Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1873-06-21
THE BATTLE OF ANTIETAM.

lHL DhllLE Uf hNllEIhM.
The Hon. G. L. Cranmer, in his late
Memorial Address at Sharpsburg,mak
some extravagant statements in regard
to the the battle of Antietam, which a
correspondent OF the Hagerstown Mail
thus calls attention and corrects
He claims the battle of Antictam for
the Union forces as great 'yictOry;"
declares that 100000 brave, earnest
and determined men struggled for the
mastery affirms that the ''invincible
Burnside contended against the most
fearful odds, to secure and hold the
Bridge over Antietam," which he
prophesys, twill emulate the battle at
the brid &c of Lodi" Aud in summing
up the struggle at Antietam, Champion
Gap, and South Mountain-(he leaves
out Harpers Ferry)-he says Mot a
single gun or color was lost by our army
during these battles, while the enemy
lost thirteen guns, thirty-nine stands of
colors, upwards of FIVE thousand stands
of small arms, and more than six thous-
and prisoners.
1t is wonderful how writers and speak
ers, who think as Mr.. Cranmer does, can
fall into the eggregrious error of sup
posing and declaring that Gen. Lee
fought the battle of Antietam with forces
equal in number to those under Gen.
Mcclellan, 100000 strong, according to
the latters official report-and that, on
some portions of the field, Mcclellan
struggled against '.jsarful Odds" Moth
ing can be further from the truth. The
fact is, no battle of the war was fought
with greater disparity of numbers, or
under more disadvantages, on the part
of the Confederates, than the battle Of
Antietam. The highest estimate put
upon the number Of Gen. Lees forces,
by any Southern author, Pollock for in
stance, including all arms of the service,
is 10000. The historian McCabe, says
upon official data, 'about $4,000 in all,
and of this number parts of the COM
mands of Jackson, McI.aws and Walker
were absent a portion of the time. Gen.
Lee declares in his official report that
he had not $4,000 effective men under
him during the battle, ard no man who
is acquainted with his reputation for
truth and honor, will doubt his word tor
a moment.
When Gen. Lee left Richmond his
army did not quite number 100000
men. With these he fought and drove
| Gen, Mcclellan from before Richmond,
in the memorable "seven days" battles,
losing in killed, wounded and missing,
within a fraction of 10000 troops
making more than ten thousand prison
ers. Continuing his march he met and
demolished Gen. Pope, at second Ma
nassas, but with great loss to himself.
Further losses occurred at South Noun
tain. No achievements filled up his
decimated ranks, on the long, bloody,
hot march from Richmond to Sharps-
burg, with the exception of few men
in Maryland. These were more than
counter-balanccd by those from this
State who left for a visit to their homes.
His soldiers were hungry, baretooted,
worn out by fatigue--siok with typhoid
fever, and diarrh9a from eating green
corn. 1t is estimated that there were
not less than $4,000 stragglers of Lee s
army along the route in Virginia and
Maryland. They wanted rest, land were
in poor condition to carry on an active
campaign. Such were the condition and
numbers of Gen. Lees army when he
met McClellah's army, magnihcently
equipped, and as large as ever, reinforc-
ed by Burnsides corps of $4,000 men.
How wild the declaration, and how
absurd it is to talk about "equal num-
bers," and Burnside contending against
"most fearful odds at the bridge ! !!
The Federal forces fought gallantly and
deserved great praise, but this is no rea
son why the truth of history should be
so grossly perverted.
Burnside did not have less than $4,000
men in his corps at the "Bridge, as all
accounts agree, which was defended by
Gen. Toomb's brigade, of Gen. ID. X.
Jones division, who numbered about
400 men !" This may seem like fc-
ton, but it is truth.
With this handful of men he held
Burnside in check a greater portion OF
the day. The division of Gen. Jones
numbering barely 2500 in all, including
Toombs brigade, defended the hills
above the Bridge, on towards Sharps-
burg, And still Burnside called for re-
Inducements ! He succeeded in driving
this weak force before him in the direc
ton of Sharpsburg, until Gen. A: P.
Hill with his tatterdemalions aud bare
footed, came up from Harper's Ferry in
the afternoon, took Burnside in the
flank, and drove him back; regainlng
the lost ground. The Fearful odds,
during all this struggle, were altogether
in favor of Burnside. -Four pieces of
cannon that had been captured from
Jones were retaken by A. T. Hill. But
the enthusiastic orator exclaims-this
brilliant effort of Gen. Burnside twill
emulate the battle at the bridge of Lo-
dill" We are at a loss to see the COM
parison. ~
At the bridge of Lodi, historians tell
us, the Austrians, sixteen thousand
strong. with $4,000 infantry and 1000
cavalry, were. posted upon the opposite
banks of the River Adda,in battle array,
with their batteries 80 arranged as to
command the whole length Of the bridge,
Ill, ,ros ohont oO0 vida LONG and 80