Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1873-07-01
MIS- E,LLAREovs.
THE BATTLE OF ANTIETAM.

The Hon. G. J.. Cranmer, in his late Me-
mortal Address at Sharpsburg, makes some
extravagant statements in regard to the battle
of Antietam, to which correspondent of the
| Hagerstown Maa thus calls attention and cor
reefs:
He claims the battle of Antietam for the
| Union forces as great "vctory ;" declares
that "2oo, ,o0O brave, earnest and determined
men struggled for the mastery" affirms that
the "invincibe Burnside contended against
the most fearful odds. to secure and hold the
Bridge over Antietam," which he prophesys
''will emulate the battle at the bridge of Lodi
And in summing up the struggle at Antietam
Champion Gap, and South Mountain
| leaves out Harper's Ferry)-he says :-"Not
single gun or color was lost by our army
during these battles, while the epemv los,
thirteen guns, thirty-nine stands of colors.
upwards of five thousand stands of small arms,
and more than six thousand prisoners"
1t is wonderful how writers and speakers.
who think as Mr.. Cranmer does, can fall into
the egregious error of supposing aud declar.
ing that Gen. Lee fought the battle of Antie
tam with forces equal in number to those
under Gen. Mcclellan, 10000 strong, ac>
cording to the latter's official repo,t-and
struggled against 'fea,tM odds" NOTHING
can be further from the truth. The fact is
no battle of the war was fought with greater
disparity of numbers, under more disad>
vantagcs. on the part of the Confederates.
than the battle of Antietam. The HIGHEST
estimate put upon the number of Cen Lees
forces, by any Southern author, Pollard for
instance, including oil arms Of the service is
10000. The historian McCabe, saws unon
official data, "ahout SO, 900 in ALL" and of this
number parts of the commands of Jackson.
McLaws and Walker were absent norton of
the time. Gen. Ice declares in his official
report that he had not 33, 600 effective men
under him during the battle, and no man who
Is acquainted with his reputation for truth
and honor. will doubt his word for moment
When Gen. Lee lett Richmoud 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 wound.
ed and missing, within fraction of &c. 900
troops-making more than ten thousand
prisoners Continuing his march he met and
demolished Gen. Pope, at second Manassas
but with great loss to himself. Further
losses occurred at South Mountain. No re-
Inducements filled up his decimated ranks. on
the long, bloody, hot march from Richmond
to Sharpsburg. with the exception of few
men in Maryland. These were more than
counteroalanced by those from this State
who left for visit to their homes. His SOL
diers were hungry, barcfooted, worn out bv
fatigue-sick with typhoid fever, and diarrhma
from eating green corn. 1t is estimated tha.
there were not less than 80, 900 stragylers of
Lees army along the route in Virginia and
Maryland. They wanted rest, and were in
poor condition to carry on active campaiyn
Such were the condition and numbers of Gen
Lees army when he met McClellan's sarmy.
magnifcently equipped, and as large as ever,
reinforced by Burnside's corps of Is. 600
men.
How wild the declaration, and how absurd
1t to talk about "equal numbers" F." and Burns
side contendlng against 'most fearful odds at
the bridge =" Tho Federal forces fought
gallantly and deserved great praise, but this
Is no reason why the truth of history should
be so grossly perverted.
| Burnside did not have less than 15 Oo0
men in his corps at the "Bridse," as ali ac>
counts agree, which defended by Gen.
Toombs' brigade, of Gen. D. r. Jones' di>
vision, whe numbered about "40O men !''-
This may seem like fiction, but it is truth.
With this handful of men he held Burns
side IN check greater portion of the day
The division of Gen. Jones numbering barely
$500 in all. including Tonmbs' brigade. de-
Tended the hills above the Bridge, on towards
Sharpsburg. And still Burnside called for
reinforcemeuts! He succeeded in driving
this weak force before him in the direction of
Sharpsburg, until Gen. a. P. Hill with his
tatterdemalons and barefooted. came up from
Harper's Ferry in the afternoon, took Burn
side in the flank, and drove him back res
gaining the lost ground. The efearful odds, y
during all this struggle, we're altogether in
favor of Burnside. Four pieces of cannon
that had been captured from Jones were re-
taken by A. P Hill. But the enthusiastic
orator exclaims-this brilliant effort of Gen.
Burnside twill emulate the battle at the
bridge of Lodi !' We are at a loss to see
the comparison.
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
AIDA, in battle array, with their batteries SO
arranged as to command the whole length of
the bridge. which was about 200 yds. long
and 80 feet wide, with raking fire, while
thousands of sharpshootcrs were posted at
every available point Napoleon, having se>
lected 5000 troops, after addressing them in
tones of martial eloquence, seized standard
and preceded by the brave Lannes. with
Massena and Berthier, Immediately behind
him-shouted, t'follow your general
plunged through clouds of smoke. amid the
thunder of cannon and roar of 'musketry.