Fitzhugh Lee, General Lee

[215] was expecting the arrival of re-enforcements, and as he could not look for a material increase of his strength, it was not thought prudent to wait until his adversary should be ready to again fight a battle. During the night of the 18th his army was passed to the south of the Potomac, near Shepherdstown. The enemy advanced next morning, but was held in check by cavalry, who covered his movements with success.

The Southern loss in the Maryland campaign was ten thousand two hundred and ninety-one-eight thousand at Sharpsburg. McClellan's loss in the battle was twelve thousand four hundred and ninety-six. He did not claim a victory until Lee had recrossed the Potomac. At 1.20 P. M., during the battle, he telegraphed Halleck: “We are in the midst of the most terrible battle of the war-perhaps of history. Thus far it looks well, but I have great odds against me.” And at 8 A. M. on the 18th he telegraphed: “The battle of yesterday continued for fourteen hours, and until after dark. We hold all we gained, except a portion of the extreme left. Our loss was very heavy, especially in general officers. The battle will probably be renewed to-day.” But it was only on the 19th-thirty-six hours after the fighting was over — that he informed Halleck that “we may safely claim a complete victory.”

General Lee's Maryland campaign was a failure. He added but few recruits to his army, lost ten thousand men, and fought a drawn battle, which for an invading army is not a success. It was preferable, in his opinion, to consuming the substance of the Confederacy in Virginia after the second Manassas, and the result of a victory in Maryland was worth the attempt. McClellan threw two divisions of infantry across the river, but was driven back, the Confederates losing four guns-a part of their reserve artillery.

The Confederate army then moved back to the Opequan, near Martinsburg, and after a few days' rest to the vicinity of Bunker Hill and Winchester. McClellan occupied Harper's Ferry and the surrounding heights with two corps under Sumner, and encamped the remainder near the scenes of its late exploits, amid the picturesque hills and vales of southwestern Maryland.