Full Particulars from Our Special Correspondent

                The Most Stupendous Struggle of Modern Times

                The Battle Won by Consummate Generalship

                The Rebel Losses Estimated as High as Thirty Thousand

                A Great Number of Prisoners Captured

                    Wednesday morning, Sept. 17, the sun rose in a cloudless sky, and all nature
                seemed to smile as if the world were filled with the elect of God. But its splendors
                were soon dimmed with the smoke rising from the battle-field.

                To enable the reader to understand the events of this day, he should look at a map
                which has laid out the principal roads throughout the State of Maryland. With a
                pencil follow the road or "pike" from Boonsboro' direct to Sharpsburgh--which is
                nearly three miles west of the river, at the point where the road crosses it; the
                battle-field is on both sides of that road--between the river and Sharpsburgh--
                the bulk of it being north of the Boonsboro' road, and in the triangle formed
                by the roads connecting Bakersville and Middletown and Bakersville and
                Sharpsburgh. The surface is interspersed with hill and vale, and covered with
                cornfields and grassland, and skirting and stretching toward the centre from
                different points are thin belts of forest trees--all of which gives advantage to
                the enemy acting on the defensive, he having an opportunity to select his
                position for defensive operations, and when forced from one position he has
                only to fall back a short distance to find a position naturally as strong as the
                first. The engagement was opened early Wednesday morning by the advance
                of a strong line of our skirmishers. They were met by a similar movement on
                the part of the enemy. The latter were forced back until the right of our line
                (Gen. Hooker's), came into action with the enemy's left, commanded by Gen.
                Hill, who commands a portion of Long[MISSING TEXT]'s corps. Banks'
                corp was, within a half an hour, at work, and was followed soon after by
                Gen. Patterson's command. The first fire was at about 5 o'clock, and at 6
                o'clock the infantry arm entered upon its work. The line [MISSING TEXT].

                The Enemy's Left Was Forced Back

                for nearly three miles from the ford, where the bulk of our troops crossed the
                creek before 9 o'clock, when they were relieved by Gen. Sedgwick's coming
                to the front. Just previous to this, Morris' Brigade, of Hooker's command, had
                advanced from a belt of timber across a plowed field into a piece of woods,
                where the enemy, massed in great force, were repulsed, and the troops fell
                back to the belt of timber in some disorder, but soon rallied again, and
                regained the field in front. It was at this time that Gen. Mansfield, in command
                of Gen. Banks' corps, was mortally wounded, carried from the field and died
                soon afterward. Gen. Williams succeeded to the command of the corps, and
                Gen. Crawford took command of Williams' Division until he was wounded
                and taken from the field. The repulse of Morris' Brigade was accomplished by
                an old and contemptible trick of the enemy. As the corps advanced to the
                woods across the plowed field, the rebels unfurled the Stars and Stripes, and
                waving them, cried out, "What the h--l are you doing? Don't fire upon your
                friends!" Our troops, deceived by this ruse, ceased firing, when the rebels
                opened upon them a murderous volley of musketry and cross fire, and
                creating a temporary [MISSING TEXT]. They rallied and drove the rebels
                back, but it was done at a great sacrifice of life.

                These troops were relieved by [MISSING TEXT].

                Gen. Sedgwick's Command

                coming up on their left. The enemy who had gained a point of extending some
                distance in front of our line, at the left of Gen. Banks' corps, were drawn out,
                and across a plowed field in front, to the center beyond, with terrible slaughter
                Ayer's battery opening upon them with great [MISSING TEXT] the ground
                with the dead. At one point, just on the brow of a little [MISSING TEXT] the
                infantry, emerging suddently upon the open field, supposed that it was a rebel
                [MISSING TEXT] and the dead rebels got an extra volley;. This corps came
                into action by brigades, between 8 and 9 o'clock--Gorman's, Dana's and
                Howard's. While preparing for action, the enemy appeared from an
                unexpected quarter, and opened a terrific fire with a view of breaking the line
                by a sudden attack with musketry and artillery, he believing that it was
                composed of raw troops. But they soon discovered their mistake; these
                veterans, notwithstanding the sudden attack, though their lines were broken
                for a moment, were not disconcerted, but received it with cheers. While under
                this galling fire the Fifteenth Regiment Massachusetts Volunteers made a dash
                forward and seized the battle-flag of one of Gen. Hill's regiments, and now
                have it to show to their friends as a trophy of the day. In this connection it
                should be mentioned that Capt. Howe and Lieut. Whitter, of Gen. Sedgwick's
                Staff, distinguished themselves in the action by rallying the left of Gen.
                Sedgwick's division, and on several occasions, by their example, they
                encouraged the men in discharging their duties faithfully. Gen. Sedgwick's
                horse was killed, and he was wounded twice, but remained on the field until
                he was ordered to the rear with his command.

