rps--Porter 12,930 70
Sixth Corps--Franklin 12,300 36
Ninth Corps--Burnside 13,819 35
Twelfth Corps--Mansfield 10,126 36
Cavalry--Pleasanton 4,320 16
------ ---
87,164 275

In comparison with the masses arrayed between the Red Hill and the
Antietam, the Confederate army was but a handful.

5 A.M.

Notwithstanding McClellan's caution, the opening of the battle was
not long delayed. Before sunrise the desultory firing of the pickets
had deepened to the roar of battle. Hooker, who had been ordered to
begin the attack, forming his troops behind the North Wood, directed
them on the Dunkard Church, which, standing on rising ground,
appeared the key of the position. Jackson had already thrown back his
two divisions at nearly a right angle to the Confederate front. His
right, which connected with the left of D.H. Hill, and resting on the
western edge of the East Wood extended as far as the Miller House,
was held by Lawton, with two brigades in front and one in second
line. West of the Hagerstown turnpike, and covering the ground as far
as the Nicodemus Farm, was Jones' division; the Stonewall and Jones'
brigades in front, Taliaferro's and Starke's along the edge of the
wood in rear. Three guns stood upon the turnpike; the remainder of
the artillery (thirteen) guns was with Stuart on the high ground
north of Nicodemus Run. Hood, in third line, stood near the Dunkard
Church; and on Hood's right were three of Longstreet's batteries
under Colonel Stephen Lee.

The ground which Jackson had been ordered to occupy was not
unfavourable for defence, although the troops had practically no
cover except the rail-fences and the rocky ledges. There was a wide
and open field of fire, and when the Federal skirmishers appeared
north of the Miller House the Confederate batteries, opening with
vigour at a range of eight hundred yards, struck down sixteen men at
the first salvo. This fire, and the stubborn resistance of the
pickets, held the enemy for some time in check; but Hooker deployed
six batteries in reply, and after a cannonade of nearly an hour his
infantry advanced. From the cover of the woods, still veiled by the
morning mist, the Federals came forward in strong force. Across the
dry ploughed land in Lawton's front the fight grew hot, and on the
far side of the turnpike the meadows round the Nicodemus Farm became
the scene