Capture of Harper's Ferry. Battle of Sharpsburg. Return to Virginia.
Battle of Fredericksburg.
About the fifth of September Jackson's corps crossed the Potomac
into Maryland near Leesburg, moving toward Frederick, Md.; and on or
about the 10th moved toward Martinsburg, recrossing the Potomac near
Williamsport. On the following day the course was down the right bank
of the Potomac toward Harpers Ferry, near which on Bolivar Heights a
Federal force under General Miles was hemmed in by the Confederates who
occupied Maryland and Loudoun heights and all the passes leading out
from the Federal position. In the contest little else occurred than
artillery firing, which continued for about two hours, resulting in but
few casualties on either side. Realizing their inextricable position
the Federals "on the morning of the 15th surrendered unconditionally
all the force, consisting of approximately 12,000 men, 74 pieces of
artillery, many thousands of small arms and large military stores." The
details of the surrender were left with A. P. Hill's division to adjust
while the balance of Jackson's corps left in haste for Sharpsburg,
where Longstreet and D. H. Hill were already engaged with the enemy who
by greatly superior numbers had forced the passes of South Mountain,
causing the Confederates to take position near Sharpsburg behind
Antietam Creek on the morning of the 15th. Early on the morning of the
16th Jackson's corps, except Hill's division, arrived.
On the afternoon of the 15th, the enemy had advanced and the batteries
on both sides were immediately engaged. On the 16th artillery firing
continued during the entire day. Jackson's old division occupied the
left from Hagerstown road to the Potomac. At dawn on the 17th, the
enemy's artillery opened with great vigor on Jackson's line. The battle
was hot and furious from the start and continued for many hours with
alternate success. The Federal lines were forced back several times,
but new lines of fresh troops were met, and in turn the Confederates
were forced to retire before them, but would again return to the
contest and again clear their front, but to be again pushed back
as before. This was the part of the Confederate line against which
the enemy had concentrated and was now hurling the strength of his
army, and by overwhelming numbers turning the Confederates left; but
reinforcements from our right arrived in time, and now the battle raged
with still greater fury and determination. But the onslaught of the
Confederates was not to be successfully resisted, hence they swept the
Federals back and reestablished their lines, which were held against
further attacks of the day. Between these hostile lines lay hundreds
of dead and dying of both sides, fighting being so continuous as to
prevent proper attention to them. I do not now recall the names of any
of these, except that of a younger brother, the late Judge M. B. Wood,
whose wound was severe, and naturally I was impressed. The main attack
was now shifted from our left to the center. This was finally repulsed
and the battle along the line was now reduced to a more moderate
degree; heavy attacks, however, were made occasionally on different
parts of the Confederate lines. Hill arrived from Harpers Ferry late in
the afternoon and attacked the enemy on our right, and drove him from
his position back across Antietam, inflicting much loss.
On the morning of the 18th the Confederates held their entire lines
and awaited an advance by the enemy, he having superior numbers and
equipment; but he did not advance. That night, owing to the enemy being
about to receive large reinforcements as was then understood, and the
rains which had fallen causing a rise in the Potomac which would thus
cut off the Confederates from their base of supplies, Lee withdrew his
army to the Virginia side, crossing at Shepardstown without loss. The
best that could be claimed by either side was that the battle was a
draw; neither side won.
Jackson's division went into camp at Bunker's Hill, twelve miles
below Winchester, and here received much needed rest, food, clothing
and shoes. After a short time of drill, picket, guard and camp
duty, recuperation ensued; the arduous and perilous duties of the
Maryland campaign were forgotten and the army was itself again. Here
our division remained until October, then moved to the vicinity
of Berryville, thence across the Blue Ridge to camp near Guiny's
Station. On the morning of December 12th, the division moved in
much haste to Hamilton's Crossing, four miles below Fredericksburg.
It was then known that the Federal army under command of General
Burnside was crossing the Rappahannock at and below that city. Many
advantages seemed to favor the enterprise. Of these were his many well
placed long range guns on Stafford Heights from opposite the city to
Hamilton's Crossing, a distance of four miles, completely dominating
and commanding the lower range of hills on the Confederate side far
back from the river. His greatly superior numbers and equipment gave
promise of success to his advance. Pontoon bridges at Fredericksburg,
at Hamilton's Crossing and points between, completely protected by the
high river banks from shot and shell, enabled him to transfer his army
expeditiously to the west side, between which and the ridge--occupied
by the Confederates--is a smooth open plain, varying in width from
one to one and a half miles and extending in length from the city to
below Hamilton's Crossing, a distance of more than four miles. This
topography rendered it impracticable for the Confederates to maintain
a force at or near the river or on this open plain to dispute the
crossing by the enemy.
