Henry Wilson Storey's History of Cambria County, V.II, p.300

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History of Cambria County, V.2

300 HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.

Porterstown pike, east from the same point. Antietam creek is about a mile east of the village, with several fordings and a few bridges.
    The corn field was on the east side of the Hagerstown pike, a little over a half mile north of the village. The Dunker church, another point of interest, was on the west side of the pike, between the village and the corn field. The woods, to which Col. Higgins refers, were east of the Hagerstown road, at the southeast corner of the corn field.
    On the evening of September 16, 1862, Lee's army was in line of battle about a half-mile east of Sharpsburg and east of the Hagerstown pike, the right flank under the command of Gen. A. P. Hill, and the left, on the north, commanded by Stonewall Jackson. This was the lineup; and it is pertinent to know how they got there and from whence they came.
    It will be recalled that McClellan's campaign on the Peninsula in the early part of 1862 was not a success, and he had been driven by Lee back across the Potomac, between Washington City and his army. Being confident that he could master the situation, Lee crossed the Potomac into Maryland. However, before doing so, he divided his army into three general parts. He sent Jackson to Harper's Ferry, than where he never did better work than when he forced Gen. White to a surrender without the firing of a gun. Time was of so much value that Jackson paroled all the prisoners on the ground, and immediately started to join Lee at Antietam, where he arrived on the night of the 16th and located three brigades in the corn field. Lee directed D. H. Hill and Longstreet to hold McClellan at South Mountain until he was ready to begin the contest. They did so until the evening of the 14th, when their forces joined Lee at Antietam and were placed on Lee's right and center.
    After McClellan's victory at South Mountain on the 14th, he began his march to the Antietam field, arriving there on the night of the 16th, Meade's division meeting with some resistance. During the night he formed his battle line with Hooker's corps on the right, or the north flank; Sumner in the center, and Burnside on the left, towards the Potomac river.

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300	HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
Porterstown pike, east from the same point. Antietam creek is about a mile east of the village, with several fordings and a few bridges. The corn field was on the east side of the Hagerstown pike, a little over a half mile north of the village. The Dunker church, another point of interest, was on the west side of the pike, between the village and the corn field. The woods, to which Col. Higgins refers, were east of the Hagerstown road, at the southeast corner of the corn field. On the evening of September 16, 1862, Lee's army was in line of battle about a half-mile east of Sharpsburg and east of the Hagerstown pike, the right flank under the command of Gen. A. P. Hill, and the left, on the north, commanded by Stonewall Jackson. This was the lineup; and it is pertinent to know how they got there and from whence they came. It will be recalled that McClellan's campaign on the Peninsula in the early part of 1862 was not a success, and he had been driven by Lee back across the Potomac, between Washington City and his army. Being confident that he could master the situation, Lee crossed the Potomac into Maryland. However, before doing so, he divided his army into three general parts. He sent Jackson to Harper's Ferry, than where he never did better work than when he forced Gen. White to a surrender without the firing of a gun. Time was of so much value that Jackson paroled all the prisoners on the ground, and immediately started to join Lee at Antietam, where he arrived on the night of the 16th and located three brigades in the corn field. Lee directed D. H. Hill and Longstreet to hold McClellan at South Mountain until he was ready to begin the contest. They did so until the evening of the 14th, when their forces joined Lee at Antietam and were placed on Lee's right and center. After McClellan's victory at South Mountain on the 14th, he began his march to the Antietam field, arriving there on the night of the 16th, Meade's division meeting with some resistance. During the night he formed his battle line with Hooker's corps on the right, or the north flank; Sumner in the center, and Burnside on the left, towards the Potomac river.