Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 4.djvu/136

118 being almost parallel to the Hagerstown turnpike. General Walker was first placed on Longstreet s right, but subsequently moved to reinforce the left.

The Confederate army had now been continuously engaged since early spring. It had not had the rest that a large part of McClellan s army enjoyed while Pope was engaging Lee. In this campaign its marches had been long and its men so badly clothed and fed that the straggling, even of good soldiers, was enormous. Hungry men may fight well, but they do not march well. Moreover, many of Lee s men had been wounded more than once during the year and their bodies were consequently frail, and hard service and hunger told fear fully on these weakened men. Hence it was with largely-depleted ranks that Lee faced McClellan at Sharpsburg. The Federals, on the other hand, had moved slowly from around Washington, had an abundant commissariat, and were well clothed and in all respects well supplied. On the afternoon of the 16th, Hooker crossed the Antietam without opposition, and after a sharp assault on Hood’s brigades, which had been moved to D. H. Hill’s left before Jackson’s arrival, bivouacked on that side of the river. The Sixth North Carolina was engaged in this attack on Hood. During the night Hood was with drawn to allow his men, &quot;who had been without food for three days, except a half ration of beef for one day, and green corn,&quot; to cook. The brigades of Trimble and Law, of Jackson s corps, took Hood s place on the line, Trimble connecting with Hill. During the night the Federals were not idle. General Mansfield, with the Twelfth corps, crossed and moved up behind Hooker. This made five Federal divisions ready to fall on the Confederate left in the morning.

Before daylight on the 17th, the reverberation of can non along the sluggish Antietam ushered in the most bloody one day s shock of battle yet seen on the western continent Before merciful night intervened to stop