The troops slept that night upon their arms, disturbed by the occasional fire of the pickets of the two armies, who were in close proximity to each other. At the first dawn of day, skirmishing commenced in front, and in a short time the Federal batteries, so posted on the opposite side of the Antietam as to enfilade my line, opened a severe and damaging fire. This was vigorously replied to by the batteries of Poague, Carpenter, Brockenbrough, Raines, Caskie, and Wooding. About sunrise, the Federal infantry advanced in heavy force to the edge of the wood, on the eastern side of the turnpike, driving in our skirmishers. Batteries were opened in front from the wood with shell and canister, and our troops became exposed, for near an hour, to a terrific storm of shell, canister, and musketry. General Jones having been compelled to leave the field, the command of Jackson's division devolved upon General Starke. With heroic spirit, our lines advanced to the conflict, and maintained their position in the face of superior numbers with stubborn resolution, sometimes driving the enemy before them, and sometimes compelled to fall back before their well-sustained and destructive fire. Fresh troops from time to time relieved the enemy's ranks, and the carnage on both sides was terrific. At this early hour, General Starke was killed, Colonel Douglas (commanding Lawton's brigade) was also killed. General Lawton, commanding division, and Colonel Walker, commanding brigade, were severely wounded. 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. Thinned in their ranks, and exhausted of their ammunition, Jackson's division and the brigades of Lawton, Hays, and Trimble, retired to the rear, and Hood, of Longstreet's command, again took the position from which he had been before relieved. In the mean time, General Stuart moved his artillery to a position nearer to the main command, and more in our rear. Early being now directed, in consequence of the disability of General Lawton, to take command of Ewell's division, returned with his brigade, (with the exception of the Thirteenth Virginia regiment, which remained with General Stuart,) to the piece of wood where he had left the other brigades of his division when he was separated from them. Here he found that the enemy had advanced his infantry near the wood, in which was the Dunkard Church, and had planted a battery across the turnpike, near the edge of the wood and an open field, and that the brigades of Lawton, Hays, and Trimble had fallen back some distance to the rear. Finding here Colonels Grigsby and Stafford, with a portion of Jackson's division, which formed on his left, he determined to maintain his position there if reinforcements could be sent to his support, of which he was promptly assured. Colonel Grigsby, with his small command, kept in check the advance of the enemy on the left flank, while General Early attacked, with great vigor and gallantry, the column on his right and front. The force in front was giving way under this attack, when another heavy column of Federal troops were seen moving across the plateau on his left flank. By this time the expected reinforcements, consisting of Semmes's and Anderson's brigades, and a part of Barksdale's, of McLaws' division, arrived, and the whole, including Grigsby's command, now united, charged upon the enemy, checking his advance, then driving him back, with great slaughter, entirely from and beyond this wood, and gaining possession of our original position. No farther advance, beyond demonstrations, was made by the enemy on the left. In the afternoon, in obedience to instructions from the commanding General, I moved to the left with a view to turning the Federal right; but I found his numerous artillery so judiciously established in their front, and extending so near to the Potomac, which here makes a remarkable bend, as will be seen by reference to the map herewith annexed, as to render it inexpedient to hazard the attempt. In this movement, Major-General Stuart had the advance, and acted his part well. This officer rendered valuable service throughout the day. His bold use of artillery secured for us an important position. which, had the enemy possessed, might have commanded our left. At the close of the day, my troops held the ground which they had occupied in the morning. The next day we remained in position awaiting another attack. The enemy continued in heavy force west of the Antietam on our left, but made no further movement to the attack.
I refer you to the report of Major-General A. P. Hill for the operations of his command in the battle of Sharpsburg. Arriving upon the battlefield from Harper's Ferry at half past 2 o'clock of the seventeenth, he reported to the commanding General, and was by him directed to take position on the right. I have not embraced the movements of his division, nor his killed and wounded of that action in my report.
Early in the morning of the nineteenth, we recrossed the Potomac River into Virginia near Shepherdstown. The promptitude and success with which this movement was effected reflects the highest credit upon the skill and energy of Major Harman, chief Quartermaster. In the evening, the command moved on the road leading to Martinsburg, except Lawton's brigade, (Colonel Lamar, of the Sixty-first Georgia, commanding,) which was left on the Potomac Heights.
On the same day the enemy appeared in considerable force on the northern side of the Potomac, and commenced planting heavy batteries on its heights. In the evening, the Federals commenced crossing under the protection of their guns, driving off Lawton's brigade and General Pendleton's artillery. By morning, a considerable force had crossed over. Orders were despatched to Generals Early and Hill, who had advanced some four miles on the Martinsburg road, to return and drive back the enemy. General Hill, who was
