too, "Stonewall" Jackson had been hurt in a similar manner a few
days previously, so that if the battle had begun promptly, it is
highly probable that he, too, would have been physically handicapped,
and it is certain that his troops could not have reached the field
in time to be of any assistance.

To Lee's immense relief, however, McClellan made no serious attack
on either the 15th or 16th of September, but spent those two days
in putting his finishing touches on his preparations, and before
he completed them that Opportunity "which knocks but once at each
man's gate" had passed him by, never to return.

The battle of Antietam or Sharpsburg began at dawn of the 17th, but
by that time Jackson had arrived and both he and Lee had so far
recovered from their injuries that they were able to be in the saddle
and personally direct the movements of their men. The Confederate
position had been skillfully selected for defense on the hills
back of Antietam Creek and McClellan's plan was to break through
his opponent's line, gain his rear and cut him off from retreat.
But Lee, who had closely watched the elaborate massing of the Union
forces for this attempt, was fully prepared for it and the first
assault against his line was repulsed with fearful slaughter. No
subtle strategy or brilliant tactics of any kind marked McClellan's
conduct of the battle. Time and again he hurled his heavy battalions
against his opponent's left, center and right in a desperate effort
to pierce the wall of gray, and once or twice his heroic veterans
almost succeeded in battering their way through. But at every
crisis Lee rose to the emergency and moved his regiments as a
skillful chess player manipulates his pieces on the board, now massing
his troops at the danger point and now diverting his adversary's