On the morning of the 11th Burnside opened on the Confederates with
about one hundred and fifty guns from Stafford Heights, and advanced
to the river a large infantry force, thus compelling the Confederate
pickets to retire. The enemy then proceeded to construct his pontoon
crossings, and during the night and following day, being protected
by a dense fog as well as high river banks, crossed his army. Little
occurred on the following day, except occasional artillery firing at
the Confederate position from Stafford Heights, as rifts would occur
in the dense fog which still hung over the field. This firing was
not returned by the Confederates, but as occasional clearings of the
fog would reveal the enemy's columns on the plain a vigorous and
apparently effective fire was opened upon them. Of the Confederates,
Longstreet occupied the left, including Mary's and Willis' Hills, and
Jackson the right, extending to Hamilton's Crossing. The extreme right
being protected by Stuart's cavalry. The first and second lines of
battle, the reserves and the artillery now in position, awaited the
advance of the enemy which did not occur that day. On the morning of
the 13th, the plain now occupied by the Federals was still enveloped in
dense fog. About 10 o'clock the fog cleared and the lines of the enemy
in order of battle could be seen upon the plain between the Confederate
position and the river, in front of our position at Hamilton's Crossing
and extending miles to our left toward Fredericksburg. The force in
front of Jackson's corps alone was estimated at not less than 50,000.
Federal batteries from Stafford Heights opened fire upon the
Confederate lines, the heaviest of which was directed against the
line far to our left, toward the city, to which the Confederates did
not reply, but held their fire for the infantry, now advancing in
numerous lines of battle against our front. At our position A. P.
Hill's division was in front, and Jackson's division in the second or
supporting line, and our artillery was well placed. In addition to the
batteries of the enemy on Stafford Heights some of his field batteries
on the plain and a battery of the Confederates on our right engaged
in a duel which continued with great spirit for more than an hour,
when the Confederates withdrew and the enemy now advanced unmolested,
turning his batteries on our position. The Confederates reserved their
fire until the Federal lines came within easy range before they opened,
pouring such a storm of shot and shell into his ranks as to cause him
to waver and then to retreat in confusion and disorder.
A comparative lull now ensued until about 2 o'clock, when the Federals
made a furious artillery attack, inflicting great damage on our lines.
Under the protection of this fire, his infantry in heavy force again
advanced. When, as before, they had gotten within easy range, our
batteries opened fire on him with destructive effect. Though staggered
and shocked by this rapid and well directed fire their lines regained
composure, continued to press forward and soon came within easy range
of our infantry lines. Then the conflict at once began with great fury.
Musketry and artillery continued to play upon his ranks with withering
effect, but still he pressed forward; and, finding a gap in our line
some distance to our left,--open by accident,--he pressed through in
great numbers, and now pressing in front, as well as the flanks, the
advantage was with the Federals. But the Confederates with heroic
desperation continued the contest, but were forced to yield ground.
Thus the breach widened and the enemy in still greater numbers pressed
on, still the battle raged. The dead and dying on both sides lay
intermingled on the field with no hope of assistance to the wounded,
until the battle should end. Yet dead and dying continued to fall
thick and fast. The day now seemed almost lost to the Confederates.
Decimated, worn and almost without ammunition, they still bitterly
contested the advance of the Federals. At this time the Confederate
reserves reached the field and at once made descent on this victorious
force with such impetuosity that it was swept back and our lines
advanced farther than before, going to the edge of the plain along the
railroad. The enemy did not advance again during the day, but kept
up at intervals his artillery fire. The simultaneous attack on the
Confederate lines to the left of Jackson's corps was equally fierce and
determined, and quite as sanguinary, and perhaps more so at Mary's and
Willis' Hills. Six times did the enemy attack these positions, and each
of these attacks was repulsed with great loss. The Confederates also
lost heavily here, as well as at other parts of the line. The work
of the day was now over. Our division now occupied the railroad, this
being the front line.
During the day incidents too numerous to mention occurred, one or two
of which impressed me. While moving to position under heavy shelling, a
soldier from the line in front came obliquely toward the left and rear.
He wore a very long sandy beard and carried his gun in his left hand
at his side. The boys began to guy him for getting to the rear. "You
are safer in ranks," "Fortune favors the brave," "You are skulking,"
and so on went this fusillade against this poor, downcast looking man,
during which an exploding shell struck him and he was literally no
more. A little farther on we discovered a soldier who had taken refuge
behind a large oak tree, lying in apparent security, but a shell had
struck the ground in front of the tree, passed under it, came out and
exploded, tearing him into bits. Thus Fate seemed to have attended
them. Another, but more pleasing scene, occurred soon after nightfall.
