The Republican journal., 1882-01-19
Written for the Republican Journal
Sketches of Army Life.
NUMBER THREE
THE BATTLE OF ANTIETAM.

| NUMBER THREE,
THE BATTLE OF ANTIETAM.
Daylight dawned upon anxious hearts on the
eveniful day Of September H. 1862. At an early
hour the troops were in line. The battle began
on our right flank where Hooker opened a terri
BILE fire of artillery and musketry upon the enc
my Our division ordered forward, as we sup
posed, to the line Of battle; but after marching
short distance we halted under the protection of
long ridge Of land short distance in Of our
line of battle We a part of Fitz John Pur
ter's command. and, as is well known, his corps
of fifteen thousand men was held in reserve all
day. Up to that time all had been quiet in our
immediate front, which near the centre OF our
line of battle; but suddenly twelve pound gun
planted upon the opposite side of the hill from us,
sent shell screaming across Antietam Creek and
far within the rebel lines. The enemy quickly
responded, battery after battery joined in, and il
almost every direction could hear the kissing
screaming shells, and here and there see the puff
of white smoke, where one exploded in the air
Two of US obtained PERMISSION to leave the ranks
for "a short time and we ascendad the hill in front
of our regiment hoping from its top to obtain
view of the battle field Slowly a>cended the
elevation of land i wounded soldier sat upon
the ground in our front, who had just come over
the hill, aud was endeavoriug to remove the boot
from his wounded foot. Before we could reach
him to lend our assistance the poor fellow was
relieved from all further diff Guilty, A solid shot
from rebel gun came bounding like a foot bail
over the hill struck him upon the shoulders
crushed h IN 10 a jelly bounded over our regi
ment dashed and rolled down the road and sent
confusion through a sqpadron of passing cavalry
as it ratified among the feet Of their horses
The top Of the hill was reached, and from its
highest point we obtained fine view OF the scene
IF conflict, The rebel line judging from the clouds
ot rising smoke, about four miles long his
right reaching within a mile of the Potomac river
and resting upon Antietam Creek, at what was
known as the Stone bridge This entire line was
upon the western blnk of the creek and pied
a very strong position upon the hills and among
the trees The rebels, undoubtedly. had brilliant
expectations on that morning The delay of our
commanding general , not pressing general bat
tie the day before. had enabled the rebel divisions
of jackson and Lawton. fresh from their victory
At Harper's Ferry, to join the main army, Lee,
the most brilliant soldier of the Contederacy, com
manded now an army Of one hundred thousand
men His left wing was commanded by Jackson,
his right by Longstreet and his centre by Hill To
reach them our troops must cross the deep Antie
tam Greek and storm the heights beyond; and the
only way we could cross the creek was upon three
bridges-one on our right at the Hagerstowu road !;
one near the centre aad the stone bridge upon our
| l4ft nd thp 6av hefo hon Tpp pad
his line of battle he SO massed his infantry and
planted his field pieces that he considered it i'm
possible for our troops to carry them by assault 1t
must have looked to the enemy as though it would
be an easy victory Their we're highly eated
A victory at Antietam. and the North laid defence
l-ss and hopeless at their feet
The bate raging on right Yesterday
shen Hooker made his desperate advance, he car
red the upper bridge on the Hagerstown road Il
important advantage, and he held it all
night. his men sleeping upon their arms, and dur
ing the night the commands Of Sumner and Mans
field had been pushed over to support MIN Ii Was
evident to that fighting Joe" advancing
We could catch glimpses OF moving columns and
waving banners through the smoke and mists A
strong column Of Uuion blue, and two batteries
advanced from the woods, where for a brief time
our men had been concealed, into an open corn
field The rebels evidently did not see our iDtan-
try; they saw only the much coveted guns, and
apon them they charged with savage yen The
Guns we're ready to receive them Shreking,
bursting shells, grape and canister, with fearful
precision, went tearing through the densey massed
ines of the enemy Our infantry joined in the
bloody reception Back and forth the lines ad-
vanced and receled first one aud then the other
vas victor We watched with suspended breath
n G had never seen war before Lines melt away
IN the terrible carnage He'll Itself would seem
insignificant when compared to the horrors OF that
corn field. Fer full hour the conflict ragged and
then the rebel lines began to recede, and their fire
TO siacken A cheer of victory from the
Union ylctors "Stonesa Jackson hal foun
his match in reckless daring. Joe Il ,okers tail
erect form, his gray horse, had been dashing
Turing that fearful hour through the thicSest of
he fight, inspiring his men oy the reckl'sS ex
posure of his own person Meade with his Penn
syIvania Reserves then ordered to follow up
he advantage thus gained They charged across
the corn field, plpwed with shells and made slip
perry with blood, to reach the woods in which the
.nemy had disappeared, We ooked-great Goi.
ehat a reception! The woods seemed to yaWn
tud vomlt forth volcano of eaden fire upon
them 1t checked their advance. They endeav
red to return the FIRE; they reelei and staggered
under that tempest like drunken men briga1es
became regiments in moments time; and soon
be small remnant Of that noble division retreated
| )etore that fire Of death The rebels had nndpubt
-dy been reinf reed. And then from the thick
woods they came in solid columns, to follow up
he repulso Of Meade. 1t was critical moment
Unless that advance was checked, all lost
Hooker sat amidst the flying lead as the broken
arigades of Meade hurled back past him
| He the >mn5 lines of the foe. There was
40 time to lose. A staff officer dashed away to
General Doubleday, with orders from Hooker fer
his best brigade to be sent instantIv and General
H4rtsntf' brlgaie, made up la gly of Massachu
,etts troops crashed through the woods aud out
INTO the field past Hooker, and wildly charg
ed upon the enemy. We could see the reckless
manner in which they charged, They struck the
rebel line aad the latter, although five fold The
stronger recoied before the sh 'ck Hartsuh $
men fell fiat upon their faces along small crest
# land, and opened a terrific fire upon th4 rebels
aud for thirty minutes the battle ragged HartsuH
wounded, his men had expended all their
ammunition, no relnforcements had arrived, and he
must not retreat The shattered line sprang 10 its
feet mantled in clouds of smoke, and charged
upon the enemy. Like a withering line of fire
they rolled on The enemy could not staud the
hook and once more fell hack to the woods
! 1t was then ten O'Clock the battle had been
raging for four hours. and neither side had yet
gained decided advantage. The carnage had
oeen fearful With anxious hearts We scanned
the distant columns, for We knew that a move
ment would soon be made by either blue gray.
And we soon saw that Hookers entire command
was advancing. 1t was desperate movement and
| a grand spectacle to witness Our view was broken
By clumps Of trees and the tops Of distant hills
but at many points we could see the advance
Regiments, brigades divisions were swinging and
| wheeling into line all at a douhle ouick banners