ARRANGEMENT OF TROOPS.

189

In the rear rode the gallant Mansfield, who, tired of inactivity, had exchanged the ease of court duty at the capital for the command of Banks' Corps, fresh from the gory fields of Cedar Mountain and Bull Run. Hither was he come to uncover to the storm his head, now silvered o'er by the frosts of nearly sixty winters, and die while cheering forward his men on a charge. And there too was the courageous Hooker, deploying far away to the right his battle-searred veterans.

During Tuesday there was heavy skirmishing between the infantry, and considerable artillery firing, but no general engagement took place. Meanwhile Lee was reinforced by Jackson's Corps of thirty thousand men, who, after having taken possession of Harper's Ferry, moved rapidly back up the Virginia side of the Potomac and crossed over at the fords near Sharpsburg. Aware, as he now was, of his superiority in numbers and position, the rebel chief calmly awaited our attack.

The dawn of Wednesday found the Federal army arranged in much the same manner as the day previous, Hooker on the right, supported by Mansfield, then Sumner, then Porter on a commanding eminence, as a reserve, and lastly Burnside, on the extreme left.

The line extended between four and five miles. The rebel left was in the woods, directly in front of our right, and their forces were posted across the valley between us and Sharpsburg, and very nearly parallel with our own. Our artillery was planted behind

190

THE ENEMY BEATEN BACK.

the crests of the various hillocks, ready to be run up and fire at a moment's notice.

To Gen. Hooker had been assigned the honor of opening the great combat. During the night previous he had crossed the Antietam on the Hagerstown road, and gained a position on the right bank of that stream, which curved round in front of our forces.

He was in the saddle before daylight, and the rising sun shone upon his troops moving forward in battle array-the right of our lines sweeping round towards the Potomac. They proceeded but a short distance before encountering the enemy, drawn up to receive them, and soon the profound stillness which precedes a battle was broken, and Saxon was pitted against Saxon in the contest of death.

Steadily the brave fellows pressed forward over the wooded and uneven ground, regardless of the infantry and artillery fire which was concentrated upon them from several points, and sweeping through the cornfields and grove at the right of the Sharpsburg turnpike, bore down with irresistible fury upon the rebel lines.

They stood the shock but a moment, and then the swarthy foe fell back in disorder, closely followed by our victorious boys, who made the welkin ring with their shouts and cheers. But now come reinforcements for the enemy, and our troops are forced back from the ground which they have so gallantly won. For a moment it seems as if Hooker will be overpowered, so heavily has the enemy's left been reinforced, but the timely arrival of Mansfield

GEN. MANSFIELD KILLED.

191

stems the tide of rebel success. The two commands are massed together, and together resist the onslaughts of the enemy. There is as yet no fighting elsewhere. All the energy, skill and force of the respective commanders are, for the time being, centred on this point. Hither all eyes are turned. Ten o'clock finds the troops still fiercely engaged. Both Hooker and Mansfield are lost to them. Gen. McClellan soon arrives, inspiring the men by his presence. A few moments later Sumner comes up with his whole Corps to the relief of those who have been fighting for three hours.

His troops suffer severely. It was true he exposed them unnecessarily some thought-but no more than he exposed himself. Wherever the conflict

waxed hottest, there he was to be seen riding to and fro, brandishing his sword and cheering forward his men, his head uncovered and his long silver locks streaming in the breeze. French, Richardson, Kimball and other brave spirits were with him, seconding his commands.

The gallant young Howard, who laid aside his ministerial robes to lose an arm at Fair Oaks Roads, leads Burn's old Brigade on a charge. Close by appears the intrepid Meagher, double-quicking his Irish braves through a field of corn, and the enemy, who have again commenced advancing, are checked. Our reserve artillery are now trained upon them, and "Like a plow in the fallow through them Plow the Northern ball,"

creating wide gaps and producing fearful carnage

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A CRITICAL MOMENT.

in their ranks. But determined on breaking this part of our line, Gen. Lee continued to mass his forces here, and portions of Sumner's troops, weary and exhausted, began to recede.

It was now a most critical moment-Mansfield killed, Hooker wounded, Sedgwick, Richardson and Crawford carried bleeding from the field, the enemy pressing on in overwhelming numbers,-our own troops giving way,-what should we have done had not Franklin arrived at this juncture from Pleasant Valley with two fresh Divisions?

The force had left Pleasant Valley at daylight, and marched rapidly to the scene of action. The Third Brigade, with two others, immediately pressing forward, put the enemy to flight, and established the lines far in advance of where they had been at the opening of the fight. This brilliant success cost us, however, many casualties. Fifty were killed and wounded in the Thirty-third alone; among the former was Sergeant-Major George W. Bassett, a brave and beloved officer. He was shot through the head, after bearing Lieut. Mix from the field, seriously wounded through the thigh. Captain Gifford and Lieutenant King were also wounded. Lieutenant-Colonel Corning's horse was hit three times, and Major Platner's killed. The Thirty-third, and other Regiments of Franklin's Corps sent forward, held their position during the remainder of the contest. The fighting on the left did not commence until later in the day, and it was noon before the fire of musketry announced

GEN. BURNSIDE SENDS FOR REINFORCEMENTS.

193

that the infantry were engaged in that direction. The first advance was made down the slope of a hill, to a bridge which crossed the Antietam. Beyond the stream the enemy were so posted as to sweep the bridge with a severe musketry fire. After an hour or two of fighting for its possession, a charge was ordered, and the structure carried at the point of the bayonet.

Once across the creek, General Burnside found the rebels in a new position of great strength. Against this position he advanced at once, and Gens. Cox, Wilcox and Sturges soon occupied the hill. No sooner, however, had they appeared on the summit, than the opposing artillery rendered it untenable. They, therefore, relinquished it, but so planted their guns that the enemy could not reoccupy it.

The rebel infantry now appeared, as they had done ⚫earlier in the day, on the right, in overwhelming numbers, and attempted to drive back Burnside. Being sorely pressed he sent to Gen. McClellan for reinforcements. "Tell Burnside that I can furnish him no more troops." (What was Porter doing all this time?) "But, General," answers the aid, "Gen. Burnside is being crushed, and before I get back may be overpowered." "Tell Gen. Burnside," Gen. McClellan once more sternly replies, "that he must maintain his position at all hazards and at whatever cost." Lieut. French galloped back to his General with this verbal communication, and from that time the warm intimacy existing between McClellan and