Evening star., 1937-09-17
Battle of Antietam Is FOUGHT
Brilliantly on Historic Grounds

the Federals had the advantage, in.
improved, long-range guns situated
on the other side of the Antietam, out
Of reach Of the Confederate guns.
The f1erceness Of the Federal at
tack has perhaps never been sur
passed by any troops on any battle
field. In the sunken road Of jack
sons right and Longstreet's left. held
by D. H. Hill, who had three horses
shot from under him during the battle,
the Confederate dead fell like grass
before a mighty reaper.
Stark Mortally Wounded.
Gen. Stark, commanding Jackson's
old division. fell mortally wounded in
face OF Fighting Joe" Hooker's ter
rife onslaught, supported by the
Federal 18th Corps, under Manifold,
who also was killed. Jackson was call
ing for Hoods brigade and all the help
he could bring. BY the time the sun
was barely showing over South Noun
| tain Longstreet had sent everything
he could spare. Hood found Jackson,
with ammunition nearly exhausted,
withdrawing his shattered divisions.
Hood and Walker and Hill made
counter-attack Hooker, as ex-
hausted as Jackson, had to retire.
Summers corps and Sedgewick's divi-
sion then took a hand.
The Confederate line swung back
and forth, like rope, exposed to
rushing currents. A force too heavy
to be withstood would strike and drive
in weak point till the Confederates
could gather few fragments and, In
turn, force back the advance until
their lost ground Was recovered.
With Jackson's wing bent back, the
left center became the critical point of
the battle. Longstreet, riding up and
down the line, made his personal pres
ence felt among his devoted Georgians
and Alabamans-the lean, powder
b, lckened veterans, with their backs
| against the Potomac, in the hardest
fight they had yet known. Thus he
found himself with Hood, whose men
were retiring for fresh supplies Of
cartridges.
From the crest OF the hill, where he
directed the battle, Longstreet saw
fresh, well-ordered masses of Federals
coming up under their gallantly- borne
flags How Lees worn, half-starved
army withstood McClellan's troops no
one will be ever able to tell. That hill
should have been held by four or Ave
brigades, but the only troops there
were Cooks Regiment OF North Caro-
lima Infantry, who were without a
cartridge. Something must be done to
stop that fearful charge. Nearby.
LonGstreet saw two pieces of the
Washington Artillery, but there were
no soldiers to man the guns.
He held the horses and kept his eye
on the field to give directions, while
his own staff officers took the gun
nery's place.
| Longstreet saw that If the Federals
broke through the line at that point,
the Confederate Army would be cut
in two and probably destroyed. He
sent word to Cook that he must hold
his position as long as he had man
left. Cook replied: II will show nv
colors as long as there is a man alive
to hold them up"
The two guns OF the Washington
artillery rapidly loaded with canister
by the staff officers, ratified leaden
hail into the Federals as they attacked.
That little battery, with superhuman
energy, had to hold thousands of Fed
erals at bay or the whole battle would
be lost. The Confederates sought to
fire fast enough to make the Federals
believe that many batteries were be-
fore them. AS the Federals came up,
they would see the colors of Cook
North Carolina Regiment waving as
placidly as If the whole of Lees army
were back of them, while a shower of
canister came from two lonely guns.
Gen. Chiffon, Lees chief of staff
came riding up and shouted to Long
street:
Where are the troops you are hold
ing this line with?'
There they are" answered Long
street. pointing to the two guns and
to Cooks men
But the soldiers haven't cart
ridge"
, Rides to Tell Lee.
/ Chiffon, dumb with astonishment
rode back to tell Lee. Then an en-
| fllade from D. H. Hills line plowed
! the ground across the Federal front