LEE’S HEADQUARTERS IN SHARPSBURG.
This house, ־which was the residence of Jacob H. Grove, is noted in Sharpsburg as the place ־where Lee held a conference witli Longstreet and D. H. Hill. But Lee’s headquarters tents were pitched in a small grove on the right of the Shepherdstown road, just outside the town.
UNION SIGNAL STATION ON ELK MOUNTAIN, FIVE OR SIX MILES SOUTH-EAST OF SHARPSBURG.
THE PRY HOUSE, MCCLELLAN’S HEADQUARTERS AT ANTIETAM.
larger grew the field of blue until it seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see, and from the tops of the mountains down to the edges of the stream gathered the great army of McClellan. It was an awe-inspiring spectacle as this grand force settled down in sight of the Confederates, then shattered hy battles and scattered by long and tiresome marches. On the 16th Jackson came and took position with part of his command on my left. Before night the Federáis attacked my left and gave us a severe fight, principally against Hood’s division, but we drove them back, holding well our ground. After nightfall Hood was relieved from the position on the left, ordered to replenish his ammunition, and be ready to resume his first position on my right in the morning. General Jackson’s forces, who relieved Hood, were extended to our left, reaching well back toward the Potomac, where most of our cavalry was. Toombs had joined us with two of his regiments, and was placed as guard on the bridge on my right. Hooker, who had thrown his corps against my left in the afternoon was reinforced by the corps of Sumner and Mansfield. Sykes’s division was also drawn into position for the impending battle. Burnside was over against my right, threatening the passage of the Antietam at that point. On the morning of the 17th the Federáis were in good position along the Antietam, stretching up and down and across it to our left for three miles. They had a good position for their guns, which were of the most approved make and metal. Our position overerowned theirs a little, but our guns were inferior and our ammunition was very imperfect.
Back of McClellan’s line was a high ridge, upon
ANTIETAM—THE CONFEDERATE SIDE.
THE DEFENSE OF SHARPSBURG.
BY JAMES LONGSTREET, LIEUTENANT-GENERAL, C. 8. A.
Commander of Lee’s right and center at Antietam.*
. . . On the afternoon of the 15th of September my command and Hill’s crossed the Antietam Creek, and took position in front of Sharpsburg, my command filing into position on the right of the Sharpsbnrg and Boonsboro’ turnpike, and D. H. Hill’s division on the left. Soon after getting into position we found onr left, at Bunker Church, the weak point, and Hood, with two brigades, was changed from my right to guard this point, leaving General D. H. Hill between the parts of my command.
That night, after we heard of the fall of Harper’s Ferry, General Lee ordered Stonewall Jack-son to march to Sharpsbnrg as rapidly as he could come. Then it was that we should have retired from Sharpsburg and gone to the Virginia side of the Potomac.
The moral effect of onr move into Maryland had been lost by onr discomfiture at South Mountain, and it was then evident we could not hope to concentrate in time to do more than make a respectable retreat, whereas by retiring before the battle we could have claimed a very successful campaign.
On the forenoon of the 15th, the blue uniforms of the Federáis appeared among the trees that crowned the heights on the eastern bank of the Antietam. The number increased, and larger and
*The battle which the Federáis called “Antietam,” after a creek, was called “ Sharpsburg” by the Confederates, after a village. [See map on page 149.]
this time took on an added ana noticeable emphasis from the fact that he had been recalled to command after what the army believed to he an unwise and unjust suspension. The climax seemed to he reached, however, at Middletown, where we first caught sight of the enemy. Here, upon our arrival, we found General McClellan sitting upon his horse in the road. The enemy occupied a gap in the South Mountain, a mile or two beyond. Reno and Hatch were fighting, and the smoke of their guns could he seen half-way up the mountain. As each organization passed the general, the men became apparently forgetful of everything but their love for him. They cheered and cheered again, until they became so hoarse they could cheer no longer. It seemed as if an intermission had been declared in order that a reception might he tendered to the general-in-chief. A great crowd continually surrounded him, and the most extravagant demonstrations were indulged in. Hundreds even hugged the horse’s legs and caressed his head and mane. While the troops were thus surging by, the general continually pointed with his finger to the gap in the mountain through which our path lay. It was like a great scene in a play, with the roar of the guns for an accompaniment. Another enthusiastic demonstration that I remember occurred in the afternoon of the 17th at Antietam, when the general rode along our line of battle.
ROSTRUM IN NATIONAL CEMETERY AT ANTIETAM. On Memorial Day, 1885, General McClellan addressed from this rostrum a large assembly of “ Grand Army ” men.
MCCLELLAN’S POPULARITY WITH HIS ARMY.
“Though a quarter of a century has passed since ‘ those darkest days of the war,’ ” writes Mr. George Kimbal of Boston in a letter to the editors, “ I still retain a vivid remembrance of the sudden and complete change which came upon the face of affairs when General McClellan was restored to command. At the time, I was serving in Company A, 12th Massachusetts Volunteers, attached to Rickett’s division.
“ The announcement of McClellan’s restoration came to ns in the early evening of the 2d of September, 1862, just after reaching Hall’s Hill, weary from long marching and well-nigh disheartened by recent reverses. The men were scattered about in groups, discussing the events of their ill-starred campaign, and indulging in comments that were decidedly uncomplimentary to those who had been responsible for its mismanagement. We did not know, of course, the exact significance of all that had happened, as we afterward learned it, but being mainly thinking men, we were able to form pretty shrewd guesses as to where the real difficulty lay. Suddenly, while these mournful consultations were in full blast, a mounted officer, dashing past our bivouac, reined up enough to shout, ‘ “ Little Mac” is hack here on the road, hoys! ’ The scene that followed can he more easily imagined than described. From extreme sadness we passed in a twinkling to a delirium of delight. A Deliverer had come. A real ‘ rainbow of promise’ had appeared suddenly in the dark political sky. The feeling in our division upon the return of General McClellan had its counterpart in all the others, for the Army of the Potomac loved him as it never loved any other leader. In a few days we started upon that long march into Maryland, and whenever General McClellan appeared among his troops, from the crossing of the Potomac at Washington to the grapple with Lee at Antietam, it was the signal for the most spontaneous and enthusiastic cheering I ever listened to or participated in. Men threw their caps high into the air, and danced and frolicked like school-hoys, so glad were they to get their old commander hack again. It is true that McClellan had always been fortunate in being able to excite enthusiasm among his troops, hut demonstrations at
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