The survivors of that field of both armies will remember, if for no
other reason than the relief it gave by transference of thought and
attention from the carnage of the day, and now irresistibly fixed them
on an aurora borealis, or northern light. This at first appeared as a
dimly reflected light from below the horizon, but it continued to grow
in brightness and volume until it covered a wide space against the sky,
and then shooting up its steady and well defined columns, each tinted
in separate and distinct hues, ascended to a great height, and thus
continued for many minutes, then all gradually faded away, never to be
pictured to others by brush or pen. The awe and beauty of this natural
apparition as it appeared on that night of December 13th, 1862, will
ever hold a place in memory.
Jackson's and Early's divisions remained on the front line at the
railroad during that night and the following day. The Federals also
remained in line of battle all day as if expecting attack, but an
attack by the Confederates was impossible, because the well-placed guns
on Stafford Heights could and would have swept from the broad open
plain any force that might have attempted to cross it. This could have
been done by the Federals more effectually by reason of his superior
position and number of guns than our own artillery had done on his
advancing columns, on the day before. Neither side advanced during
the day, and nothing save some desultory artillery firing occurred.
During the night our division was relieved by D. H. Hill and we were
moved back to a position in the line of reserves. During the 15th the
enemy remained in battle array, as if still looking for attack; but
in the afternoon sent in a flag of truce and a request for permission
to take his wounded from the field. This was granted, after which
not even an artillery shot--so frequent before--was heard; deathlike
stillness prevailed. Our troops were in fine spirits and only hoped the
enemy would come out of his stronghold on the following day and again
attack, but this he did not do, but on the night of the 15th recrossed
the river and thus ended the prospect of further contest.
We now returned to camp and established winter quarters on the
Rappahannock at Buckner's Neck. The routine of camp life was entered
upon and the exercising from daily drill and other duties, better food,
shoes and clothing, gave contentment, and the army was soon restored
to fine condition. Picket duty on the river during the winter brought
the troops of the opposing armies into such close proximity that a
continual battle across the river could have been kept up, but instead
a tacit armistice was maintained between the soldiers themselves. This
was done by neither pen or tongue, but simply by acts, developing
into such a kindly feeling that frequently in the absence of officers
interchange of visits were made by crossing the river on improvised
rafts for the exchange of tobacco from the Confederates for coffee
from the Federals. This occurred daily. An incident of the kind came
under my own observation while in command of the picket force, the
reserve post of which was stationed back, and smaller posts stationed
nearer to different eligible crossings, along and near the river bank.
The same arrangement seemed to be true of the Federal pickets, and
it was between these lines that intercourse orally and commercially
existed. In passing down the river along this line I discovered a small
improvised craft of bark provided with newspaper sails gliding to the
Federal side with its plainly seen lading. My duty was to investigate
and have arrested the violators of this plain breach of discipline.
Although regarded as a disciplinarian, I could not find it in my heart
to do this, accord and harmony being too inviolable to be disturbed
when material damage therefrom did not portend; and as nothing of the
kind threatened here I simply failed to see or know of the little craft.
On a recent call at my home of an ex-Federal captain, Charles P.
Tanner, and his estimable wife I related the above to him and he in
turn related a kindred experience of this period. He was then in the
ranks and was possessed of this fellow-feeling as were his comrades. He
said that by means of improvised rafts the Federals and Confederates
would exchange visits in the absence of the officers in charge. On one
of these visits to the Confederates a comrade and himself, being of
sporting proclivities, engaged in a game of cards with the Confederates
which soon became interesting and absorbing to those engaged and the
others standing by as well. At this time the Confederate officer in
charge had approached unobserved until he made demand of the Federals
to know what they were doing there and did they not know that this
intercourse was against the orders of the commanders of both armies?
Well knowing such orders, but not admitting the same, the Federals
adroitly inquired, "What orders?" An explanation followed with an
admonition to the Federals to get to their own side of the river. It is
needless to say that the admonition was heeded. The evening thus spent
with this liberal minded and estimable gentleman, in which many other
reminiscences so common to both were gone over, was quite enjoyable.
About the middle of April, 1863, the Federals made a demonstration at
Port Royal, twelve miles below our camp, by crossing the Rappahannock
at that place with a small part of his army. The "3d brigade" was
hurried there, but the Federals returned to the east side before our
arrival. No further demonstration at this point was made, but we
remained there for some days, enjoying the fine shad, so abundant in
the Rappahannock in the then shad season.
[Illustration]