Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1902-08-27
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b" The Battle
. OF Antietanl
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IA and unlocked Tor than Gcttys-
Il "A burg. For three days Nc.
Clcllau had been crowdiug
Lee back from the heart uf Maryland
toward the Potomac aver. where hc
must either cross to the Virginia shore
under fire or fight ON its northern bank
90 cripple his Zoe and gain time for
cross .r. ~ leisure. lie chose 10 tiGht.
After carrying the passes through
South mountain ON the iith ~ Scp.cm.
Der Mcclellan flung hIs battle line
westward parallel with the Potomac
and moved rapidly toward the river as
FAR as Auucum creek. Having learned
from "a battle order lost hy some OF
Lcc's officers that Stoncwoll Jackson
who ON the 18th captured the Federal
post ut ll3rpprs Ferry ON tho Nra.u.a
side OF the river. was expected tu re-
cross aud Join Loo again boo Maryland
/ Mcclellan know thatl.cc was not beat.
| Ing hurried retreat lie had not come
over into "a northern state merely 60
march back w.,buut an attcmpt to jus.
| tfy the invasion
Lees position south ~ Auti,tam
creek was weak ON DIS lnft and strong
ON hts right. ON the lcft the Fcdcus
could cross the stream 10y several fo.Is
aud bridges ont OF view of Lees ful.
dlcrs and the range 81 his guns but
ON the right nans the banks uf doe
creek were steep and rugged and the
only bridge across could easily be- made
target Tor Confederate bullets gud
shells. Mcclellan had only part OF h.,
troops ON the scene gt nightfull ot .he
10th. but hr began the fight that even.
iug hy attacking the lcft flank of Long
streets line ON the Confederate lrf'.
On the 18th Stourwall Jackson
brought up part OF the troops Do had
used 600 the capture Of llarpcrs Ferry
and with these Lee p.cccd out the lcft
Of his line OF battle So that &c Zen away
from Ant.ctam creek back toward lhe
Potomac. The augl, formed by this
bend I'm the line southwark was coy
cred with woods aud lodges of rocks
and made what soldiers call a strong
rest Tor that tauk.
Having marched out Of Washington
without authority 10 head on Lees
invading force In Maryland. McClcl
Ian proceeded with the sure purpose of
preventing his antagonist from lodging
past his line on the AntIetam 10 The
interior again. Federal batteries were
strung along the center to hold Lee
south Of the Antictnm. Two army
corps under Hooker attacked the angle
and the short line on Lees left early
the morning Of the 18th. This was
the most terrific fight on record.
HoOkcr's columns were led by bat.
terics which moved down fields of
corn 10 the stubble as with a knife, and
soldiers IN gray who had taken cover
among thts tall stalks fell under the
terrible storm OF iron.
IIookers battle-ground 40 Antietam
furnished one OF those spcctaclgs which
battle description. A picture Of one Of
battles Is not too strong
FOR a parallel except that there were
no cavalry charges az Antietam. Bull
let's, hayonets, shot and shell worked
the awful havoc. Little boy little Lees
left was crushed in Hookcrs infan-
try charged a knoll and captured H.
From that point Of vantage his bat
tcrles would shell the next knoll down
the line and rake the Intervening shell
tiers OF infantry troops. Then the
Confederates would charge the Fed
eral batteries ana be met hy coun-
.ercnarge of the Fedcrals.
The Federals would charge over and
capture a field. strcwing it with their
own and the euomy's dead At the
farther edge they would cling until
the Confedcratcs mustered fresh men
TO charge and perhaps recover &c. Fail
Ing TO recover the ground, the men In
gray would be- swept back by rush
OF the boys IN blue pilug mp more
dead on the ridges and in the hOllOws
Behind Lees center, ut the little stone
village ~ Sharpsburg, which gives the
battle its name I'm Confederate annals
the ground was elevated and whoever
that had the best OF the
fray. For that control lee fought and
Mcclellan struggled With bis bat
tcries planted there Mcclellan could
rake Lees right flank and destroy the
defenders OF the BLUFFS at the bridge
North OF Antietam creek, abreast OF
the bridge. Burnside's Ninth corps was
massed,
Hookcr's advance was a complete
aud successful flank attack lie was
driving the Confederate lines together
and gaining upon the key position In
the Confederate center at Sharpsburg
Jacksou's men, driven back from the
short line. rallied ln the center, which
soon became the Confederate left.
Finally this edge Of the field was mar
rowcd down TO a large corulcId which
stretched between the coutendlne
lines. In places the corn was still
standing when the battle was nc ita
height. At the west end of the field
were a thick woods and on tba east an
other woods. These woods were rally
ing points for the Confcdoratcs on tho
west and the Fcderals on the east.
The coruGcld was strcwn with dead.
and the woods had a fringe Of deac
along the edge toward the corn.
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