SHARPSBURG (OR ANTIETAM).

17 SEPTEMBER, 1662.

By WALTER CLARK, Lrevrenant-Cotonet Seventietsa N. ©. T.

After the “seven days fight” around Richmond in July,
1862, when McClellan took refuge from utter destruction in
his gun-boats it was resolved that we should return the unso-
licited visit which had been made us.

A few weeks later, with blare of bugles and roll of drums,
we set our faces northward. At Cedar Mountain we crushed
the enemy, Chantilly saw our victorious columns and the field
of Manassas a second time welcomed us to victory. When

‘“‘ August with its trailing vines
Passed out the gates of Summer,”’

we were in full march for the Potomac, which was crossed
simultaneously at several points, the bands playing “Mary-
land, My Maryland.” Walker’s Division, to which I be-
longed, with McLaws’ and A. P. Hills’ Divisions, recrossed
the Potomac to surround Harper’s Ferry, while the rest. of
the army, moving towards Hagerstown, was suddenly attacked
at Boonsboro 14 September, and falling back the hostile lines
again confronted each other about noon on 16 September, the
Federals lining Antietam creek while the Confederates held
the village of Sharpsburg, hence the double name of this fa-
mous battle. For a similar reason the great battle known
to the English-speaking people the world around as Waterloo,
is called the battle of Mont St. Jean by the French and La
Belle Alliance by Germans.

The battle of Antietam (commonly known at the South
as the battle of Sharpsburg), was one of the bloodiest of the
whole Civil War. It was fought 17 September, 1862, be-
tween the Federal army commanded by General George B.
McClellan, and the Confederate army under General R. E.

Lee.