Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1903-09-19
PHOENIX. ARIZONA, SEPT. 10, 1858
The President at AutIetam.


Speaking on the battlefield of Ante
tam, Thursday, President Roosevelt;
grew truly eloquent. The subject was
inspiring. certainly, and Mr.. Roosevelt
did not in the least exaggerate the is
sues which waited on the turn of that
mighty struggle.
From Il military point of view, An
tietam was a drawn battle. The ad-
vantage, if any there was. rested with
the confederate army. General Lee,
with an army of 5000 men. the flower
of the confederacy, fought the battle
on ground chosen by himself. and in
this he had an advantage which offset
the greater strength CO General Nc
Clellan's forces-there being $1,000 on
the union side. McCleilans numerical
advantage was still further minimized
by the fact that the army OF the Pc
tomac lay partly on one side and partly
son the other side CT ]. stream which was
scarcely fo-dable at any pc-nt. Still
another advantage rested with the
great confederate chieftain. His army
had just defeated the army of the Po-
tomac at Cedar MountGin, in the sec
ond battle Of Bull Run. and at Chan
tiliy, and just before that had worsted
the union army in the seven days fight
ing On the line of the Chickahominy.
of Antiet2m should open the way for
his invesion of Maryland and the ris-
ing of the people of that state in re-
bellion against the United States. Ac-
eordingly, that was to be Il mCmentous
struggle ct Antietam on the 10Th and
18th of September. 1862.
Had the confederctes succeeded the
result. as Mr.. Roosevelt pointed out
Thursday, would have been the recog-
milton of the confederacy by England
and France. And, such is fate, had
Lee only known it at the critical mo-
ment. he was the victor. The con-
federate army, occupying a compact
semi-circle. had steadily withstoOd
charge after charge from the gallant
army of the Potomac. and the union
troops had been exhausted by series
of disconnected attacks in which the
slaughter had been frightful. Had Lee
known on the afternoon of the 18th the
extent to which McClellans army had
been crippled he would have taken the
offensive, CT course, and the result
would have been union rout and a
brilliant confederate victory But night
ended the conflict, of the second day
with the two armies confronting each
other On the 18th Mcclellan stood en-
the defensive. During the day he re-
ceived strong reinforcements and re-
solved to attack the next day, but that
night Lee made gcod his retreat to the
south side of the Potomac. having lost
5000 men against Il loss of 12,00e by
Mcclellan.
Thus the tide OF confederate vic
whelm the union was rolled back by the
battle of Antietam, even though in a
technical sense Lee gained the most
glory. The invasion OF Maryland be-
N1A4tS Gil iAiAPO-S~AC-iANSb III AS7AA4o VI
Maryland in rebellion was made i'm
practicable. and President Lincoln in a
spirit of intense relief and in fulfil
merit of a solemn vow. issued his pro-
clamation abo!ishing slavery. Nj.
Roosevelt placed none too high an es-
innate on the controlling influences of
the battle of Antietam. 1t marked the
definite turn of fortunes wheel to the
side of the union. Thereafter, although
the union was to see many dark days,
and although the heart Of Lincoln was
TO be weighted with care for weary
years, the suppression of the rebellion
had become simply a problem of attri-
tion-it was only necessary to keep
throwing enough men into the union
ranks to beat down and finally para
lyze the confederacy. So, as Mr.. Roose-
Welt pointed out, the moral value CT
Antietam to the cause of union was
tremendous.
Moreover, as tactfully emphasized by
the president, the whole nation today
is mighty glad that Antietam resulted
as it did.