Early reports from Stuarts cavalry told him that McClellan was on the road to Frederick, and on September 10 he ordered Longstreet to advance to Hagerstown with 10,000 troops, occupying the village before any Union forces might contest the Confederate rallying point. The present seems the most propitious time since the commencement of the war for the Confederate Army to enter Maryland, Lee noted. Meanwhile, Jackson got the remainder of his command on the road toward Sharpsburg. Fighting raged into the gathering darkness as Georgia and Alabama troops under Brig. Six generals were killed or mortally wounded, three from the Union army and three Confederates. National Park Service pamphlet The Cornfield Trail - September Harvest of Death, pp. At the end of August, Lees Army of Northern Virginia routed another Union army, under Maj. Gen. John Pope, at the Second Battle of Bull Run. One soldier of the 6th Wisconsin captured the essence of that horrific morning. Two divisions under Maj. Gen. Lafayette McLaws were to approach the arsenal from the north and seize the commanding position of Maryland Heights. Lees positions provided natural cover, with an undulating landscape and rocky limestone outcroppings, while west of the Hagerstown Turnpike the knoll known as Nicodemus Hill offered a commanding position for Confederate artillery. Later in the war, Lincoln authorized Barton to form the Office of Correspondence with Friends of Missing Men in the United States Army, an effort that eventually identified 22,000 missing Union soldiers. The Cornfield: Antietam's Bloody Turning Point Kindle Edition by David A. Welker (Author) Format: Kindle Edition 139 ratings See all formats and editions Kindle $2.99 Read with Our Free App Audiobook $0.00 Free with your Audible trial The Civil War battle in western Maryland that killed 22,000 menand served no military purpose. At the sound of guns to their right, Mansfields 7,200-strong XII Corps, half of whom had never fired a shot in anger, set out at a leisurely pace, often allowed to break ranks and boil coffee. Casualties were fearful. By mid-summer 1862, President Abraham Lincoln had the Emancipation Proclamationa document declaring freedom for all slaves in the so-called rebellious statesready to go. Hooker ordered four batteries to unlimber. One of my ancestors, Robert W. Austin of . A collapse of the Confederate left appeared imminent. While Douglass and Walker held on, Colonel Harry T. Hays hard-fighting Louisiana brigade, nicknamed the Louisiana Tigers, moved forward. His division had suffered 1,380 dead and wounded, about 60 percent of its strength, and was forced to withdraw to the West Woods. Return to Tour Map It pitted Confederate General Robert E. Lees Army of Northern Virginia against Union General George McClellans Army of the Potomac and was the culmination of Lees attempt to invade the north. Antietam on the Web.Special Orders No. Theyd remained on the sidelines so far, but as they endured cotton shortages and the south seemed to gain the upper hand, they considered legitimizing the Confederacy, a move with potentially drastic implications. Longstreets and Hills units formed the Confederate right and center flanks to the west of Antietam Creek, while Jacksons and Brigadier General John G. Walkers units formed the Confederate left flank. I was in the hospital in the afternoon, for it was then only that the wounded began to come in. Three hours later, Union troops had pushed the Confederates back and over 5,000 men were either dead or injured. The First American President: Setting the Precedent, African Americans During the Revolutionary War, Help Save 820 Acres at Five Virginia Battlefields, Save 343 Acres at FIVE Battlefields in FOUR Western Theater States, Save 42 Historic Acres at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Phase Three of Gaines Mill-Cold Harbor Saved Forever Campaign, An Unparalleled Preservation Opportunity at Gettysburg Battlefield. And it gave President Abraham Lincoln enough of a military victory to go forward with the Emancipation Proclamation . Starke, shot three times, died on the field. It was obvious to the Union veterans that the area had recently served as a Rebel bivouac. Join historians and history buffs alike with our Unlimited Digital Access pass to every military history article ever published (over 3,000 articles) in Sovereigns military history magazines. The single, bloodiest day in American History had begun in earnest. Greene rode forward and warned the New Yorkers to slow down before they outran covering artillery. There was a lot at stake for the Battle