[465]
total, 12,069.
Total loss in the two battles, 14,794.
The loss of the rebels in the two battles, as near as can be ascertained from the number of their dead found upon the field, and from other data, will not fall far short of the following estimate:
Major Davis, Assistant Inspector-General, who superintended the burial of the dead, reports about 3000 rebels buried upon the field of Antietam by our own troops.
Previous to this, however, the rebels had buried many of their own dead upon the distant portion of the battle-field which they occupied after the battle — probably at least 500.
The loss of the rebels at South-Mountain cannot be ascertained with accuracy, but as our troops continually drove them from the commencement of the action, and as a much greater number of their dead were seen upon the field than of our own men, it is not unreasonable to suppose that their loss was greater than ours.
Estimating their killed at 500, the total rebel killed in the two battles would be 4000.
According to the ratio of our own killed and wounded this would make their loss in wounded 18,742.
As nearly as can be determined at this time, the number of prisoners taken by our troops in the two battles will, at the lowest estimate, amount to 5000.
The full returns will no doubt show a larger number.
Of these about 1200 are wounded.
This gives the rebel loss in killed, wounded, and prisoners, 25,542.
It will be observed that this does not include their stragglers, the number of whom is said by citizens here to be large.
It may be safely concluded, therefore, that the rebel army lost at least 30,000 of their best troops during their campaign in Maryland.
From the time our troops first encountered the enemy in Maryland until he was driven back into Virginia, we captured thirteen guns, seven caissons, nine limbers, two field-forges, two caisson-bodies, thirty-nine colors and one signal-flag.
We have not lost a single gun or color.
On the battle-field of Antietam 14,000 small arms were collected, besides the large number carried off by citizens and those distributed on the ground to recruits and other unarmed men, arriving immediately after the battle. At South-Mountain no collection of small arms was made, owing to the haste of the pursuit from that point.
Four hundred small arms were taken from the opposite side of the Potomac.
Geo. B. Mcclellan, Major-General Commanding.
General Halleck to General McClellan.
General: Your report of yesterday, giving the results of the battles of South-Mountain and Antietam, has been received and submitted to the President.
They were not only hard-fought battles, but well-earned and decided victories.
The valor and endurance of your army in the several conflicts which terminated in the expulsion of the enemy from the loyal State of Maryland, are creditable alike to the troops and to the officers who commanded them.
A grateful country, while mourning the lamented dead, will not be unmindful of the honors due to the living.
H. W. Halleck, General-in-Chief.
General Wilcox's order.
headquarters Ninth army corps, Antietam Creek, September 22, 1862.
General order No. 12.--It is with the greatest pleasure that the Brigadier-General commanding the First division, announces to the officers and men of the command, his entire satisfaction with the manner in which they fought in the bloody battles of South-Mountain and Sharpsburgh.
No troops in Europe could have done better.
The insolent enemy, flushed with the late successes, choosing their own position, and led by their most talented generals, have been met in desperate contest and hurled from the soil they had invaded.
We have borne no mean part in these victories, won for the glorious Union and Constitution, without which life is worth nothing, and for the defence of which we are still ready to die.
Soldiers! In our rejoicings let us drop a manly tear for those who have fallen by our sides, and for the brave men of our division, whose spirits have fled to new scenes of glory.
The names of “South-Mountain” and “Sharpsburgh” will be inscribed on the respective regimental colors.
By order of Honorable mention of troops.
headquarters Ninth army corps, mouth of Antietam (Reek, Md., September 28, 1862.
special order no. 8.
The following officers and enlisted men of this command have been honorably mentioned in the official reports of the engagements of the seventeenth instant, and their names are hereby published, as a testimony to their gallant and meritorious conduct in the field, and for efficiency in their departments.
