The Battle of Antietam, America’s bloodiest single day, immediately claimed 3,654 lives and generated an additional 8,772 wounded and missing casualties on both sides, many of whom should properly be moved to the “killed” category. Antietam was the first major Civil War battle to take place in a Union state. Just twelve hours of intense and often close-range fighting with muskets and cannons had resulted in around 23,000 casualties, including an estimated 3,650 dead.The next day, as Lee began the painstaking job of moving his ravaged troops back to Virginia, McClellan, surprisingly, did nothing. Assigned to McLaws’ Brigade in Magruder’s Division, the 10th experienced its first combat in April, defending Yorktown from McClellan’s advancing Union host. Work of the 1st Texas reported 170 losses out of 226 present, which would be 75%. And as in the wider battle, most of the units that paid the greatest price at Antietam fought in the Cornfield and its related action in the West Woods, all claiming the “honor” of having suffered over 50 percent losses. In general terms, casualties of Civil War battles included 20% dead and 80% wounded. The 59th New York’s first battle would prove to be its costliest of the war – losing 224 of the 381 men it had carried into the woods, resulting in 58.7 percent casualties. XIX, Pt.
Of the soldiers who were wounded, about one out of seven died from his wounds. Before the dead were buried, photographer Alexander Gardner and his assistant James Gibson, employed by the famed Mathew Brady, traveled to the battlefield and recorded a series of images depicting with stark clarity the horror of war.
Confederate troops shot down rank after rank of attacking Union troops from the sunken road, later to be called Bloody Lane, until their position was flanked and the depression became a deathtrap. The Maryland Campaign, Vol. After skirmishing with Seymour’s advancing Federals in Miller’s Cornfield late on 16 September, the 18th and the Texas Brigade—now commanded by the regiment’s own Colonel Wofford—retired to rest near the Dunker Church. Although they left scores of dead and wounded in their wake, the Union troops pressed on toward the town of Sharpsburg, Maryland, and were poised to trap Lee’s army against the Potomac River. The dogs of war were loose, and “havoc” was their cry.” So effective was the 4th Texas’ fire that it halted Bachman’s advancing Union brigade, whose commander assumed he was facing an entire Southern brigade. [8] http://civilwarintheeast.com/confederate-regiments/georgia/18th-georgia-infantry/; http://antietam.aotw.org/officers.php?unit_id=580. 25-29; Carman and Pierro, Ed. This article first appeared at the Warfare History Network. 155-167; OR, Vol.
Worse, of the 226 men who’d marched into the Cornfield, 170 had been killed or wounded, giving the 1st Texas an appalling 82.3 percent casualties, the highest of any regiment on a single day, on either side, for the entire war. Their Lone Star flag wasn’t abandoned either. During the first phase, fighting raged in a 24-acre cornfield and on high ground surrounding the Dunker Church, which belonged to the German Baptist Brethren, a Christian sect that believed in baptism by full immersion and were, therefore, known as “Dunkers.” Casualties were extremely heavy in the Cornfield, with some regiments suffering greater than 70 percent casualties. By late August—still not having experienced combat, although present at Malvern Hill—the 59th was pulled from the Peninsula and shipped to Northern Virginia, there covering the retreat of Pope’s defeated Union Army of Virginia after the Second Battle of Manassas. The Maryland Campaign, Vol. Now under command of Company A’s Captain Edward J. Willis, the 15th charged the weakened Union position and joined in driving Gorman’s Brigade and Sedgwick’s Division from the West Woods and back across the Hagerstown Pike, only to be driven back themselves into the West Woods’ safety by Yankee artillery. Casualties include three categories: 1) dead; 2) wounded; and 3) missing or captured. Deployed as skirmishers in front of Colonel William T. Wofford’s Brigade, the 4th Texas traded fire with Truman Seymour’s Federal brigade as it pushed into the East Woods.
Several generals from both sides were killed at Antietam. The Union victory discouraged the French and British governments from recognizing the Confederacy as a separate country. Unleashing a two-pronged eastward-heading assault on Sumner’s vulnerable flanks, McLaws’ righthand attack was led by Barksdale’s Brigade near the Dunker Church while Semmes’ Brigade led the left prong’s assault. This pause was dictated by General Hooker’s revised plan in which Greene’s Division would sweep like a barn door through the East Woods before joining Gordon’s and Crawford’s Brigades to advance the entire XII Corps in finally taking the Cornfield. On 7 May 1862 the 1st Texas and its brigade endured its first real combat at the Battle of Eltham’s Landing, later taking part in turning back McClellan’s army from Richmond at the battles of Seven Pines and Gaines’ Mill. We suffer much.” Sergeant Stowe joined the 334 men the 15th Massachusetts lost—nearly double the combined losses of the 4th Texas and 10th Georgia—resulting in 56.7 percent losses. [17], Fletcher Webster, famed US Senator Daniel Webster’s son, raised the 12th Massachusetts from across the Boston area in June 1861, becoming its first colonel.
