by Stonewall Jackson. Flushed with this temporary advantage,
Jackson proceeded to join Lee, who then advanced from Sharpsburg and
gave unsuccessful battle to the Union forces at Antietam Creek.

This stream pours into the Potomac just above, from the Maryland side.
It gives its name to one of the most interesting actions of the war.
The fields of Antietam and Gettysburg were the only two great battle
grounds on which the Confederates played the role of invaders and left
the protection of their native States. Antietam was the first, and if
it could have been made for Lee a more decisive failure, might have
prevented Gettysburg. It occurred September 15th to 18th, 1862. Lee
had just thoroughly whipped that handsome Western braggart, General
Pope, and, elated with success, thought he could assume the offensive,
cross the Potomac, and collect around his banner great armies of
dissatisfied secessionists to the tune of "Maryland, my Maryland."
McClellan (then in the last month of his command over the army of the
Potomac) pushed with unwonted vigor over the mountains, inspired, it
is said, by the accidental foreknowledge of Lee's whole Maryland
plan, and clashed with Lee across the bridges of this pretty highland
stream. As an episode he lost Harper's Ferry; but that was a trifle.
It was a murderous duel, that which raged around the Dunker church
and over the road leading from Sharpsburg to Hagerstown. Lee's forty
thousand men were shielded by an elbow of the Potomac; his batteries
of horse-artillery under Stuart were murdering the forces of Hooker,
when that general was relieved by the support of Mansfield; then
Mansfield was killed and Hooker wounded; and then Sedgwick was sent
up to replace Mansfield; then, when Sedgwick was getting the better of
Jackson and Hood, McLaws and Walker drew up to the Confederate left,
and burst completely through Sedgwick's line. Presently, Franklin and
Smith came across from the stream and reinforced the Federals, driving
the Southern advance back to the church, and Burnside rendered some
hesitating assistance; but then rushed up the force which had received
the surrender of Harper's Ferry, singing victory, and drove back
Burnside; and when McClellan, on the morning of the 19th, found that
Lee had withdrawn across the Potomac, he was too much discouraged with
his own hurts to venture a pursuit. He had lost twelve thousand men,
and Lee eight thousand. But Antietam, though for us a costly and
un