Year: 1864

Antietam.


from the Journal Of Commerce


Few who have read, none who have not
car efully studied the accounts OF the bat
tie of Antietam, know the amount OF credit
that is due to our brave troops and their
skillful general for that victory. Worn
and weary, defeated and nearly demoral-
lied three weeks previously, they met the
enemy with the consciousness of their re-
sponsibility, and they won, as they de-
served, a nations gratitude. Here and
there some Of the more bitter politicians
were found who could not be induced to
thank that heroic army. They We're the
men of whom radical newspaper spoke at
the time, who said ga victory by Mcclellan
in Maryland would set us back more than
six months But in the main the people
gave to army and commander the full ex-
preston of their thanks. The soldiers who
fought and fell at South Mountain and at
Ante tam deserve long remembrance. A
century hence our descendants will visit
with saddened countensnces, the graves in
which they lie. The earth to which they
60 will be hallowed ground, and in all the
years to come pilgrims will gather flowers
and leaves of trees that grow above them,
as sacred mementoes Of the field on which
men died for the Union.


1t was but three or four weeks after the
battle of Antietam when the President Wis
tied the army on the upper Potomac. He
went to look at the graves Of the men who
fell at the bridge where Burnside COM
manded. One might we'll look, at such a
place and time, for some indication of the
measure of gratitude which moved the
representative of the people toward the
brave dead who lay below. Certainly the
demeanor of the President at that moment
may be accepted by all men as fair means
of Judging the weight of his character, the
intellig gence, and the ability to appreciate
and act up to the national requirements
He was surrounded by officers of the army,
and his own personal attendants, order
| lies and others. He resumed his seat II
the ambulance, after viewing the graves,
and, as if to throw off from his mind the
effect of the scene he had witnessed, called
on his friend who was with him to sing
Picay une Butler" well known comic
song. And the sounds rang in the ears o
the astonished group who were riding by
the ambulance among the graves Of thell
dead comrades. This is no fancy sketch
but sober truth, which has not been
cannot, and will not be denied by any au
thority.


From that scene we turn to anothe
which occurred during the same visit. A
the Presidential party were riding near th'
field of South Mountain, the came to al
open space near the hospitals. The corteg
consisted of the President and his party, il
carriages and on horseback, attended b,
General Mcclellan and his staff, mounted
At point where two paths or roads cross
ed, small procession-four men carrying
dead soldier on bier, followed by two
Sisters of Charity-were coming up th'
cross read. A little quickening Of TIT
Presidential party wonld carry them across
in front of tbs funeral party. But this wa.
nc & in accordance with the views OF Gen
Mcclellan, whose reverence for dead sol
dier Of the army IS ever greater than fol
any living man. He ordered halt, anc
the President of the United Stats waitec
in the road while they carried the soldiel
across in front of him-soms gallant boy
who had fought with Reno, perhaps son 0
New York or New England, perhaps o
some Western prairie home. Dismountng
General Mcclellan advanced to the rude
bier, which at his word was set down. H'
uncovered the face of his dead comrade
asked his name and where he fell, aud thsI
lifting his hat, stood with uncovered heat
while they passed on to the burial place
Then the President and the General, will
their attendants, having done fitting hOno
to the soldier Of the people, went on theil
way.


These two incidents We know to be true
and they illustrate the characters Of the
two men. One, feeble, incompetent, deac
to all the grand objects and purposes of thu
hour, filter for n joker in the company o
men of like minds than for the President 0
great people; the other, walking uprigh
and strong under the vast responsibilities
thrown on him, loving, with devsut afec
ton, the soldier OF the Union, appreciatint
with solemn earnestHess what it is to Civ,
oue's lite for his country.