                French's Division

                The division under Gen. French occupied a position to the left of Sedgwick's,
                and was fairly engaged by 10:30 o'clock. The fighting on the extreme right at
                this time was confined mostly to artillery, while the tide of infantry fighting
                swept along toward the left of our line. The left of this division gave way and
                fell back from the superior force they had to contend against--the rebel
                hordes making pell mell after them. The left fell back in pretty good order, and
                upon a walk, under as galling a fire of musketry as is often experienced. This
                movement was evidently no fault of the men. The rebels advanced, and as
                they ventured a little to the rear of our line at that point, Col. Burke (acting
                Brigadier-General in Gen. Richardson's Division,) changed his front, and
                poured in several volleys upon their flank, strewing the ground with dead. The
                balance, hastened somewhat by a cross fire from Ayer's battery, fled in utter
                dismay. The left of French's Division advanced again, and fought like heroes
                until ordered to the rear.

                Richardson's Division

                Three Brigades of this Division, commanded by Gen. Meagher, Gen.
                Caldwell and Col. Burke' Tenth Pennsylvania, did not cross the creek until
                Wednesday morning, when Gen. Richardson was ordered to form on the left
                of French's Division. The Division crossed the river and moved up with
                alacrity near the line of battle, ready for action. Having filed about through the
                valleys to avoid letting the enemy know of the movement, the Division laid
                down under the brow of a hill, just in rear of the line of battle, until wanted. It
                was now about 9 o'clock.

                The Irish Brigade

                In less than half an hour after taking this position Gen. Meagher was ordered
                to enter the line with the Irish Brigade. They marched up to the brow of the
                hill, cheering as they went, led by Gen. Meagher in the person, and were
                welcomed with cheers by French's Brigade. The musketry fighting at this point
                was the severest and most deadly ever witnessed before--so acknowledged
                by veterans in the service. Men on both sides fell in large numbers every
                moment, and those who were eye-witnesses of the struggle did not suppose it
                possible for a single man to escape. The enemy here, at first, were concealed
                behind a knoll, so that only their heads were exposed. The brigade advanced
                up the slope with a cheer, when a most deadly fire was poured in a second
                line of the enemy concealed in the Sharpsburgh road, which at this place is
                several feet lower than the surrounding surface, forming a complete rifle-pit,
                and also from a force partially concealed still further to the rear.

                At this time the color-bearer in the right wing advanced several paces to the
                front, and defiantly waved his flag in the faces of the enemy; as if by a miracle,
                he escaped without serious injury.

                The line of the brigade, in its advance up the hill was broken in the center
                temporarily by an obstruction, the right wing having advanced to keep up with
                the colors, and fell back a short distance, when Gen. Meagher directed that a
                rail fence which the enemy a few minutes before had been fighting behind
                should be torn down. His men, in face of a [MISSING TEXT] fire, obeyed
                the order when the whole brigade advanced to the brow of the hill, cheering
                as they went and causing the enemy to fall back to their second line-- the
                Strasburgh road, which is about three feet lower than the surrounding surface.
                In this road were massed a large force of infantry, and here was the most
                hotly contested point of the day. Each brigade of this Division was in turn
                brought into action at this point and the struggle was truly terrific for more than
                four hours--the enemy finally, however, were forced from their position. In
                this work, the New-York German Battery, stationed on the hill across the
                Creek, rendered efficient service by pouring in upon their massed forces a
                constant stream of 20-pound shells.

                Gen. Caldwell's Brigade was next ordered into action by Gen. Richardson in
                person. They two advanced in good order, cheering and were received with
                cheers by the Irish Brigade. It was at about this time that the left of French's
                Division, commanded by Col. Brooks, of the Tenth Pennsylvania, was
                directed by Gen. Richardson to wheel to the right, and a murderous flanking
                fire was poured into the flank of an advancing division of the enemy, causing
                him to recoil, and fall back in disorder.

                This division was actively engaged for nearly five hours, and lost nearly half of
                the men taken into action.

