The Conflict at Antientam: Harper's Ferry and Sharpsburg

Up to this point Lee had been remarkably successful.He now entered upon a series of movements which ended in failure. Recognizing the fact that Washington was too strongly defended to be taken by an attack in front, he decided upon an invasion of Mary-land, in the hope of bringing that State over to the support of the Confederacy and of obtaining large accessions to his ranks. Suddenly breaking camp, he made a hasty march to the Potomac, which he crossed on Septemeber 5 at Point of Rocks. Marching quickly to Frederick, he issued from that city an appeal to Maryland, calling upon it to throw off the Northern yoke and join its sisters of the South. The appeal feel flat, and the volunteers he had hoped for failed to make their apperance in his ranks. His accessions did not equal the desertions from his army. So far, the enterprise was evidently a failure. It remained to obtain from it whatever advantagte might be gained.

The gaps of South Mountain were occupied, and Jackson was sent to assil Harper's Ferry, whose garrison, through an error of judgment, had not been withdrawn. Taking possession of the heights which surrounded the town, a bombardment was commenced which forced an almost immediate surrender, the place being indefensible. On the morning of the 15th there were surrendered eleven thousand five hundred and eighty-three men, seventy-three guns, thirteen thousnad small-arms, two hundred wagons, and a large store of supplies.

Meanwhile, the Union army bunder McClellan was hurrying after the invading force. Franklin was sent to the relief of Harper's Ferry, and succeeded in forcing Crampton's Gap, near that place. But he was too late. The surrender had taken place, and the Confederates were withdrawn. In the succeeding events he was destined to receive the first check to his remarkably victorious career.

Boonsborough Gap, norht of Carmpton's was strongly held by the Confederates, and was assaulted by the army under McClellan on Spetember 14. Longstreet, who had advanced to Hagerstown, probably with the intention of invading Pennsylvania, was hastily recalled, and sent to reinforce Hill, who was being severely pushed at the Gap. After a desperately-contested conflict, the Union army succeeded in forcingists way through the mountains and reaching the opposite slope.

The defence of this pass had been necessary to Lee. His army was widely scattered, and the approach of McClellan rendered concentriation indispensable. Jackson was marching in all haste from Harper's Ferry to Sharpsburg, having left A.P. Hill to receive the surrender of the garrison. The trains from Hagerstown were hurrying towards the same point. After their repulse at Boonsborough, Longstreet and D.. Hill fell back, so that by the morning of the 16th the whole army, with the exception of the force left at Harper's Ferry, was concentracted at Sharpsburg, behind Antietam Creek, a stream which there flows into the Potomac. McClellan's army reached the opposite side of the stream on the same day. Of the events which followed we give an account in the words of Benson J. ossing, from his "Civil War in America."]

On the morning of the 16th both armies were actively preparingb for battle. The bulk of the Confederate forces, under Longstreet and D. H. Hill, stood along the range of heights between Sharpsburg and the Antietam, which flowed between the belligerents. Longstreet was on the right of the road between Sharpsburg and Boonsborough, and Hill on the left. Hood's division was posted between Hill and the Hagerstown road, north of Miller's farm, so as to oppose an expected flank movement in that direction; and near that point, in the rear, Jackson's exhausted troops were posted in reserve, his line stretching from the Hagerstown road towards the Potomac, and protected by Stuart with cavalry and artillery. Walker was posted on Longstreet's right with two brigades a little south of Sharpsburg, near Shaveley's farm. General Lee had his quarters in a tent, as usual, on the hill close by Sharpburg, where the National Cemetery now is, and from that point he overlooked much of the country that was made a battle-field the next day.