Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-09-17
ANTIETAM.

On the 18th of September, five years ago.
was decided in favor of ihe national arms one
of the severest conflicts which occurred dur.
ing the civil war The rebels, flushed with
their yictsry at the second battle of Bull
Run, crossed the Potomac into Maryland,
and threatened to penetrate into and desolate
the most fertile region of Pennsylvania. Our
troops, wesry, sick, and discouraged by their
reverses, met the enemy with noble heroism
and In the consciousr ess that the fate of the
country depended on their exertions, fought
with a courage and detper-tion which Lees
veterans could not withstand, and the invading
host sulle ally retired into Virginia. The ever.
lasting gratitude OF the country is due to the
noble soldiers who turned the tide ofmisfortune
at such critical period in our history, and the
celebration on the battle field to-day is q fit.
ung tribute OF horror and re-pect to those of
our brave defenders who persisted in the
mighty conflict. How well our troops fought
is told by Swinton in his s. Deceive Battles of
the War" He says: -
s.McClellan opened the conflict by seizine
the initiative, and hurting his right (the Corps
of Hockey against the left OF his antagonist
1t will be remem bsred that in the east woods
Hood S Division had the night before been re-
lieved by two brigades OF Ewelrs Division Of
Jackson's Corps. These were early in the
morning strengthened by another brigade. In
addition TO this division, there was at this time
present with Jackson only the Stonewall Di-
vision under Gen. Jones, for the division of A
p. Hill had not yet returned from Harper's
Ferry. But while Ewells Division was thus
thrown forward in advance the Stonewall Di.
vision was held in hand behind outcropping
lodges OF limestone in the wood near bunker
Church; so that the attack at first fell alone
upon the three brigades In the east wood The
assault was made by Hooker's centre Division,
which, as 1t happened, was the division OF
Pennsylvania Reserves under Meade-Dou-
bleday's division being on its right-Ricketts'
on Its left. 1t was marked by wonderful i'm
petuosiy on the Union side, and by stubborn
resistance on the part OF the Con federates
However, after an hours fighting, such was
the vigor with which The attack was pressed,
and so destructive to Jackson's troops was the
FIRE Of the numerous batteries on the elst side
OF the hntietam (placed, says Jackson, so as
to enflade his line) that the Confederate bri.
eades gave back with great loss across the
open Held and over the Hagerstown road to
the woods beyond the bunker Church, where
Jackson's reserves lay. If 1t had occurred to
General Hooker at this time to bring mp the
Corps OF Mansfield, form it on his right and
with this well-developed front assail the Con-
federate left, there is no doubt that the whole
OF that wing might have been swept away.
OF where Hooker's flank rested, which would
thus have been occupied, and as 1t Is the key
OF the field. taking reuers, the woods with
the outcropping lodges of limestone where
Jackson's Reserves lay, its possession would
IN sill likelihood have been decisive of the
field. Hooker faiied to perceive this:
put ne advanced his line to reap the
fruit OF his first advantage-thrustingf for.
ward his ceEtre and leftover the open field to.
wards the woods west Of the Eagerstown
road No sooner, however, bad the troops ap.
preached the crest of the plateau tn an Jack
sons Reserves, with the reformed battalions
OF Ewell's Division, emerged from the woods
and joined Issue with the advancing line in q
combat OF extraordinary ferocity. EQUAL In
mettle, the combatants faced each other on The
open plain within short range, neither side
yielding, and both plying their deadly work
with such desperate ardor, such infiexible de.
termination as few battle fields have witness.
ed The mortal struggle was only ended
when at length the opposing fronts had torn
each other to shreds. Then both sides retired ;
but, even when the broken fragments went
back, the spectators from the distant stand.
point OF the east side OF the Antietam could
trace In the dead that covered the ground
where lines had stood-dreadful witness of a
struggle whose character may be gathered
from the statement Of the mortality it entail