                The fight, which had opened by five o'clock in the morning, gradually swept
                down to the left of the main line, where it opened at about 9 o'clock. Soon
                after this time, Gen. Burnside's guns were heard on the extreme left, on the
                flank of the enemy, he having obtained possession of the stone bridge across
                the creek on the Strasburgh road. This seemed to surprise the rebels, and a
                desperate effort was made to change their line of [MISSING TEXT] so as to
                repel [MISSING TEXT] movement on their right. To this end their line was
                extended, and large [MISSING TEXT] were thrown off to meet Gen.
                Burnside so that by 12 o'clock the rebel line of battle, having been forced
                back on the right, was [MISSING TEXT]. Toward night our infantry got to
                work on the extreme left, the rebel ranks gave way at all points--but in good
                order, and the day's fighting was brought to a close by a heavy artillery
                fire--and the enemy, in the language of the commanding General, were just
                where he wanted them.

                It was undoubtedly the intention of Gen. Lee to repeat here what he
                accomplished at Richmond--crush our right wing by throwing upon it the bulk
                of the force at his disposal; and nothing but the most consummate generalship
                prevented him from succeeding in his pet scheme. In selecting Gen. Hooker to
                take the initiative in this important movement, the right man was put in the right
                place. He soon discovered the intended movement, and he was heavily
                reinforced during Tuesday night, so that when the enemy marched down his
                massed columns upon our right, they were everywhere repulsed with great
                slaughter.

                On Wednesday afternoon as the storm of battle passed to the left, Gen.
                McClellan rode along the lines at the right and was received with the greatest
                enthusiasm by the forces at that point. While Gen. Sumner actually had charge
                of the field operations, Gen. McClellan visited every part of the field in
                person, and by his presence encouraged the troops to deeds of valor. Gen.
                Sumner more particularly paid attention to the right, for he saw Gen.
                Richardson was on the left with his own (Sumner's) old corps and his services
                were not particularly needed there.

                As a whole, officers and men all did their duty. As there are exceptions to all
                rules, so there is to this. Two regiments, at least, marched from the field during
                the hottest of the conflict; and, in one instance, at least, the officers with the
                lead in this apparently disgraceful movement. We refrain from indicating these
                regiments until such time as their conduct is officially noticed.

                Gen. Richardson

                Gen. Richardson was everywhere conspicuous during the action, up to the
                time when he received a gunshot would in the left breast. While being
                removed from the field he said to the surgeon in attendance, "Tell Gen.
                McClellan I have been in the front rank, doing the duty of a Colonel. I have
                done a hard day's work, and have worked all day. I am wounded, and he
                must detail some one to take my command."

                Gen. Hancock was ordered to take Gen. Richardson's command.

                The Losses

                Of course, at this time of writing, it is impossible to accurately estimate the
                losses on either side. In the opinion of those best capable of judging, our loss
                will not exceed 10,000. Some brigades lost very heavily, while others lost but
                few men. Gen. Richardson's and a portion of Gen. French's command,
                suffered the most. They actually lost nearly one-half the men into the field.

                The loss of the enemy was necessarily much larger than ours. We had heavy
                guns located in distant and elevated positions, constantly throwing shells into
                their columns, massed at the rear of strong fronts.

                They massed their forces to take batteries, but were in every instance
                repulsed with terrible slaughter. Coffin's First New-York Battery, supported
                by the One Hundred and Seventh New-York, was charged upon seven times
                in this way, and each time the attacking force repulsed. The corn-field in
                which the battery was stationed is covered with dead rebels. Ten horses
                attached to the battery were killed. Some of the rebel officers who fell into
                our hands estimate their loss as high as 30,000 men. This may be true,
                including the men who voluntarily came within our lines; for thousands of
                prisoners were taken, and some of them came in very willingly. They are tired
                of the war, and particularly such fighting as that of yesterday.

                The Operations of Thursday

                To-day we have had out a strong line of skirmishers, and, up to 3 o'clock,
                there was constant firing going on in front. Our troops are all lying upon their
                arms, ready for action. Burial parties are engaged in burying off the dead and
                removing the wounded.

                At 2 o'clock a flag of truce was sent in by Gen. Hill, giving us permission to
                bury our dead within their lines. As our forces were in possession of about
                nine-tenths of the battle-field, this proposition was considered, no doubt, a
                cool one, and was promptly declined.

                Subsequently, a flag of truce came in, bearing word that they would cease
                firing if we would, of which no notice was taken.

                The enemy subsequently ceased firing, and under a flag of truce, came within
                our lines and removed the bodies of some of their officers.

                Everything is in readiness for action, but the indications are that the enemy
                have had pretty much all the fight whipped out of them.

                To-day is being devoted to burying the dead and caring for the wounded.
                To-morrow our army will advance and the rebels will have either to fight or
                run. Possibly they may not find either expedient to their liking.