moment
musket-ball went through his foot, II
flicting severe and intensely palni'
,,. wound, which compelled HIM, aftt
- giving his orders fully and dehoer'
lively, to leave the field at A,M'ouh
ner, arriving at this moment, assume
L l.