Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-08-09
WHERE HEROES STROVE.
Lady Visitor Writes of BattlefieldS
About Frederick, Md.

| Clellan. After a stubborn all-day fight
/ the Confederates were driven back to-
wards Sharpsburg. The hardest fight
/ ing took place on the south side Of the
mountain along and over an old stone
fence around an old stone house be-
longing to a farmer named Wise. Here
the Confederates under Gen. A. P.
Hill cut to pieces a corps Of Federals
under Gen. Reno. Reno himself was
killed. The old stone fence and the old
| Wise house are both standing. Behind
| the house are traces Of an old we'll. In
which hundreds of bodies of Confeder-
ates were buried. The place is said to
be haunted by phantom soldiers who
| beg to be turned over into more COM
Portable positions. I was sorry was
not a Catholic, for my friend who was,
dropped to her knees to say prayer
for the rest Of their brave souls.
Monument to War Correspondents.
There are no Confederate monu-
ments on South Mountain, but the gov
ernment has a stone marking the spot
where Reno fell, and also the position
of the force commanded by Col.-af-
forwards President Mckinley. At the
gap, the government has also erected a
memorial arch to war correspondents
the only monument ever erected to war
correspondents I think. 1t was appro-
priated mainly through the efforts Of
Mr.. George Alfred Townsend Of Wash
ington whose correspondence name
was Cattle" On one side above the
arch is "look- out" tower with binoc-
ulars, and three lookout" windows
from which you have a wonderful view
of Pennsylvania, Maryland and the two
Virginias. Several reunions have
been held on South Mountain battle
ground, notably one in October. 1852,
the same year, when President Lincoln
visited South Mountain and Antietam.
Battle Of Antietann.
Repulsed at South Mountain, the
Confederates fell back toward Sharps-
burg. At Antietam Creek, four miles
distant, however, they were opposed by
McClellan's force of 10000 men. The
Confederate strength Is estimated at
10000 with both Lee and Jackson as
leaders. On. the banks Of Antietam
Creek was fought on September 16 and
II, 1862 what is known as the blood
lest of all battles"-Antietam. The
northern bank of the creek is only a
slight decline. but the southern bank
rises sharply. The Confederates had
crossed over the creek and were occu-
pying the southern ridge. Three of the
four stone bridges that crossed the
creek-it is about forty feet wide
were strongly guarded AS nearly as l
toned opposite the three westernmost
bridges. and were beating back the
Federals under, Gen. Burnside. Jack
sons army was on the bank above the
easternmost bridge and was pushing
back Hooker's division. Gen. A. P.
Hill was behind Lees army and they
succeeded in driving Burnside back. l
believe historians consider 1t a drawn
battle, but with terrific loss of life on
both sides. 1 was told that 5000 Con-
federates were made prisoners and the
national cemetery on the battle ground
contains thousands Of graves.
All the bridges are still standing
with marks to indicate the positions Of
the various divisions. Above the creek
stands the stone Dunkard church
around which was some Of the sharp
est fighting. 1t was used as hospital
after the battle. The old Bible was
carried of by New York soldier. but
was returned after forty one years and
is now on the pulpit. The Dunkards
are sect of German Baptists. In front
of the old church runs what Is known
as Bloody Lane" This the old road
way connecting the Hagerstown pike
with the Boonesboro pike. 1t Is slightly
elevated and runs between rail fences.
1t was held by the Confederates, and
when they were finally dislodged, dead
men lay three and four deep in the
roadway. There Is q large national
cemetery at Antietam and monuments
all over the field. But don't think any
were Confederate.
Noted for Its Battles.
The Monocacy battle-ground is on the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad. 1t looks
now like a little town, but the two
% att
standing-the iron railroad bridge
over the Monocacy river, and the stone
Washington turnpike bridge. The Mo-
nocacy is not large river, about like
the Catawba. l suppose, but its history
is red with battles between the Indian
tribes, the French and English, and la
ter the Americans.
The Union forces under Gen. Rick
etts tried to hold the railroad bridge
against McCausland's cavalry. (Both
these names were unknown to me)
They were overpowered however, and
| the Confederates crossed The real bat
tie was around the old stone bridge,
however, where Gen. Lew Wallace tried
TO QrlVe DacK zen. JOnn Is. SOTuOI
! force This bridge is crescent shaped
| and was built by the Indians. At one
end is an old stone jug about six feet
| high, and the bridge is known as the
| jug Bridge" The loss of life in the
battle of the Monocacy was less than
| thousand. including both sides. but
one of the most prominent physicians
in Maryland years after said in his
| Memoirs" that the character of the
wounds received by the dead. and the
wounded who were taken tohospitals in
Frederck-was the most horrible he
ever saw. They were nearly all shot
in the foreheads, showing that they
were cut down as they rose from the
breastworks and at close range.
| Gen. Early's army had invested
Frederick the day before Monocacy,-
July s, 1S64-and had levied on the
town for 100000 for the army. l think
they are still trying to get it back from
the United States government.
| There is a memorial field and a