New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-23

Burnside's Gallant Men Held
Won Ground, and in the
End Confederate Hopes
Were Shattered.


command Of a norton OF the forces, was
crossing Catoctin Creek. a stream in the
NiddIetown Valley when he was surprised
nv seeing Colonel Moor standing at the
edge Of the road. General Cox as'onisheu'
rode I'D TO him and asked how he came
there He said that after his capture a'
Frederick he had been taken beyond the
mountain and then paroled. lie was no"
dnding his way back again But where
are YOU going?" he asked OF General cox.
Tn resnonse TO General Coxs reply that a
reconnaissance was 10 be made I'm the gap
he involuntarily started and exclaimed:
"Mv God. BE careful Then he suddenly
checked himself, remarkine. But am '
psroled"'
hint to the wise was SUFFICIENT, ana
General Cox prepared for any emergehcE'
The morning fights were chiefy at OK
Gap At that point General Cox repuised
TWO different Confederate forces, General
Garland in command OF one brigade renls
killed. Cox. however. was cautious ana o'u
not pass through the gap whose portai ne
had won but fell back to await reinforce
ments In the mean time Confederate re-
Inducements also came up. and IN the al
ternoon at 9 o'clock, Cox having receiver
the fresh troops he wished, moved Forward
came I'D with more Confederate troops
The last severe engagement began at about
2 D. m. at both gaps and continued until
after dark
IN the course OF the lighting General
Jesse l.. Reno, a Union officer OF great
ability. was killed and Colonel Hayes, Az
tervard President Of the United States, was
1 wounded The battle of South Mountain
hogan as a reconnaissance on the part OF
the Union army. and before the day was
over each side had introduced enough
troops TO make II a battle. More than .3"0
mon were involved on the Union side ana
between 1000 and 1900 on the Confederate
all who could be brought forward. Al
though the Union army had secured an adj
vanced position, il did not attempt TO go
down the mountain on the other side until
tho morning msts had risen. when II was
discovered that the enemy having saved its
baggage train by the persistent struggle
OF the day before had moved on. Lee, who
had been urged 10 concentrate his troops
at Sharpsburg, as that would give the por-
ton OF his army at Hagerstown an oppor-
tunity TO meet him half way instead or
being obliged TO go the whole way with
loss OF time, moved back across the An
tletam toward that place.
On the same day that the battle OF South
Mountain took place Major General Frank
lin reached Champions Gap and carried 1t
with a magnificent charge up through tho
steep mountain pass IN the face 81 hot
fire delivered from behind stone walls.
owing to the moderate speed with which
Franklin's corps had been moved forward
under McClellan's orders. when MS troops
passed down through the pass on the morn
NJ Gepfenlber
| 10 succor the beleaguered garrison OF Hsr-
pers Ferry. not more than half dozen
miles away. Comparatively early that
morning the whole force and supplies at
the ferry were surrendered to Jackson.
The fruits OF Jacksons quickly realized
victory at that point were 1880 prisoners,
1900 arms. % pieces Of artillery and sew
eral hundred wagons. The supplies or
| cloi hing were welcomed by the Confederate
troops, and some of the Confeierates APP
peared In the battle OF Antietam wearing
! the Federal uniforms which had come
: into their possession. Jackson had accom-
plishod his crrand again without Federal
interference, despite the fact that Lees
! lost order had fallen into McClellans hands
two days previously. Would he De able TO
: Join Ice before McClellan's big army should
| rcacr-A rtl attack IT? Not moment was u
be lost. 1910 sooner had the surrender been
assuyed than Jackson army wis off for
Sharpy5urg. crossing tho Potomac at the
ford at Shepherdstown. a town in the rear
OF Lees position.
! Ice had taken up his position along the
| western slope Of tho Antietam Creek. ON
the afternoon of September Is General
Mcclellan and his army came mp to the
crest of tho eastern slope overlooking the
creek and the village OF Sharpshurg lying
| among the fields on tho other side. As Nc
! Clellan and his officers walked along the
| hillside discussing the position of the en-
! envy, the prospect that lay spread out be-
| fore them was n pleasing one. Immediate
| " i'm front the Antictam wound through
the hollow. the hills rising gently on either
| side. In the background. on the left ~
the centre, could be seen the roofs %
Sharpsburg. Below the village were fields
inclosed by stone fences. At the right. 10
| the north of the village. the green OF
piece OF woodland styled the West Wood
was visible. a little white brick bunker
church. the gift OF man named Mummu,
and therefore called 81. Mumma's in some
| OF the Confederate reports. stood out clear
cut against the foliage OF this wood
! Further to the right and left were wood
ed ridges. with open fields between. Across
the creek below were several brdges-one
| on the extreme right, two rather close to-
| gethcr In the centre-over the lower one
| OF which the road from South Mountain
| crossed to Sharpsburg. \ short distance
below was a fourth bridge which has been
| called Burnside's bridge. because OF the
! gallant charge which soldiers OF Burnsides
corps made across ii i'm tho face of hot
! enilading fire. This is the arched bridge
| usually seen I'm the pictures illustrating tho
battle OF Antietam The slope OF the west
side OF the creek TO be tho battlefield,
and the little bunker church. its white
walls shining out against the dark woods
like Christian purity i'm dark and dreary
world was TO he one of the centres ot VA
lighting.
| General McClellans plan OF attack. -
far as he had one. was that of beginning
at the left end and working along the en-
tire length OF Lees line toward tho south.
The fact that the troops Of McLaws An
derson. A. p. Hill and Walker had not ar
rived from Harper's Ferry when he reached
! Antictam did not serve to hasten his
movements. ON the afternoon Of Septem-
Der 10 iIookers corps was sent across the
creek by two fords and the most northerly
OF the bridges, and about sunset became
engaged with some OF Hoods troops IN