Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 14.djvu/121

 First 3Iaryland Campaign. 115

from which six divisions of the Federal army had already recoiled, and recoiled in a condition which left them for the moment aljnost incapable of further service."

The fighting on the Confederate left and left centre was over by one o'clock in the day. Here McClellan's heaviest blows had been delivered, and they had been foiled with such fearful loss to the Federal army, that when Franklin reached the field about midday Sumner would not permit him to resume the offensive lest the repulse of this last body of fresh men might lead to overwhelming disaster. It would be difficult to gather from General Longstreet's article that Jackson and his men had much to do with this tremendous struggle on the Confederate left, though they received the first and most ter- rible blows delivered that morning against the Confederate army.

McClellan's plan of throwing Burnside forward against the Con- federate right flank at the same time that his main attack was being made on their left failed of execution Toombs, with a handful of Georgians, held the bridge over the Antietam for hours against all efforts of Burnside to cross it. No more gallant thing was done that day than the defence of this bridge, and it was taken only when Burnside had found his way across the creek at a ford below, and threatened to envelop Toombs. Though forced from his position at last, the time Toombs had gained was invaluable to the Confederates. The fighting on Jackson's and D. H. Hill's line had been over some hours before Burnside was ready to advance. When the advance did come, however, it was in such overwhelming force that D. R. Jones's division was gradually driven back from point to point, until, by the middle of the afternoon, the Federal troops were in the very suburbs of Sharpsburg, and the day that McClellan had lost on his right seemed about to be won by Burnside on his left. It was at this critical moment that A. P. Hill, who had marched seventeen miles from Harper's Ferry that morning, and had waded the Poto- mac, reached the field upon the flank of Burnside' s victorious column. With a skill, vigor and promptness, which cannot be too highly praised, A. P. Hill formed his men in line, and threw them upon Burnside's flank. Toombs, and the other brigades of D. R. Jones's division, gave such aid as they were able. The Confederate artillery was used with the greatest courage and determination to check the enemy, but it was mainly A. P. Hill's attack which decided the day at this point, and drove Burnside in confusion and dismay back to the bridge. There is no part of General Longstreet's article more unworthy than the single line in which he obscurely refers to