THE REGIMENT GOES INTO CAMP AT ALEXANDRIA, BUT IS SOON ORDERED TO
THE FRONT.--BATTLE OF ANTIETAM.
After the battle of Cedar Mountain, the regiment took part in the
memorable retreat of General Pope to the Potomac. During the time, it
was not engaged in immediate action; but was exposed, on several
occasions, to the shell from the enemy's batteries. After a fatiguing
march of sixteen days, it arrived, on the 2d day of September, under
the guns of the fortifications around Alexandria. On the following day
it was marched to Arlington Heights, to the support of Fort Albany,
near which it encamped in a beautiful meadow.
At midnight of the same day an order was received to have the command
ready to march at half-past eight on the following morning; but it did
not leave, however, until near noon, when, crossing the Potomac to
Georgetown, it moved off in the direction of Poolesville, bivouacking
at night five miles from Georgetown. On the following morning the
command started before day had fairly dawned, and passing through
Rockville, bivouacked at night near the place. On the 5th it moved
forward, and leaving the small village of Darnstown on the left, formed
in line of battle, fronting Poolesville, and awaited the advance of the
enemy; but he failing to appear in that direction, but threatening
Pennsylvania, by the way of Frederick, the command, on the 9th, broke
camp and advanced in five columns towards the latter city. After a
brief skirmish, the advance entered the place on the 12th. On the 13th,
the regiment crossed the mountains into Pleasant Valley to Middletown.
While descending the side of the mountain, the progress of the battle
of South Mountain was plainly seen. This engagement was fought by the
division of General Cox, of Reno's corps. These troops won great praise
for their gallantry and good fighting qualities; and the general, an
additional star.
On the 15th, the advance of the Federal army drove the enemy in the
direction of Boonesboro', and through the town towards Sharpsburg.
Generals Richardson's and Pleasanton's column of cavalry and light
artillery proved very annoying to the enemy in this day's retreat.
On the following day, the 16th of September, the rebel army took up its
position across Antietam Creek, and there awaited the approach of the
Federals.
[1]"This position consisted of a series of sharp points, rising from
the bank of the creek, and extending to the rear of Sharpsburg in a
succession of ridges; but, when viewed from a point a little in front,
has the appearance of table-land, the ravines being undistinguishable.
These points or ridges are for the most part surmounted by a heavy
copse of timber, which furnished admirable shelter for foot-soldiers;
while, with batteries flanking each hill, the position was all that a
general could wish for defence.
[1] Charles Tenney.
"Seeing the strength of the position, McClellan sent Hooker's and
Sumner's corps around to the left of the enemy's advance position,
across Antietam Creek, and, ere the close of day, they had succeeded in
driving him fully a mile.
"We had lain down in line of battle, expecting to remain till the
morrow. The _tattoo_ had sounded, and an impressive silence had settled
upon the bivouac, broken only by the tread of the alarm-guard, as he
slowly paced his beat, and the occasional passing of an orderly,
conveying some order to be executed on the coming day. Not long were
we to rest. Our ears were soon assailed with--'_Attention, First
brigade!_' and we were soon in line, and moving around to the right,
to the support of Hooker and Sumner, where we arrived about one A.M.,
and bivouacked upon the ground held by the rebels scarce six hours
previous. An occasional shot or volley, in an adjoining piece of woods,
reminded us of the close proximity of the enemy. Nevertheless, the rest
of the night was passed quietly enough by us.
"The morning came, fresh and beautiful; but our _reveille_ was not
the rattle of the drum, nor the clear notes of the bugle. The day was
opened by a fierce volley of musketry, succeeded by another, and yet
another, which were soon so continuous as to be blended in one
unremittent roll. The struggle had commenced, and the sun that rose
shone upon a field already red with blood. Soon the heavy booming of
cannon was mingled with the sharp, crackling roll of small-arms, and
the din was terrific. Hooker was engaged, and hotly too. We were
immediately ordered under arms, and advanced in the direction of the
fight. Halting in easy supporting distance, we were given thirty
minutes in which to make coffee. At the end of this time the volume of
sound perceptibly increased, and was becoming nearer. The rebels were
re-enforced, and were slowly driving our men before them. 'Forward,'
shouted General Mansfield; and forward we went, in column of division,
as cool and regular as on drill. Changing direction to the left, we
advanced through a cornfield taken by Hooker the evening previous, and
which was now held by the rebels, having driven our boys back. An open
field lay before us, commanded by the direct and flank fire of the
rebel artillery, and the left flank of their infantry. Notwithstanding
the heavy fire we thus suddenly received, the advance was made
steadily, and in slow time. Arriving at the front, we deployed into
line of battle. The line now being complete, we advanced; _and the
work was begun_. No halt was made until the woods were ours; but the
enemy was to be dislodged from behind a rail fence. Then we occupied
the crest of the hill in the woods, and from this point we directed our
fire to the fence, where we could plainly see them level their pieces
at us, and fire.
