The National tribune., 1886-05-27
AFTER "a YEARS.
ReViSiting the BattlefeldS Of Antietam
and South Mountain.


morning, May II, took a large company of ex-
cursionists from Washington and Baltimore to
the battlefelds of South Mountain and Antie-
tam. The trip was made under the direction
of the Association Of the First Army Corps, and
the following officers, among others, accom-
panied it: Gen. Z. S. Bragg, OF the Iron Bril-
gade; Gen. w. W. Dudley, late Commissioner
Of Pensions; Gen. Joseph Dickinson, Adjutant
General on Rockers staff; Gen. Silas Colgrove,
Of the Twelfth Corps; Maj. E. p. Halstead, Gen.
Doubleday's Adjutant; Col. ]. r. Thompson,
Col. l. s. Tiehenor, Capt. Potts, Maj. j. III. Slime,
Historian OF the First Corps; Chaplain Stevens,
of the 18th Conn, and many others.
The train left the excursionists at the village
OF Keedysville, which lies between South Noun
tain and the field of Antietam about four miles
from the former and two miles from the latter.
AT keedysville were many conveyances and
horses saddled for those who desired to gallop
over the field.
Nearly all the officers mentioned above had
not visited the field since the battle, and they
were, of course, intensely interested. A drive
was first made in the direction of the Dunkard
Church, and from there Gems. Bragg and Dud-
ley readily located the spot where the fight
opened-the famous cornfeld that was so often
fought over and the spot where Gen. Mansfield
was shot The forest has been cut away con-
siderably, and it was often difficult to locate
landmarks. Presently q considerable detour
was made from the pike, with Gen. Bragg as
pilot, 10 locate the route over which the First
Corps entered the field, and where Gen. Bragg
(then Colonel) was ordered to make the first at
tack. He located the spot where he was struck
with rifle ball, and detailed many thrilling
and interesting incidents Of the battle.
Gen. Dudley's talk was very interesting. He
related many new points and located the spot
in the cornield where, when the order was
made TO charge, itwas found almost impossible
TO advance without stepping upon tho bodies
OF dead rebels, who had been mown down by
the grape and canister of masked battery.
Ofcourse Bloody Lane was visited. Its said
to be almost identically as it was on the morn
Ing of the battle, except that the rails of the
fences show many marks of bullets. This lane,
IL will be remembered, was taken possession of
by the Confederates with the notion that it was
o strategic point, aud before they could escape
they were literally butchered by an enfading
FIRE Of grape and canister from a Union battery.
Burnsides Bridge was visited. From the
nights on the Sharpsburg side DIR. Russell, a
Confederate soldier, now resident of the town,
explained how a small Georgia regiment Of 100
men practically held the bridge and by that
means detained Burnsides Division for many
hours, until at length one regiment after an
other began TO ford the Antietam above and
below the bridge, and so, for fear of being
thanked, the Georgians retired. At this late day
u.
have attempted 70 carry the bridge or, if car
ried, that he should have attempted to pat
hisdivision across so narrow a bridge. Even at
this season OF theyear, swollen as it was with a
weeks rain, the Antietam appears to be an in
significant stream, and In September IL must
be much smaller Had Burnside reached the
other side at o'clock z. IN. instead of o'clock
p. m, who can tell what the result might have
been.
The nar,etar- With ;fa colossal e,ra,,ffa s.,tr
Of soldier 81 feet high 1.-THE largest figure of a
man in the world) was the next point Of in
terest, and from the observatory general view
Of the whole field was taken.
The day was holiday TO the people Of the
entire vicinity. Various rumors had reached
them in regard 10 a vast concourse Of people
that It was said would be present, and nearly
every housewife had prepared TO entertain the
veterans with meals and lodging. One rumoT
said that sham battle was TO be fought. They
were largely disappointed, both at the size OF
the crowd and the display.
Those who have visited any of the old bat
| tlefelds do not need description Of how the
native youths make merchandise Of the relic:
of the battle, from rusty sabers 10 buckshot
These boys confronted the exeursionists at
every turn, and were persistent in urging
their wares
On the 18th drive was taken TO South Noun
tain, and the fields at Turner's and Fox's Gaps
were studied with minuteness. Gen. ColgrOYe
who carried Lees famous lost dispatch 10 Gen
Mcclellan, was there. This dispatch, it viii
be remembered, detailed the exact location o.
Lees army. 1t was picked up by a private
soldier either before or after il had been de.
livered to Gen. Hill, and coming 70 Gen. Col
grove was Immediately taken to Mcclellan
who made full use OF il in his attack.
Perhaps the most interesting spot on South
| Mountain is that where Gen. Reno fell The
tree under which he stood has been chopped
/ down, but the stump is pointed out 1t was
hot point in the battle. A few rods distan
stands Wiss's house, now occupied by a family
named Shoemaker. The south gable OF thi,
! house was literally riddled with bullets, ant
the holes remain as they were on the night oil
the battle, except that some OF the bullets hay,
/ been cut out.
The house is log structure, such as ar,
50 often seen in the mountains, not moro thar
l2xl5 feet, yet il furnishes shelter and hone
for nine persons. The mistress Of the mansion
with small babe IN arms, leaned on the from
fence and readily answered questions. She haC
been born only few rods from her presen
residence, anG with her husband and sever
children resides in the house. How they ar
| all fed, and how they sleep, with only one bee
/ in the house. is problem which no politica
economist has ever attempted 20 explain. !
few feet from the Wise house is the old DIR,
well wherein SO dead COnfederates were buried
the next day after the fight.
The Mountain House In Turner's Gap, which
Is so frequently mentioned in all accounts O
| the battle, is now owned and has been com
pletely reitted and elegantly furnished b.
Mrs. Admiral Dahlgren. Mrs. Dahlgren had
most elegant lunch prepared for the excursion
lists, and afterwards showed them through th
house and grounds. as also the chapel which
she has built from tho proceeds Of her book Oh
Washington. Mrs. Dahlgren spends about 81:
months Of the year at this delightful mountain
resort, and il now engaged upon q life Of tn
Admiral.
Once month priest regularly ofIieiates a
the chapel, and the remaining Sundays Mr:
Dahlgren teaches the mountaincers
or course, annmber Of the exeursionists visit
ed the Washington Monument on the highes
point Of the mountain. This monument wa
begun very soon after the Revolution, but wa
only finished since the close Of the rebellion
From the observatory on its top an entrancin
view OF both fields and all the country 70
many miles around lies before the eve.
REUNIONS.