The National tribune., 1901-03-28
1be SPY Of eBe
REBELLION
By ALLAN PINKERT0N.
copyRIGuT. 1888 BY ALLAN PINKERToN

ton of some of their batteries, while their
left and center. were upon, and in front
of the Sharpsburg and Hagerstown turn
pike, and their 'eXtreme left rested upon
| the wooded heights near the crossroads to
the north.
MCCLELLAN AT ANTIETAM.
While returning from this reconnoiter-
ing expedition, fire wiS opened upon us
from Il masked battery upon the hill, and
my horse, a beautiful sorrel, that had car
ried me for months, and to which l was
much attached, was shot from under me
while | was crossing the stream. Sew
eral of the men who accompanied me were
seriously wounded, and l narrowly es-
capped with my life. 7-7 ss.
The next morning, at early dawn, the
battle commenced, and ragged with unbat-
ed fury until nightfall, when the rebels
withdrew and our soldiers slept that night
upon Il dearly wolli vet decisiyely victorious
field. Mcclellan determined not to renew
the attack upon the following day, for
which his critics have censured him severe
ly, yet | am satisfied that not few writ
erS who have fought. on paper, the battle
of Antietam, just as it should have been
fought in their own estimation. have not,
in single instance, given the subject more
painful aud anxious thought than did the
General himself, during all that night,
while his weary troops lay resting on their
arms, on a field covered with their own
and their enemyS dead.
No better reason can be assigned, and,
indeed. none better need to be given for
the course he pursued, than he, himself
has stated in his own report Of that battle.
He says: Il am aware of the fact that,
under ordinary circumstances, a General
is expected TO risk a battle if he has a
reasonable prospect Of success; but at this
i Il. l.,
row view of the condition Of the country
had | been willing to hazard another bat
tie with less than an absolute assurance of
success At that moment, Virginia lost,
Washington menaced, Maryland invaded,
the National cause could afford no risks
of defeat One battle lost, and almost
all would have been lost. Lees army
might then have marched as it pleased
on Baltimore, Washington, Philadelphia
or New York 1t could have levied its
supplies from a fertile ard undeyaStated
country, extorted tribute from wealthy
and zpopulous cities and nowhere east Of
the Alleghanies was there another organ
lied force able to arrest its march"
The day after the battle, however Gen.
Mcclellan gave orders for q renewal of
the attack on the morning of the 18th;
but when morning dawned it was discoy-
cred that the rebels had abandoned their
leaving nearly 1900 of their unburied dead
on the late field of battle. Thirteen guns,
80 colors, upwards of $4,000 stand of
small arms, and more than 5000 prisoners,
were taken in the battles of South Noun
tain, Champions Gap and Antietam, while
not single gun or color was lost by our
troops in any of these encounters.
The battle of Antietam, in its effect, was
q brilliant and decisive victory for the
Union arms, as it was a terrible blow to
the South, who had expected much from
Lees sudden and daring invasion of a
loyal State; and their losses, from the
time they first invaded Maryland until
the end of the battle Of Antietam, were
IN the neighborhood of 10000 men.
cannot close this subject in more fit
ting words than those used by Gen. Nc
Clelian, in his brief and affection
ate farewell to his officers and men, after
the battle of Antietam, when, having won
victory at a critical period, he was, as
u reward, relieved from command.
Nov. Z, 1852.
Officers and soldiers Of the Army of the
Potomac:
An order OF the President devolves upon
Ma. j.-Gen. Burnside the command of this
army. In parting from you l cannot ex-
press the love and gratitude / bear you.
As an army you have grown up under my
care. In you | have never found doubt