Thanks again for reading the article and visiting my site! Assigned to Brigadier General George Hartsuff’s Brigade—where the regiment would remain through Antietam—they soon became part of Banks’ III Corps of the Army of Virginia – where the 12th would truly “see the elephant” in earnest. Amidst the tumult of this terrific fighting the Bay Staters ignored their fallen flag for some time, preferring instead to close-up gaps and continue firing. The Maryland Campaign, Vol.
Casualties were especially high among general officers, with six generals—three Union, three Confederate—being killed and a dozen more being wounded. What a lot of great work, thanks David! The Maryland Campaign, Vol. [19], The 12th Massachusetts’ Antietam monument. Worse, S.D. 1, p. 244, 235, 928, 930; Carman and Pierro, Ed. Confederate Ezra A. Carman and Joseph Pierro, Ed. ( Log Out /
Even before moving Hartsuff’s Brigade endured shelling and infantry fire that claimed General Hartsuff himself, shifting command to the 11th Pennsylvania’s Colonel Coulter; as ignorant of Hooker’s plan as his men, Coulter and his new command watched Duryee’s Brigade—with which they were meant to advance—sweep past them toward the Cornfield. Advancing into Maryland searching for Lee’s invading army, the 59th New York and its II Corps comrades reached Frederick on the 12th, remaining in reserve during the Battle of South Mountain. [9] OR, Vol. First up is: [2]. [6], Passing through the Union-held East Woods, the 15th Massachusetts and Sedgwick’s Division moved into the Cornfield, where General Sumner ordered them into a “column of brigades – Howard’s the rear, Dana’s the center, with the 15th’s Gorman’s Brigade in the lead. Antietam was the first major Civil War battle to take place in a Union state. The Union had an overwhelming advantage of 75,500 soldiers facing 38,000 Confederates. Facing threats from front and flanks, Gorman’s Brigade found itself trapped in place by Dana’s Brigade, just arrived immediately in its rear. Sweeping across the Hagerstown Pike, the 4th and Wofford’s Brigade wheeled left into the Cornfield and headed north toward the advancing Federals.
… Enduring artillery canister and infantry fire at such close range tore huge gaps in the Georgians’ ranks, but the 18th men could do little more than endure until Colonel Wofford and General Hood sent reinforcements. In an exposed position, enduring artillery fire, and facing a soon-to-be-reinforced, largely concealed foe was too much for Cooke’s rattled regiments. 1-49; http://civilwarintheeast.com/us-regiments-batteries/wisconsin/3rd-wisconsin/. ( Log Out / Only nine of them returned to the regiment the following morning, so it actually went into action with only 211 men. Marching into Maryland on 3 September, the 18th fought at South Mountain before retreating to join Lee’s stand at Sharpsburg. [17] Walter Clark Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War (Goldsboro N. C.: Nash Brothers, 1901), p. 436; OR, Vol. [10], Arriving and resting in the fields west of town, at 9:00 a.m. the Virginians and McLaws’ Division started across country toward the sound of battle. The Maryland Campaign, Vol. The Maryland Campaign, p. 227; Carman and Clemens, Ed. Deploying the 32nd Virginia on his right—with the 10th Georgia, 15th Virginia, and 53rd Georgia to the left—Semmes’ Brigade swept northward to the right of the Hauser farm, catching their first Yankee fire of the day from Gorman’s 15th Massachusetts and 82nd New York. 1, pp. Semmes pushed the 10th Georgia forward on the left to shore up the position, but it was too late. Dana’s men and the 59th comprised the second line of the “column of brigades” General Sumner had ordered for moving into the fight, between Gorman’s and Howard’s commands.
Their fire was gradually thinning the Yankee guns’ crews, suggesting victory was near, but before help arrived Patrick’s fresh Union brigade appeared, signaling the beginning of the end for the Georgians. The ferocity of the battle is reflected in the appalling casualties suffered by both sides. [18] Benjamin F. Cook History of the Twelfth Massachusetts Volunteers (Webster Regiment) (Boston: Twelfth (Webster) Regiment Association, 1882), pp. Ordered to slow and reform, the 27th’s color bearer explained to Cooke “Colonel, I can’t let that Arkansas fellow get ahead of me.” The two stabilized regiments pressed on until slamming into Kimball’s Brigade from French’s Division, still recovering from its earlier attack on the Sunken Road. II, pp.
were freed. Reassigned to the Army of the Potomac’s I Corps, the 12th joined the chase for Lee’s invading army on 6 September. [1] In comparison, losses at the Sunken Road are 5,500 (2,900 Union; 2,600 Confederate) while the total losses at the Burnside Bridge and the center/final Union attack total 3,470 (2,350 Union and 1,120 Confederate).
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