The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-09-18
DIR, AVERITTS GRAFTON
AT WINCHESTER.
Continued from End page

SunbOAtS on James hfNeI. ny =,
battle Of Manassas, at when o1ohe"a,i
Jackson rose to the helght or sup,
commander under Gen. Lee, was put Ihe
stepping stone to the INVASION Oh MAR
land The battle of SharpsburS on TIE
18th s3ay of September, lS62, the thlr'y
ffth anniversary of which has called US
together today, was the great struggle Oh
that campaign. Gen. Lee crossed ihto
MARYLAND and made his way directly 10
Frederick City, ignoring the existence Oh
the $4,000 troops at Harper's Ferry, IN
sufficient proximity to threaten MS
communications through the Shenanuoah
Valley. He naturally thought that this
garrison would be Immediately removed
and ordered to join Gen. Mcclellan. The
Federal commander having ordered .the
evacuation of Harper's Ferry: novel
slowly and cautiously up the right
bank OF. the Potomac river. heading
towards Fredericksburg. Gen. Halleck, at
all times and under all circumstances the
enemy of Gen. Mcclellan, ordered the
Federal troops at Harper's Ferry and at
Nartinsburg to retain their positions. 1t
was to reduce these two posts by cap
tire that Gen. Lee at Frederick CITY
made his dispositions, sending Gen. NC
Laws along the mountain ridge when
eliminates on Maryland heights; send
ing Gen. Walker across the Potomac TO
reach the Loudoun heights in Virginia
at the same time sending Gen. StoneWall
Jackson across the Potomac at Wlihans-
mort nv circuitous route of more tnan
sixty miles to reduce Harper's Ferry by
q movement in its rear Meantime Gen.
Tonrstreet and Gen. d. III. Hill were or
dered TO cross the mountain ana remain
at Roonsboro pending the capltulanon or
Uarper's Ferry Unfortunately the order
10 some one of the Confederate generals
setting forth this plan of Gen. Lees was
lost at Fredericksburg City. Gen. NC
CleIlan hurried on after Gen. Lee with
the measured pace of man in the dark
as TO what his adversary's plans were
until he reached Frederick City. Here
nromptly put in possession of Gen. Lee
nl,ns through the lost dispatch, ne
nushed on with great vigor TO attack ms
whole army the divisions of the Confede-
rate commander. To delay Gen. McClel-
Ian so as to give Gen. Jackson time TO
reduce Harper's Ferry, brilliant and stub
born resistance was maze TO tne "p
nro,ch Of Gen. Mcclellan both at Boons-
boro Gap and Champions Gap as wei
These preliminary engagements wlilie
bloody, stubborn and brlihant' costihs
the South some Of her noblest defenders,
we're successful in that they detained
Gen. Mcclellan long enough TO enable
Cen. Lee to call around him a sunicleht
number of his faithful followers from
Harper's Ferry to make STAND at
Sharpsburg. Gen. Jackson. TO whom
Harper's Ferry surrendered with It's r.,
600 troops, $4,000 stands of arms, ~
pieces Of artillery and a large number OF
very valuable stores, ordering zen. a.
?. Hill to attend to the paroling OF the
prisoners. gave orders 10 Gems. McLaWs
and Walker to follow him as rapidly as
possible and join him at Sharpspurg,
which place Gen. Jackson reached ON the
evening of the 18th. The little village or
Sharpsburg lies about a mile away from
the west bank of the Antietam creek,
and was the center OF SIX
roads coming in ut this point
from as many directions. One road
from Harpers Ferry. seventeen miles
away. entered this little hamlet on the
south SADIE: another from Boonsboro on
the east; another from HagerstoWn from
the north; another from ShepherdstoWn
on The Potomac. southwest another from
Pleasant Valley on the southeast. 10
one standing in the center of this little
hamlet, composed largely of the homes
of thrifty Dutch farmers, the Antietam
is before him at a distance Of about a
mile. while behind him in horseshoe
shape at an average distance OF about
three miles, lies the Potomac River.
Gen. Lees disposition of his troops was
as folows-the right center TO the right
of the BoonsborO road was assigned to
Gen. Longstreet: the left center to Gen.
ID. III. He'll. ON the left of the same road.
Next on the left reaching towards the
Hagerstown pike were Hoods brigades
next to the left came the Stonewall di-
vision and that of Gen. Ewell reaching
across the Hagerstown road, while Gen.
Lees extreme left was commanded by
horse artillery under Gen. Stuart, whose
batteries were protected by two small
brigades Of infantry. The extreme right
Of the Confederate army was assigned
to Gen. Walker and some Georgia
troops The Antietam creek flowing
obliGuely towards the Potomac is span
ned wherever the public road crosses it
by strong stone bridges. The hills on
the st side Of this creek were crowned
.
The disposition Of his powerful army
numbering between 10000 and 100000
troops was so made as to put Gen.
Burnside with the 9th corps on Nc
Cieilans extreme left, whose whole
army lay stretched away toward his
extreme right with Gen. Hooker in com
mand of his right wing. Gen. McClel
lans plan Of battle was to open up 8
heavy artillery fire from the command
ing positions east of the Antietam creel
all along this whole line, and under it
cover to pass Gen. HoOkers corps by 1
circuitous route across the creek higher
up, and seek to turn Gen. Lees lef
flank. On the afternoon of the 16tf
Gen Hooker had effected the passage
with mis- own corps and that of Mans
field and Gen. Sumner. The fighting
beginning later in the afternoon was be
tween a portion of this force and the
Confederate troops under the command
of Gen. Hood. The engagements while
bloody and stubborn were in no wise