CLOSE OF THE BATTLE OF ANTIETAМ.

481

of greatest difficulty, for the approaches to the bridge were in the nature of a defile, exposed to a raking fire from the Confederate batteries, and an enfilading one from their sharp-shooters. In several attempts to cross the bridge Burnside was repulsed. Finally, at about one o'clock in the afternoon, the Fifty-first New York and Fifty-first Pennsylvania charged across and drove its defenders to the heights. Gathering strength at the bridge by the crossing of the divisions of Sturgis, Wilcox, and Rodman, and Scammon's brigade, with the batteries of Durell, Clark, Cook, and Simmons, Burnside charged up the hill, and drove the Confederates almost to Sharpsburg, the Ninth New York capturing one of their batteries. Just then A. P. Hill's division, which had been hastening up from Harper's Ferry, came upon the ground, and under a heavy fire of artillery charged upon Burnside's extreme left, and after severe fighting, in which General Rodman was mortally wounded, drove him back almost to the bridge. In that charge General L. O'B. Branch, of North Carolina, was killed. The pursuit was checked by the National artillery on the eastern side of the stream, under whose fire the reserves led by Sturgis advanced, and the Confederates did not attempt to retake the bridge. Darkness closed the conflict here, as it did all along the line.

Hill came up just in time, apparently, to save Lee's army from capture or destruction. Experts say that if Burnside had accomplished the passage of the bridge and the advance movement an hour earlier, or had Porter been sent a few hours sooner to the support of the hard-struggling right, that result would doubtless have ensued. It is easy to conjecture what might || have been. We have to do only with what occurred. Looking upon the event from that stand-point, we see darkness ending one of the most memorable days of the war because of its great and apparently useless carnage, for the result was only hurtful in the extreme to both parties. With the gloom of that night also ended the conflict known as THE BATTLE OF ANTIETAM, in which McClellan said (erroneously as to the number of troops) "nearly two hundred thousand men and five hundred pieces of artillery were for fourteen hours engaged. Our soldiers slept that night," he said, conquerors on a field won by their valor, and covered by the dead and wounded of the enemy."

When the morning of the 18th dawned, both parties seemed willing not

rear. He rallied two hundred men, and inade attacks with surprising effect. "The Yankees were completely deceived by this boldness," said Hill in his report (Reports of the Army of Northern Virginia, ii. 117), "and induced to believe that there was a large force in our center."

1 For details of the Battle of Antietam (which the Confederates call the battle of Sharpsburg), see the reports of Generals McClellan and Lee, and their subordinate commanders. From these sources, and from written and oral statements from actors in the scene, the author has constructed the foregoing outline narrative.

The losses in that battle were very severe. From careful estimates, made after consulting the most reliable statements, it appears that McClellan's army was in round numbers 87,000 men, and that of Lee about 60.000. Couch's division of 5,000 men was too far away from the battle on that day to be available, having been sent, for some purpose, toward Harper's Ferry. McClellan reported his entire loss on that day at 12,469 men, of whom 2,010 were kille 1. He estimated the loss of Lee as much greater. No reliable official statement seems to have been made by the Confederate commander. The losses of the Unionists fell heavily upon particular brigades at particular points in the battle. That of the gallant Duryée, for example, returned from the field with not more than twenty men and four colors. -Statement to the author by General Duryée. See also History of Duryée's Brigade, by Franklin B. Hough, page 19. The carnage on the other side also fell on particular brigades. Jackson, in his report, says "more than half of the brigades of Lawton and Hays were either killed or wounded, and more than a third of Trimble's; and all the regimental commanders in those brigades, except two, were killed or wounded."

McClellan's Report, page 210.
VOL. II.-31

11

482

LEE PERMITTED TO ESCAPE.

to renew the strife. Lee was really in a sad plight, for he could not easily call to his aid any re-enforcements; his supplies were nearly exhausted, and his army was terribly shattered and disorganized. A careful estimate has made his losses at that time, since he commenced the invasion of Maryland, a fortnight before, nearly thirty thousand men. McClellan's army was also

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BATTLE OF ANTIETAM.

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greatly shattered; but on the morning after the battle he was joined by fourteen thousand

fresh troops under Couch and Humphrey. It is certain now that with these, and the effective remains of his ar

my, he might easily have cap

tured or ruined

Lee's army that

day. But there

were grave considerations to be

heeded. McClel

lan afterward said,

"Virginia was

Fund lost, Washington

WARREN

menaced, Maryland invaded-the

National cause

នង្គ ជ could afford

RODMANY

no

risks of defeat."

He therefore hesi

dotated, and finally,

in opposition to the advice of Franklin and others, he deferred a renewal of the

battle until the next morning. When that morning dawned, and he sent his cavalry to reconnoiter, the National army had no foe to fight, for Lee, with his shattered legions, had recrossed the Potomac under cover of darkness,

MOCLELLAN ORDERED TO PURSUE LEE.

483

and was on the soil of his native Virginia, with eight batteries under Pendleton on the river-bluffs, menacing pursuers.

• Sept. 19, 1862.

Sept. 20.

That evening at dusk General Porter ordered General Griffin, with his own and Barnes's brigade, to cross the Potomac to carry Lee's batteries. It was done, and four of their guns were captured. On the following morning, a part of Porter's division made a reconnoissance in force. When a mile from the ford they were surprised by A. P. Hill, who lay in ambush, and they were driven back into and across the river in great disorder, with the loss of two hundred mer made prisoners. The Confederates held the Virginia bank of the stream a that day, and on the next, Lee moved leisurely toward Martinsburg, destroying the Baltimore and Ohio railroad much of the way, with Stuart lingering on his rear to cover that retreat, and to deceive McClellan by a show of numbers and vigor. Stuart recrossed the river at Williamsport on the same day, when he was driven back by General Couch with a heavy force of all arms. McClellan then sent General Williams to retake Maryland Heights; and two days later General Sumner occupied Harper's Ferry, and threw pontoon bridges across the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers at that place.

• Sept. 22.

d Sept. 1862.

Lee rested a few days, and then moved leisurely up the Shenandoah Valley to the vicinity of Bunker's Hill and Winchester, breaking up the railway much of the distance between the latter place and Harper's Ferry. McClellan, meanwhile, had begun to call for re-enforcements and supplies, as prerequisites to a pursuit. His disorganized army needed re-organization. His cavalry force was greatly weakened by casualties in battle, fatigues, ar a distemper which disabled four thousand horses; and clothing, shoes, a camp equipage, were greatly needed. On the 27th he renewed an application made on the 23d for re-enforcements, and then informed the Government that he intended to hold his army where it was, and "attack the enemy should he attempt to recross into Maryland." The Government was astounded by this declaration, and the loyal people, remembering the fatal restraints which had for months been holding the gallant Army of the Potomac from substantial victories, were very impatient. The President hastened to that army' to find out its actual condition by personal observation. He was so well satisfied that it was competent to move at once in pursuit of Lee, that on the 6th he instructed McClellan to "cross the Potomac and give battle to the enemy, or drive him South. Your army must now move," he said, "while the roads are good."

• Oct. 1.

Twenty days were spent in correspondence between the commander of the Army of the Potomac and the National authorities before that order was obeyed, the former calling for and receiving re-enforcements and supplies, and complaining of a lack of both to make it safe to move forward. At length, when the beautiful month of October, during which the roads were perfect, had nearly passed by, and Lee's army was thoroughly rested, sup