Chapter XVI

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.