The National tribune., 1884-04-03
GEN. 0. 0. HOWARD'S "REMINISCENCES
Continued from LIST page
and probably deployed his columns to retail
ate So this assault failed.
SUCCESS AT LAST.

ate. So this assault failed.
SUCCESS AT LAST.
Next, Cox tried sturges' division. The 9th
New Hampshire and the I'd Maryland were
each put into column. They charged, but
found the terrible fire more than they could
meet. After several futile attempts these
regiments, too, gave up the job. The 5lst New
York and the 5lst Pennsylvania were next
tried. They were aided by a battery Of oars
which. with Shells smoke, and noise occupied
the attention of the troublesome defenders at
the time of the rush. At last our men-or a
part Of them, for many had failen-were over
Then the troops of Sturges and Crook crossed
as fast as possible, and, driving Toombs back,
formed with speed on the other bank. Rod
man. after being misled for awhile by ignorant
guides at last found his ford and came up the
right bank of the Antietam as ordered. The
daring work was done, bat ii had taken nearly
four hours to accomplish it, SO that it was
already O'Clock. The fighting all along our
line northward was already over, and further,
A. T. Hill. with his large division en- route
from Harpers Ferry, was not far OFT lie was
within four miles OF Sharpsburg.
Again rs ii TO favor Lee, there was a further
delay. The desperate firing before and after
getting across had exhausted the ammunition
Of the leading division so Burnside took Will
cox over to make replacement. 1t consumed
another precious hour. Confederate ID. L.
Jones was pouring his rife-shots upon our men /;
Confederate batteries were playing upon Burn
sides forming and charging lines. and it was.
indeed difficult, poky task, IN such case, to
organize lines for the advance.
cHEcKMATE.
Wilcox followed by Crook, made at once for
the town. These commanders carried the enc
my's line before them; but Rodman, having
Ewing's and Scammon's divisions, was success
fully delayed by the re-enforcements recently
sent from Lees left 10 Toom5s, thus extending
aud reinforcing his right. Sturges seized a
Confederate battery and went on quite through
the village. Rodnan's delay, of course, created
a separation and weakness for. inst at this
inncture. 4. 7. Hill advanced with his bate
ries. and his strong force deployed and drove
Rack our advance rapidly, recapturlng the
Confederate battery just taken. Rodman's
wing was also doubly checked. Soon he him.
se.f-one of cur best New England men-was
slain, and his troops were broken back in dis
order Our lines were reformed however,
nearer the river, and a strong position then
taken and held.
Burnside's right had produced awful havoc
when il broke in pieces ID. Il. Jones division,
re-enforced by Lee as it already was; so that,
great disaster would have befallen General
Lees army. As il was, we had really con-
QuereG. though we had gone into action by
piecemeal. feeding Stonewall Jackson's open
NAV just as fast and no faster than he was
able 10 take us in; for, by changing position,
with their shorter lines, the Confederate OH
GERS could always bring TO bear agalnst US some
times greater numbers, and never Ear below an
equal number. Thus il was against Hooker
after he was worn out; then against Mansfield
then in succession against Sedgwick, French
Franklin. Richardson and PleasOnton, with his
central batteries, and, finally, Burnside, fight
ing by himself, without reinforcement OF
diversion.
Lees gencralship at Antietam was certainly
ssperb. That of our generals, after we reached
the Antietaln, whatever be the cause, was GER
tsinly not the best. The plans were good, but
the tactical execution bad enough.
The right column should have been on the
SPOT where its work was 10 begin and in hand
then could Sumner, first seizing the height.
near the Potomac where Stuart was, have ae
complished the express purpose Of his heart-tC
have driven everything before him through the
town Of Sharpsburg on TO Burnside's front.
Burnside's vigorous move should have been
q was intended, simultaneous with the at
tack by the right column.
Yet after al our scoldiug. we did have
victory, though not a decisive one. Fer Lee
Withdrew, after delay of one day, and re
crossed the = Potomac. PorteTs command, fol
lowing over 700 closely, lost quite heavily a
Sharpsburg Ford, so that every part Of GU
army unless il be COUGHS division, which
arrived after the battle was substantially fin
ished and was only under artillery fre-suf
fered great losses in this singular battle.
Now, my comrades, while we study the fault
Of so many brave men for avoidance of them il
the future, let us not too much blame them
There were often cogeHt reasons, hindrance
and drawbacks existing at the time, which
twenty years after, we cannot remember Am
oh, how many, many true men whom we deen
faulty did their best and are now IN their graves
So, shall we not cover then. lovingly with tn
flowers Of Fraternity, Charity and Loyalty, an,
say farewell TO Antietam2
TO be continued