Henry Wilson Storey's History of Cambria County, V.II, p.303

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History of Cambria County, V.2

HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY. 303

o'clock. The loss in killed, wounded and missing for the day was: McClellan, 12,469, and Lee, 25,899.
    On the evening of the 17th Lee's lines had been driven back on a line with the east side of Sharpsburg, probably a Half mile, but in fairly good order. It is claimed by some that it was a drawn battle, but a more mature consideration will hardly bear that conclusion. It was a Union victory, in this: while Lee's lines were intact, yet he was forced back quite a distance, and the Potomac river being in his rear made retreat impossible; he had to fight. It also prevented him from invading the north, as he had intented to do, and instead he was forced to recross the Potomac on the second day after the fight.
    Mr. Lincoln regarded it as a sufficient victory to warrent the issue of his warning that emaucipation would be established permanently on the following New Year's Day, if the enemies of the Union insisted on continuing the rebellion. If nothing more than this were gained, that was sufficient to make it a great victory.
    However, the victory was not followed up. Probably McClellan was right, but it is difficult to see it so. McClellan had about 55,000 troops engaged and Lee about 40,000.
    Capt. Jones' Co. A. 11th Reserves. A description of the brigade in the battle by Lieut. Col. Robert Anderson, the hero of Fort Sumter;
    Third Brigade, Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteer Corps,
Camp near Sharpsburg, Sept. 22, 1862.
    * * * At daylight on the morning of (Sunday) the 14th day of September, this brigade broke camp near Frederick, and took up the line of march in the direction of Middletown. Having passed Middletown, the command halted on the banks of the creek and rested for about one hour, when the march was resumed, in the same direction as pursued in the fore part of the day, for a distance of about a mile. We here filed to the right along a road running at right angles with the turnpike.
    Pursuing this road the distance of half a mile, we entered the open fields to the right of the road, where we were immediately ordered to support Copper's battery, which had taken position on a hill to the left and looking toward South Mountain, upon which the enemy had planted and opened a battery on us as we filed through the open fields. A few shots fired by Cooper elicited no response from the enemy, and we were ordered to form a line of battle, which was done in the following order; The 9th on the right; the 11th in the center; the 12th on the extreme left, and the 10th as a reserve, 50 to 75 paces in the rear.

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	HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.	303
o'clock. The loss in killed, wounded and missing for the day was: McClellan, 12,469, and Lee, 25,899. On the evening of the 17th Lee's lines had been driven back on a line with the east side of Sharpsburg, probably a Half mile, but in fairly good order. It is claimed by some that it was a drawn battle, but a more mature consideration will hardly bear that conclusion. It was a Union victory, in this: while Lee's lines were intact, yet he was forced back quite a distance, and the Potomac river being in his rear made retreat impossible; he had to fight. It also prevented him from invading the north, as he had intented to do, and instead he was forced to recross the Potomac on the second day after the fight. Mr. Lincoln regarded it as a sufficient victory to warrent the issue of his warning that emaucipation would be established permanently on the following New Year's Day, if the enemies of the Union insisted on continuing the rebellion. If nothing more than this were gained, that was sufficient to make it a great victory. However, the victory was not followed up. Probably McClellan was right, but it is difficult to see it so. McClellan had about 55,000 troops engaged and Lee about 40,000. Capt. Jones' Co. A. 11th Reserves. A description of the brigade in the battle by Lieut. Col. Robert Anderson, the hero of Fort Sumter; Third Brigade, Pennsylvania Reserve Volunteer Corps, Camp near Sharpsburg, Sept. 22, 1862. * * * At daylight on the morning of (Sunday) the 14th day of September, this brigade broke camp near Frederick, and took up the line of march in the direction of Middletown. Having passed Middletown, the command halted on the banks of the creek and rested for about one hour, when the march was resumed, in the same direction as pursued in the fore part of the day, for a distance of about a mile. We here filed to the right along a road running at right angles with the turnpike. Pursuing this road the distance of half a mile, we entered the open fields to the right of the road, where we were immediately ordered to support Copper's battery, which had taken position on a hill to the left and looking toward South Mountain, upon which the enemy had planted and opened a battery on us as we filed through the open fields. A few shots fired by Cooper elicited no response from the enemy, and we were ordered to form a line of battle, which was done in the following order; The 9th on the right; the 11th in the center; the 12th on the extreme left, and the 10th as a reserve, 50 to 75 paces in the rear.