Evening star., 1912-09-15

tile armies then were face TO face all
along the battle line. and tho conflict
at close quarters became almost as fierce
on the Confederate right as on the left.
1t is not the purpose of this article to
give a technical description of the bat
tie one which Is studied on the spot by
students of the Army War College each
year. The reader who desires a compre-
hensive account NAV find 1t at almost
any library. He may, If he is interested.
he able to examine the most elaborate
series of battle maps in the world-pub-
lished by the War Observation-Disclosures
the position of each regiment each half
hour from $50 m. to q pm.
1t is worth while to take a 1eeting
glimpse at Sharpsburg on the fveliest
day in its history. Little, IL any. fighting
took place within the town limits, but
stray shells from batteries fell so thick
that il was unsafe TO he on the streets.
Several brave citizens helped in the care
of the wounded soldiers brought into the
town. but save for Confederates passing
through to take up new positions, the
streets were deserted. Cellars We're the
chosen places of refuge. Seven hundred
of the inhabitants had found shelter In
a large cave near the town, and 1t is
said that not a single resident of Sharps-
burg lost his life on the day that made
the town famous. Sharpsburg had raised
two companies for the Union Army, but
thew We're among the troops that sur
rendered to Jackson at Harpers Ferry
the day before. It's few sons who had
joined the Confederate Army We're far
away
Years afterward occurred at least two
fatalities to men who opened unexplofed
shells picked up on the battlefield. One
man who had opened up ninety-nin with
out receiving injury was blown to pieces
after trying to repeat the dangerous job
the hundredth time.
The shower of missiles left many a
mark on Sharrsburg buildings. still to
he seem The Lutheran Church. however.
was so badly battered by shells that 1t
had to he torn down. 1t has been re-
placed by fine modern edifice. adorned
memorial gifts. 1t is one of the few
buildings that have been erected in
Sharpsburg since the war.
Among those who did not keep under
cover September IL We're several small
boys of about ten to fifteen years of age.
perhaps 1.-The most mschievous gang of
youngsters to be found anywhere" said
a respectable gray-haired citizen of Ha-
gerstown Md, who was one Of them
1t might have been possible to coop up
these youngsters. had their parents
known that they had abandoned shelter
to see whatawas going on but as it was
they roamed around without thought of
peril. They were not reckless enough to
seek a quarrel with the men in gray whom
they knew to be 1.-The enemy" but they
longed for exploits, and by chance did
capture seventeen muskets of the enemy,
without even getting spanking.
The muskets belonged to as many
weary and thirsty Confederate soldiers
who left them stacked to search for
water. which they found at short dis
tance away at a locally celebrated spring
The boys found time to snake the guns
and hide them in the hay in the barn be-
longing to the father of their leader,
where they remained the spoils of the
little guerrillas, for several days after the
battle.
Most Of the members of the gang"
became locally prominent in later years.
but the story now comes from the hps OF
a survivor as fresh a contribution to