Burnside's Second Attack.
| 1 Wilcox's Division. 2 Sturgis's " 3 Rodman's " 4 Scammon's brigade. 5 Union batteries on ground from which the Rebels had been driven. 6 Batteries of heavy guns. | H A. P. Hill. L Part of Longstreet's command. Hd Hood. T Toombs's brigade. S Sharpsburg. M Mill. R Rohrbach's house. |
Rodman and Fairchild's and Harland's brigades; Scammon had his own and Ewing's. They drove Hill's first line back upon the second. Fairchild ordered a charge. His troops went across the field, through the waving corn with a huzzah. They faced a destructive fire. One shell killed eight men of the Ninth New York. The color-bearers were shot. The guards fell. Captain Leboir seized one, Captain Lehay the other, and led the regiment up the hill to the road leading south from Sharpsburg. They found shelter under the wall, and halted.
The other regiments of the brigade joined them. Harland found greater opposition. His troops were cut down by a volley from a brigade of Rebels lying in a cornfield. They fought a while, became confused, crowded together, and were forced back.
General McClellan, from his head-quarters, can see all that is going on, for there is an unobstructed view of the field. He is with Fitz-John Porter on the high hill east of the Antietam.
An officer rides up swiftly. He is Burnside's aide. His horse pants.
"I must have more troops and guns. If you do not send them I cannot hold my position half an hour."
That is the message. Fitz-John Porter has twelve thousand troops. They have been spectators of the battle through the day. They have had breakfast and dinner, and nearly two days of rest since their arrival upon the ground. They might be a thunderbolt at this moment. Couch's and Humphrey's divisions will be up during the night.
But they are the only reserves present. Slocum has taken Sedgwick's place. He has not been engaged, and his men stand with ordered arms. Shall Porter be put in? McClellan consults Porter and Sykes, and then replies:—