National Republican., 1880-09-18
THE FIELD OF ANTIETAM.
A Monument to the Patriotism Of the
Private Soldier.
The Unwilling Ceremonies by tho Grand
Army OF the Republic-O Occurroncos OF
the Day-A Railroad Accident.
The Anniversary of a Memorable Day.

SHARpSBURG, ND, september IL lS5O.
This little town nestled almost out Of sight
among the hills has become memorable to-day.
No doubt need be entertained Of its antiquity,
for evidence is furnished In every house, barn
and building that many years have como and
gone. There Is nothing attractive about the
village unless II be the connection il bears to
September 1862, when this locality was
the scene of several houy contested
and bloody battles To-day those mem.
oriCs are revived, and tho leaf they form
in the history Of the war Of the rebellion has
been rctouGhed and brought ont IN brilliant
colors. Sharpsburg can be said to have but
one street, and that Is the turnpike passing
through il. The dwellings which lie scattered
along this road are irregular in size and
height-some of brick, others Of stone, n few
frames, and even the old log cabin finds place
among them.
The fact that it was the occasion of tho un.
yelling of the soldiers monument in Antie.
Ia cemetery will explain why the town
suddenly aroused from its sleepy state aud
assumed one of life and,aotivity. Arrivals from
abroad commenced last night and those hav-
ing quarters TO let found themselves pressed
TO satisfy the demands made upon them. BY
daylight this morning the surrounding coun.
try commenced to furnish its quota Of visitors,
aud 1t must to have been large for the people
continued to come in even after the
uuvCiing ceremonies were concluded.
III the meantime the kcadysville
pike was sending in heavy carRoes of
| humanity. Passengers by the Baltimore &
Ohio railroad would dscmbark at that vii.
lage and seize upon any conveyance TO carry
/ them to this place. The Fifth Maryland regi.
| mcut came by this route, and marched the en-.
| tire distance between the two places When
| thcy arrived the effect of tho tramp was
| plainly visible upon their persons. The day
was extremely hot, and dust was abundant. II
/ Al l. sfNNI
| The powdered limestone mixed with tho or.
binary earth was su tiicieuty light to scatter
without force, and 10 was most searching in
working through the clothing, aud had n
| singing effect upon tho eyes. At 6 o'clock
this morning the Shenandoah valley road
| started their excursion trains. aud it was not
long before nearly all of Hagerstown was
| dumped down upon us. ButtransportatiOn by
| this line received q sudden and unexpected
| check one, also, that camo near developing
| into serious results.
At 0:i5 o'clock a train Of nineteen coaches,
| loaded with the Grand Army posts from Camp
Ross and many citizens of llagcrstown, started
from that city. One engine was put ahead to
| do the drawing. 1t was commented upon that
the locomotive could not perform the task and
would not be found equal TO the emergency.
| To run this train no old and experienced con-
ductor was selected, but two young men were
taken out Of the telegraph Office 10 collect the
| tickets aud tho engineer was made boss Of the
train. 1t Travelled all right until within about
four miles Of Sharrsburg aud oppo its the farm
Of NJ. Grimes. Here 10 met two short curves
and steep grade. Giving the engine
its head the engineer hoped before getting upon
the rise to Lave sufficient speed on histrUin to
carry him over the grade. lie was mistaken.
When about half way up the ascent tho train
stopped and the engine could not draw it fur
thCr baCk'd9Wa was taken and second
effort made, but with no better result. Con-
siderable time was lost in this manner, aud
the train was found TO be on the time Of the
next and following tXCuIaion train. i little
matter like this did not seem TO boiler the
engineer aud his conductor. So down the hill
/, they once more started TO back the cars 10
mako third effort 10 get over tho rise.
Hardly had the start been made when the coup.
ling Oh the third car from the engine
parted, and away went the remaining sixteen,
rushing down the grade. To make matters
moro interesting, us the cars began turning
tho curve, the other excursion train was seen
approaching a good rate OF speed, and the
officials were entirely unconscious Of the state
Z of affairs IN advance Of thom. A collision was
imminent. Men on the platforms jumped oil
= fell and tumbled over stone piles, while other
rolled into the bitches and down the slope O.
tho bank. few Were courageous enough t
:. work the brakes, and thereby break the fore,
- of the collision. When it did come some o
jumped the track. The danger having
passed, tho females became frightened anl
were near adding more mi5hdps to what hal
I already occurred It was shown that nobod,
r was very seriously hurt. Mr.. Daniel Burns 0
, Washington, us ono of the wounded, received
a sDraiued wrist in making his hasty exi
from the train. The engineer, after consult
ing with his experienced (?) assistants, carried
his engine and the broken car to Sharpsburg
z station. After long wait he returned and
II carried back one half of the train ho frs
started with, and found them good pull t
carry ovor the hill. Later he went back 70
tho other passengers This accident OF cours
upset the programme here, and wheI
J the first train arrived the member
Of the Grand Army Immediately formed
in line and marched to tho town, whCr
they were joined by battery A, Second UniteC
States artillery, and the Fifth Maryland regi
y ment national guards, and then proceeded L
| the cemetery. This stands on the high hil
at the head of the town on the keadysyill
nike ana is said to be about tho spot whGr
4. Lee stood when watching tho battle of An
IS tctam, which took place eighteen years ag
to-day.
Tho view is a grand one, aud the cOmradc
of tho army could DO seen huddlel toge the
in spots pointing out places OF interest (
:. them and positions occupied by the rcspcctiv
I forces during this great contest. on to Til
left lies the bridge near the old mil
that Burnside attempted to caplulo AN
cross, but did not succeed. A shor
distance to tho north could .bc scel
tho lane where the dead ana wounded wcr
piled deep, one upon the other, aud tho If
fluid ran down the road 50 freely us to caus
; the spot to be dubbed "bloody rum"
Antictam creek, that then proved such al
important dividing line between the contend
ing armies to-day creeps slcepily and laHil.
along, uumiudful Of the importance it ono
had, aud that to-day is the anniversary 0
that great battle Back from this short dis
tanco is the red brick house that McClellal
J used as his quarters, while still further bacl
ON the mountain, Mt tho highest aud most con
spiCuOu5 pUiut, vacant space can Do notice.
in the foliage, aud II WAS there that the look
4 OUT was established.
1t would be difficult to tell on what pOrtio
Of the grounds between Keadysyillo an
Sharpsburg there was not contest, stirmis
or battle Almost every foot Of the groun
whereabouts was iierCely aud stubboruly col
tested evontuadng in the great battles
South mountain aud Antctam.
The ceremonies ut tho cemetery bega
shortly after 2 o'clock. Tho grounds al
- beautifully laid out, well and neatly sodde
: and adorned with flowers. Little marb
blocks designate the graves, except here an
there Il slab is 10 be seen, 1t Is said that On
oldicrs have their resting place in tho'
grounds.
When the members Of the Grand Army an
other military organizations got within III
Dr. cemetery aud formed in line on the outer wal