The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-09-18

the United States members OF the national
Governors other distinguished OF most
the States whose cit formed the army OF the
Union have honore rs with their presence. meaning.
am sure for themselves and those they represent to
express by that presence their enduring the
soldiers living or dzd. who noby stood by them in
their darkest hour OF trial With such a company
around me- and this vast thropg In 'front.' feel as you
NAV we'll imagine. 70 the fullest extent the RESPONSE
by Of the duty with which have been honored
honor for which doubtless chiefly indebted to the
accidental circumstance that was extent off,
caly connected with the initiation OF the cemetery
least a. the selection OF its site when.
directly the baae Of Anetam order issued
by the Executive OF Maryland returning thanks TO the
officers and men Of the Union army who 80
fully expelled the invader from State the command
ing general Of that Umy 70 whom it transmitted,
responded 70 II IN terms that challenged attention.
Expressing behalf OF the Army Of the Potomac their
thanks for appreciation Of their achievements and
their hopes that rebel army would again poute onr
state he concluded by committing remains Of
a commission touchingly con6ded 10 the people Of
the State TO say nothing Of the duty otherwise ncu
bent them, could never become with them subject
Of indifference or neglect and at the first meeting
therefore, OF their Representatives in the General Assem-
bly, in January, 1854 an act passed authorizing the
purchase Of part Of the battle field for the reception Of
its dead and an appropriation Of S. 900 placed at the
command OF the Governor for that purpose Directly
ne Win s
increasing point: = i. a.la Of battle. as
Subsequent legislation Increased the States appropria
ton 10 $4,000; trustees we're appointed to supernt
WOTks OtntK par
ticpate In the undertaking. and by their united efforts
il ia hoped that the cemetery viii become in time a
place worthy the noble purpose TO which We to-day
devote H. and OF the nation TO whom the charge OF
which, in connection with this days proceedings.
seem to require brief notice at our hands, IL
is a subject OF congratulation that we can survey
them at present from standpoint which ought
to secure for them a calm and dispassionate consd-
GRAFTON. Those influences of passion or policy
which to some extent almost indispensable from all
accounts of military operations prepared while the
tu uningn ha Gr,tlp ho
any still lnger they should find NO place such
occasion this Yet In reviewing the details of the
find difficulty, with all the assistance that estab-
hshed peace and the lapse Of time have furnished to fix
force OF the Confederate army in that action.
The number Of the Union army engaged therein,
computed rs it has been not only from official re-
cords but these records made after ample time had
elapsed for the correction OF be considered
men Of all arms In regard TO the Confederate force,
the accounts conflicting The Union command
err in estimating at upward OF $1,000 men, basing his
estimate all the Information received from prisoners
deserters and refugees, has probably oversated the
number while, the other hand acknowledge OF the
that army shortly before crossed into Maryland
would saying that the struggling to which
its commanders chiefly ascribe Its subsequent reduction
IN tue history Of ARMIES reached Anes
ii numbered only forty thousand men. General Lee,
believe in report prepared BY him few days after
number, but in the reckoning he must undoubtedly
have excluded the three divisions which, under A. r.
Hill, McLaws and Walker, he had several days before
deached to different points to aid in the investment of
Harpers ferry and had not returned at the COM
mencsment Of the action the evening Of the 18Th
but came in most opportunity 10 his support before
its conclusion on the following day. This inference
is rendered certain by other Southern of the
number engaged. Confederate historians aud news
papers in those days, however under certain circum-
stances they might times have attempted TO deceive
by no means given to such an exaggeraton when the
battle was over and they we're summing its Incidents
yet leading newspaper Richmond processing to give
four days ward authentic OF the battle
declared that was opened on the 10th Of September
with all their available force, 'sixty thousand
Information enjoyed. probably . stlll more re-.
lie. suiSnS Son1ed crate historian who
in describing the battle Of Antetam states that for hal,
the day II was fought the Confederate side with "a
force Of 5000" and for the remaining half with no
FORE that the discrepancies in the Confederate sccounis
Of thor force have been lhe result Of the different pc
RODS Of the action to which they have severally
referred, some having regard TO the time that preceded
the arrival Of their divisions from the neghborhood OF
the ferry, and others including these divisions in their
allowing for tina. portion Of our force that could not
take part in the action, there could not have been
aTmiss; but il such difference did exist and in favor
OF the Union army, vas moro than compensated TO
the Confsdsra:es mo. only y their choice Of position
quires us now to consider. It may be confidently
affirmed that at no time during the progress OF the re-
ultimate result; yet IL equally certain there were
seasons when 1t quiversd with emotion % il
or despaired for . moment at the partial fail.
Of long cherished expeditions AT no period OF
summer Of 1882 In the early spring OF that year the
Pen nsua expedition had FORTH and the people OF
the loyal States looked with anxious soctude to its
results and with earnest hopes that 10 would retrieve
the disasters Of the preceding year and place the
rebel capita at our command In every movement Of
the army in that direction in all its marches all its
tolls, its victories and reverses from Yorktown TO
Williamsburg, on the Chckahominy, at Fair Oaks,
G Gan NIL maj, Malvern ana on .ns James u never
by an inseparable sympathy the throbbing heart
Of the people So high-wrought had become the
indication OF defeat the Of that
army exerted, for time at least, influence the
poaDcs attaching % H. Il was jus. ~ssD his exci1s
ment OF the public pulse at its height after Witness
ing the heroic struggles Of that army for so weeks
with hopes ana fears alternately predomnatng, that
suddenly startled by the information that transports
conveying back 10 the neishborhood Of washing-
how far ulteror objects justified that movement they
only in Il the confession that for the present Rich
mond vas beyond our reach Incidents connected with
which had already disturbed ihsm-that there
unfortunate difference Of opinion between the command
his movements. The reluctance which be yielded
70 the peremptoy orders for the change OF his base OF
Injurious In their tendency. Our |
friends did not care TO inquire and certainly |
] shall enter into no such inquiry to-day,
who was right Who wrong: 10 enough |
and bad enough to know that the harmony which bad
once marked military councils and given place to
ill-concealed murmurings and m sgivings In this |
moody condition OF the public mind the Army Of the |
Potomac necessarily 10 some extent influenced by the
same circumstances its ranks thnned by the casual
ties OF series OF hard fought battles and enervated
by the climatic influences Of the Peninsula reached
Aqua Creek and Alexandria in the last week Of August
The occurrences which there awaited scarcely
Of a character 10 make amends for recent dssp-
pointments, 10 restore that we'll poised public /
confidence which was becoming dangerously dis |
turbsd About two months before this period the /
at Washington gathering Up the national
forces which bad been operating under several
manders in the Valley and other parts of Northern
Virginia had msssed and reoreanzed them under the
name OF the Army Of Virginia, and placed them under
command Of Major General Pope who had been called
about the middle OF July. His proclamation on that |
occasion rang out cheeriIy and conndeay In tone
that the public prcked up he ear and, readily !