of Antietam. Travel back in time to see Antietam's battlefield as it looked 134 years ago. Facing threats in front and right, as the enemy advanced the Georgians suddenly realized they were in a tremendous Union vise that was about to literally squeeze the regiment to death. Continued passivity would invite the Federals to return and once again mount an offensive against Richmond. Greenes 2nd Brigade, under Colonel Henry J. Stainrook, reached the Smoketown Road and unhinged the Confederate right flank. Mumma Farm and Cemetery 7. Gen. Truman Seymour, quickly reached the edge of the East Woods at the Smoketown Road. Most of the time its misspelled. . It explains what happened in Antietam's Cornfield and why. As Jacksons line wavered under unrelenting Union pressure, two brigades of his old division, 1,150 strong, rolled out of the West Woods. It is for you to decide your destiny, freely and without constraint. But Antietam eclipses even this modern tragedy as America's single bloodiest day, on which 22,000 men became casualties in a war to determine our nation's future. Despite having the advantage, he allowed Lee to retreat without resistance. The Peninsula Campaign had come to naught in July after the Confederates turned away Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan and the Union Army of the Potomac from the gates of the Confederate capital of Richmond in the costly Seven Days Battles. Gen. Abner Doubledays 1st Division marched through the North Woods, Gibbons 4th Brigade, wearing its distinctive black hats, led the way on the right. Brig. Every purchase supports the mission. More Union troops joined in from across the turnpike, and the Texans were caught in a murderous crossfire. While Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia were indeed triumphant, the Confederate commander realized all too well that his gains were temporary; he needed to undertake a bold stroke while the opportunity still presented itself. Gen. William French and Maj. Gen. John Sedgwick, crossed Antietam Creek to support Mansfield. About half a mile on the other side of the Hagerstown Turnpike, the East Woods flanked the Smoketown Road, which joined the turnpike at an acute angle. I will have a battery here to help you.. Part of Trimble's Brigade, the 12 th Georgia held part of Jackson's line in front of the Dunker Church during the morning Union attacks at Antietam. Stragglers were everywhere, and entire regiments milled about without direction. The little hillock would be his objective for the morning attack. The Confederates lost one of their most promising brigade commanders, Brig. He contemplated issuing the Emancipation Proclamation, a document that freed all slaves in the rebellious states. Stop the Largest Rezoning in Orange County History, Nineteenth-Century Geolocation: The Elliott Map of Antietam, Antietam: Federal Flank Attack at Dunker Church, Lessons From the Fallen: Depictions of the Dead of Antietam, Antietam | Burnside's Bridge | Sep 17, 1862. Antietam's opening fight turned a field of crops into a scene of slaughter. Swinging widely to the west, Jackson was to scoop up the enemy garrison at Martinsburg and move on to Harpers Ferry. Hartsuff was wounded and Christian suffered an emotional breakdown and fled the field. The Most Terrible Clash of Arms Hill and his Light Division to take custody of 73 pieces of artillery and 13,000 rifles and revolvers and parole the prisoners at the arsenal. Here is their shared story By David A. Welker Werner Von Bachelle Continue reading Captain Von Bachelle and his canine friend sacrifice all in theCornfield. Updated: November 28, 2022 | Original: October 27, 2009. To take it, Hookers divisions would advance along the turnpike between the East and West Woods, through the pastures of the Miller farm, and across the cornfield at the turnpikes eastern edge. Men, I cannot say fell; they were knocked out of the ranks by dozens.. Gen. Samuel Sturgis, one of his division commanders, Hallo, Sam, I am dead! Within minutes, Reno proved as good as his word. Typically, he waited until the morning of September 14 to get moving. Gen. George G. Meade on his left. Though somewhat mis-titled -- it could have been called The East Woods, The West Woods and The Cornfield as it actually covers all of the fighting on the north end of the battlefield, not just in the Cornfield -- this is an excellent work of accessible scholarship. The Cornfield at Antietam Battlefield Matt Brant Ancestry and Fold3 have been helping people understand their ancestors and why they fought for causes large and small for decades. He retrieved