"For an hour and a half we thus remained, and fought: one side with the
energy of despair; the other, with an energy imparted with the
consciousness of right and justice. The contest was fair and equal, and
the right triumphed. At last the line began to waver, and General Green
shouted, 'Charge!' With a yell of triumph we started, with levelled
bayonets; and, terror-stricken, the rebels fled. Like hounds after the
frightened deer, we pursued them fully three-fourths of a mile,
killing, wounding, and taking prisoners almost every rod. Their colors
fell: a private soldier leaped forward, and tore them from the staff.
"Across the fields we pursued the foe, who again took shelter in a
heavy piece of timber, flanked by their artillery. A battery of
twelve-pounder howitzers came to our support, and most efficient
service it rendered. We formed in two lines in rear of the battery, and
lay behind a low ridge, sufficiently high to protect from a direct
shot, but which offered no shelter from the fragments of shells
bursting near to and over us; these were continually striking amongst
us, often grazing a cap or an arm, but doing no particular harm. The
howitzers were doing splendidly, when suddenly we heard, 'But eight
rounds left!' Twenty more rounds would silence the rebel battery, but
we had them not. Soon the rebel fire was more rapid, and a yell in the
distance denoted an advance of their infantry. Shall we retreat? No! we
will hold our ground, or die! On they come, yelling defiantly: 'tis A.
P. Hill's division, second to none but Jackson's. We look anxiously for
another battery. It comes! It comes! We are safe! The gallant Eighth
Rhode Island Battery comes up in splendid style; our ranks open right
and left for them, the exhausted battery of howitzers wheeling out of
line. The Parrotts were unlimbered, and shell, five-second fuse, called
for, and they opened in glorious style.
"But what means that shout so closely on our right? They have flanked
us, and are charging our battery! A half right wheel was made, and we
were partially under cover of a narrow ridge. A portion of our front
rank, with the colors, advanced, and opened a fire upon their column,
but, as it was intended, it only drew them on; shouting fiercely, they
dashed forward, expecting to have an easy capture. We waited until they
were within six rods, when, with a yell such as freemen know how to
give, we rose and poured the contents of our rifles into the mass of
graybacks emerging from the woods. They reeled and staggered for a
moment, then rallied, and returned our fire for half an hour, then
wavered. Perceiving this, Lieutenant-Colonel Tindell, commanding
brigade, ordered a charge. As we started, they broke and fled in
confusion. Our brigade advanced to the woods, but was soon replaced by
a New Jersey regiment, which quickly broke and fled. On came the
rebels, yelling and exultingly waving their colors, across a field, and
entered a cornfield to the south, to flank our men who were engaging a
division. Their triumph was short, for they suddenly found themselves
nearly surrounded by General Franklin's troops, who came in from the
north and east, over the identical ground we fought over, and
precipitated themselves upon the flank of the enemy, six hundred of
whom threw down their guns and surrendered, those remaining fleeing in
dismay from the field.
"This _coup de grace_ closed the heavy fighting upon the right, and
we retired from the front, lacerated but cheerful, feeling that our
duty was faithfully performed, and knowing that the rebels were
defeated."
The next two days were occupied in burying the dead and collecting the
wounded.
On the 19th, the regiment left for Harper's Ferry, arriving at Maryland
Heights on the 20th. A few days after it forded the Potomac River, and
went into permanent camp on Loudon Heights.
The regiment sustained a loss at the battle of Antietam of five killed
and thirty-eight wounded. The list is as follows:
_Killed._--Sergeant James B. Carter; Corporal Martin Lazrus; privates,
John Bacon, Elbridge F. Meachum, George O. Sherick.
_Wounded._--Lieutenant Ernest J. Kreiger; sergeants, George A. McKay,
Jerry G. Clafflin, Isaac Jones, James Hansell; corporals, Edward
Goodsell, Henry H. Bailey, Hiram J. Bell, John F. Ely, Austin Bull,
James Bryant, J. Kurly; privates, George A. Wood, Joseph Kubler,
Laurine Lamphier, Pliney E. Hill, George Steinberger, E. C. Miller,
Daniel Weatherlow, David Everett, Alfred W. Mosley, Averett C. Reed,
Alson Coe, Alfred E. May, Thomas Woolf, Henry Wilcox, George Houck,
William Cromwell, Caleb Bryant, George Wandal, Nick Bauer, Charles
Briedenbach, Charles Graiter.