Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1871-02-21
For the Grant County HERALD
The BATTLE FIELD OF ANTIETAM.
BY REv WIN. n. osBoaN. A. N.

Sacred to every loyal American
heart are the Battle Fields of the
Republic" A peculiar sanctity at
taches to those more particularly as
ISOLATED with the triumph Of freedom,
amid the darkest days of our late
sanguinary struggle. Antietam will
ever remain among the historic
names of free and independent poo
ple-Nature having marked the spot
with multiplied evidences of her
blandest smiles and most generous
benefactions. Its very singular
name is supposed to be Of Indian or
igin, and was first applied to small
sluggish stream, rising in southern
Pennsylvania and running in south
western direction through western
Maryland, emptying it's turbid wa
tiers into the calm, quiet Potomoc
half score Of miles directly north of
Harper's Ferry. A century and a
half ago western Maryland was
known To baltimore Town and the
Eastern Shore" only as a land of
mountains and wales, the home of
Indian tribes and the unfreQuented
haunts OF beasts and savages, who
We'd with each other in maintaining
the mastery over a territory thought
to be better adapted to heather, than
to civilized life. Nature had adorned
this part Of Maryland with the Units
of transcendant loveliness-its noun
tain peaks, between which interven-
ed uncuItured but fertile wales, COW
cred with the most luxuriant forests,
threaded with crystalstreams andrun-
ming brooks, adding additional charms
to such an Elysium-all copspired to
make this home Of savage beasts, and
moro savage men, not unlike "fairy
lands" more imaginary than real.
AT the period of which we speak,
two powerful Indian tribes-the
Delewares and Catawbas-traversed
this territory, each claiming that the
"Great Spirit" had made it a general
rendezvous for their descendants for
all time to como. Tradition affirms
that one hundred and thirty years
since, near the spot where Burnside's
Bridge now stands, and . few hun
dred yards from Autietam battle
field, most bloody battle was fought
between these two tribes, the Cataw-
bas being the victorious party-nu-
merous evidences of which still re-
main, in the form Of exhumed skulls,
aud implements OF Indian warfare, to
mark the place whore many a red
man met his death 1t seems to be
an memorable law Of fate, that the
loveliest and most desirable spots of
earth must be cousecrated to fame
with q baptism Of blood Of which
Wyoming, the Valley of Shenandoah
and Antietam are mourntul historic
examples.
A point Of high, rolling land, lying
within the great bend of the Poto.
mac, bounded on the west by that
noble river. and on the east by the
serpentine Antietam, embraces the
famous battle field, on which, for the
first time in the annals Of orr nation
appeared the star OF hope for five
millions Of slaves, born to be free
Taking our stand on the very spot
where Lee, with glass in hand, wit,
messed the approach of Hancock,
Sedgwick and Burnside from the val.
ley OF South Mountain, one has Q
grand panorama stretching out be-
fore him, as beautiful and glorious q:
fairy visions of Oriental chimes. Far
to the westward are seen the tower
ing heights of the Alleghanies, tinteC
with evergreens and covered with ;
mantle OF blue, reminding the homes
Switzer of his Alpine home. Toward
tho south, across the Potomac, as ia
rs the eye can reach, stretches tn,
far-famed "Yalley Of the Shenando
alb" bounded on the west by thu
North Mountain, with dim shadow
ing of Winchester, Mt. Jackson anC
kindred towns, through which Sher
idan drove discounted foe, whel
the star of the Rebellion threw it
ficKering ray over the vale of Shen
andoah for the last time. Less thai
score Of miles southwark is seel
the deep gorge in the Blue Ridge
through which the united waters o
the Shenandoah and Potomac pass il
rapid flight toward the home o
Washington, and the deep blue wa
tiers of the Chesapeake. The noun
tain scenery of Old Virginia attract
the gaze from Bolivar Heights south
ward. rising in wonderful majesty o.