an envelope that contained three cigars wrapped around the copy of Special Orders No. As night fell, thousands of bodies littered the sprawling Antietam battlefield and both sides regrouped and claimed their dead and wounded. The Cornfield: Antietam's Bloody Turning Point tells for the first time the full story of the exciting struggle to control "the Cornfield," the action on which the costly battle of Antietam turned, in a thorough yet readable narrative. The three-hour fight at Cramptons Gap left 500 Union and 750 Confederate dead and wounded. Stay up-to-date on our FREE educational resources & professional development opportunities, all designed to support your work teaching American history. Jackson called them into battle and, In less than five minutes we were advancing toward the enemy. Sign up for our quarterly email series highlighting the environmental benefits of battlefield preservation. To save his army from impending destruction, Lee decided to terminate the siege of Harpers Ferry and prepare for a general retirement across the Potomac to the safety of Virginia. At that moment it must have entered the minds of the men of the 1st Texas that it might just be possible to break the Yankees hold on this spot, if only they could reach it in time By David A. Welker The Continue reading The 1st Texas Infantry in the Cornfield: Slipping theBridle, You may have heard the story of Werner Von Bachelle and his beloved dog, who shared their lives and met their respective fates in Antietams Cornfield. The first reports of the Confederate move into Maryland arrived in Washington on the afternoon of September 4, prompting McClellan to begin moving at a deliberate pace from his encampment at Rockville, Maryland. Miller Farm, Download the official NPS app before your next visit. We had expended every bandage, tore up every sheet in the house, and everything we could find, when who should drive up but our old friend, Miss Barton, with a team loaded down with dressings of every kind, and everything we could ask for. The 7th Wisconsin and 19th Indiana, moving as flank protection, fired a devastating volley into the two brigades assailing the 6th Wisconsin. Miller, saw some of U.S. history's most horrific fighting. The Cornfield: Antietam's Bloody Turning Point tells the story of what happened in David Miller's once-peaceful farm field on 17 September 1862, which opened the Civil War Battle of Antietam - America's single bloodiest day. Hoods lightning counterattack prevented the collapse of the Confederate left and forced Hookers corps back essentially to its early morning starting point with more than 2,500 casualties. Antietam, the deadliest one-day battle in American military history, showed that the Union could stand against the Confederate army in the Eastern theater. Nearing the end of 2018, well be bombarded by the annual parade of top ten lists counting down everything from the years news events to songs and online fads. McClellans letters reveal his contempt for his commander-in-chief (whom he sometimes referred to as the Gorilla), and the historical record shows that as the war slogged on, Lincoln became increasingly frustrated with his generals timidity and excuses. Prominent in Hoods defensive area was a plain, whitewashed church belonging to the German Baptist Brethren, a Christian sect that shunned anything ostentatious, including church steeples, and believed in baptism by full immersion. Their company commander, Captain Kop, was killed. Hoods Confederates had been marching and fighting continually for several days, and Jackson gave permission for Hood to withdraw his division to the vicinity of the Dunker Church to cook rations. Im glad that the map correctly shows the Dunkard Church, after that particular sect of German Baptists. In Europe, France and Great Britain anxiously watched Americas War Between the States. When the Confederates withdrew, Franklin was only six miles from Harpers Ferry. Our database is searchable by subject and updated continuously. Mansfield spluttered, Yes, yes, you are right. Precisely at that moment a bullet hit the 58-year-old general squarely in the chest. The North Woods stretched across the farmland of Joseph Poffenberger. Perhaps the reality of the battle was best described by Union soldier Charles Goddard in a letter to his mother: If the horrors of war cannot be seen on this battlefield, they cant be seen any where.. Ricketts remaining two brigades, under Colonel William A. Christian and Brig. This 24-acre cornfield, owned by D.R. Running southward, XII Corps under Maj. Gen. Joseph K.F. President Lincoln, however, wasnt pleased. In the 1864 election he was the Democratic nominee for president of the United States. Miller's 30-acre cornfield at Antietam. The Tigers poured heavy fire into the 2nd and 6th Wisconsin, temporarily checking their advance. Miller's Cornfield (usually referred to as 'the Cornfield') is a section of the Antietam battlefield of the American Civil War . Elliot captured temporary markers left by Union burial details to record for later reburial teams the mass resting place of several regiments, both Union and Confederate. For generations of Americans, the word Antietam - the name of a bucolic stream in western Maryland - held the same sense of horror and carnage that the date 9/11 does for Americans today. After Burnsides troops finally took the bridge and had the Confederate right flank in sight, Confederate reinforcements arrived and pushed them back. An original regiment in the storied Iron Brigade, the 19th Indiana is perhaps best known for its role during the opening hours of the Battle of Gettysburg, which has for too long overshadowed its actions in Antietams deadly Cornfield. (4) At 8:00 a.m., Gen. Joseph Mansfields Twelfth Corps, over 7,000 soldiers, arrived and drove back Hoods men and the Confederate reinforcements from the Sunken Road. It is necessary for you to abandon your position tonight. It explains what happened in Antietam's Cornfield and why. Under withering fire the Union vanguard pushed forward and the five Pennsylvania regiments of Meades 1st Brigade, under Brig. He surveyed the terrain and noticed a patch of high ground about a mile to his front near the junction of the Smoketown Road and the Hagerstown Turnpike. Duryeas men fought valiantly, pressing the Georgians hard. Reaching the fence, the 6th Georgia had restored the Souths hold on the vital Cornfield only to find itself in a dire position. Hill forced Cox back to Foxs Gap with a gritty, tooth-and-nail defense that included arming cooks, clerks, and teamsters. Antietam's Cornfield - a blog dedicated to preserving and sharing stories of the events of 17 September 1862 -, This page was last edited on 14 February 2023, at 16:47. Monday marks the 150th . Dawes remembered: As we appeared at the edge of the cornfield, a long line of men in butternut and gray rose up from the ground. Simultaneously, the hostile battle lines opened a tremendous fire upon each other. 1. If either effort made good progress, McClellan was prepared to pitch every available soldier against the center of Lees line. Troops from both sides faced-off across a 30-acre cornfield owned by David Miller. Inconclusive. Lincoln called the generals condition a bad case of the slows., Though well-liked by his men, McClellan could be vain and boastful. The remainder of the Army of Northern Virginia, divided into three separate commands, would converge on Harpers Ferry and compel the garrison to surrender. Strategically, Lees decision to invade the North made sense. Ironically, Lincolns proclamation didnt free slaves in Marylandone of a handful of slave states that had remained in the Unionsince it only applied to slaves in rebel states. On the same ground where Garland had been killed earlier in the day, Maj. Gen. Jesse Reno, commander of the Union IX Corps, was shot. Meades 3rd Division followed in support. Buy new: $40.64. Meanwhile, on September 2, McClellan retook command of the army to the cheers of his men. Hays' Louisiana Brigade suffered over 60-percent casualties in 30 minutes. Download the official NPS app before your next visit. See, yonders a whole brigade! I ordered him to keep silent and return to his placebut, when this act of indiscretion occurred, they began to break and run By Continue reading Garlands Brigade at the Cornfield: The Death of a Reputationand MuchMore, Now was the moment of truth for Major George Gile and his new command, the 88th Pennsylvania. One soldier remembered: "The air seems full of leaden missiles. Tyndales men charged into the cornfield, and several minutes of hand-to-hand fighting ensued before the Confederates began withdrawing toward the West Woods. The division commander, John R. Jones, had been wounded by shrapnel earlier, and Brig. In a superb organizational effort lasting just four days, he completed the assimilation of units from the former Army of Virginia into the Army of the Potomac. Donate Now Occasionally, a nervous picket fired into the darkness. The Army of the Potomac began to concentrate that night, but during the following day McClellan declined to make a decisive move. 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