Every thing this week has been very quiet. Day in
camp at the St James College all day of the 22nd.
At noon of the 23rd we harnessed up, and marc-
-hed to Bakersville, where we are to remain some
time to recruit our strength, and to repair the
battery. A number of our men are quite unwell,
I myself am quite unwell. Pleasant and.
Warm
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
1862 September 21
This week has also been very actively employed,
the heaviest and most severe battle of the war
has been fought during its limit. On the 15th at
noon we harnessed up, and after a long and
a difficult pull, we succeeded in reaching the
top of the South Mts where we went into park.
The road all the way up, was filled with the
bodies of the dead Johnnies, who were killed
yesterday. All of our own dead are buried and
our wounded taken care of. On the 16th the reb
prisoners were occupied in burying their dead,
placing from 15. to 60 in one grave laying them
in, heads and points. Harpers Ferry has through
the treachery of Col Miles, been surrendered
to Jackson, thus giving the rebs an opportunity
to escape when they were fully surrounded,
Early on the 17th we were again on the road,
a very heavy cannonading can be heard in
the direction of Sharpsburg, Arrived at Antietam
Creek at noon, when we found a most
terrible battle in progress: we were sent to the right
center of the lines, where the fighting is, and has been
the most severe. Went into position in the celebr-
-ated corn field where Hooker’s Corps was so badly
cut up, and where Hooker was himself wounded..
We soon changed our position to the left. the dead
and wounded lay so thickly, that it was with
great difficulty we could move our carriages.
From 12 M to 7. P. M. a steady and most terrible
fire was kept up by both sides: we are having
great numbers wounded. The rebs have been
driven all along the line to day, but hold their
present position very well. Night put an end to
the conflict. Early next morning Gen Lee sent in
a flag of truce requesting time to bury his dead and
to take care of his wounded, a truce of seven
hours was granted him, as our forces were too
much exhausted to attack him. The field to
day presents an awful spectacle. Dead, wounded
and dying men and horses, covered the field in
all directions.. dismounted guns. limbers and cassions
and parts of the same which have been blown up
literally cover the ground. One would think to look
on the ground that there had been a rain
storm of small arms, the ground was so complete
-ly covered with muskets, swords, and revolvers. The
dead in many cases are horribly mutilated. having
heads, arms, and legs shot off, and some were
entirely torn in pieces by the explosion of shells,
Some even after being killed, as they lay
on the ground were struck by sold shots, as
they ricocheted along the ground and torn
open; others who had been wounded, were
afterwards killed before they could get off
the field. In one place, where the rebs made a
stand a person could walk for over a mile
with out treading on any thing else but dead
rebs. Our loss in this battle thus far, has been
about 10,000 in all, among whom was Gen’s
Mansfield and Richardson killed, Hooker
Sedgwick and Dana were wounded. The rebs
have lost much heavier both in Gen officers and
men. The strength of both armies before the battle
was about 100,000. Friday morning we expected
to renew the battle, but upon advancing our
piquets, we found that the rebs had fallen back
under cover of night, not being able to stand another
day’s fight. Immediate pursuit by the entire army
was made after them, but Johnny had a good start
of us, and succeeded in escaping across the Potomac
into Va. Our artillery which could reach their
retreating columns opened a brisk fire on
them. At four P. M went into camp. Lay still
all the next day, at 11. P. M we were turned
out to march to Williamsport where the rebs
have again crossed the river. left camp at mid-
-night, arrived at the St. James College at day
break, but the rebs had fled at our approach.
At five P. M, all being very quiet we went into camp.
The weather this week has been very mild and
pleasant.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
1862 September 14
This week we have been constantly on the
jump at 8 A. M of the 8th we again took up
our line of march. passed through Rockville,
and at seven P. M took a position, and
encamped for the night. Did not move
until ten A M the next day/. at two P. M
after a short march the div halted and
encamped in line of battle. The 32nd N. Y.
and a section of our battery were sent
out on piquet. On the 10th were up and
off very early. at seven P. M. after a long
and very fatiguing march, we halted and
encamped for the night at the foot of the
Sugar Loaf Mts. . We are close on to the rebs,
and will doubtless have a battle in a few
days. Next day we lay still for a rest. On
the 12th were up and off very early, and after
a long and very severe march we went into
position, and encamped for the night. On
the 13th after a very short march we halted
just outside Buckeystown, and encamped for
the night. The rebs occupied this ground this
morning and tried hard to hold it, but
were driven from it by our advance. To
day were up and off as early as usual,
at noon we halted just out side the
town of Jefferson. At two P. M. we again
started on, and at three P. M arrived at Burketts-
-ville, immediatly in rear of which we found the
rebs posted in force on both sides of the
road with Artillery: their position was very
strong. The 1st Div was formed on the right of
the road. the 2nd on the left. a line composed
of Bartletts, and Talbott’s Brigade supported
by Newton’s advanced steadily on a charge.
The rebs were driven from their position at
the base of the Mt. and forced back to their
artillery. Here they attempted another stand,
but the impetuosity of our troops again routed
them from their position, and they retired
fireing their pieces by echelon: after an action
of two hours, the crest was gained, and
the rebs fled hastily down the other side of
the Mts. On the left of the road. Brook’s
and Irwin’s brigades of the 2nd div. formed to
protect our flanks, and charged up the
Mts. in the same steady manner, driving all
before them, and carried the crest on the left.
Four hundred prisoners, seven hundred stands
of arms, and one piece of Artillery were captu-
-red, also three colors. Our loss was 115. killed
16 wounded, and several missing, the rebs lost
beside their prisoners three hundred killed
at Browns Pass on these same Mts: Gen’s
Burnside, Sumner and Hooker’s corps, and
Sykes div. had a very severe and obstinate
[Johnson breaks here and continues on the 17th]
Battle of South Mountain
jump at 8 A. M of the 8th we again took up
our line of march. passed through Rockville,
and at seven P. M took a position, and
encamped for the night. Did not move
until ten A M the next day/. at two P. M
after a short march the div halted and
encamped in line of battle. The 32nd N. Y.
and a section of our battery were sent
out on piquet. On the 10th were up and
off very early. at seven P. M. after a long
and very fatiguing march, we halted and
encamped for the night at the foot of the
Sugar Loaf Mts. . We are close on to the rebs,
and will doubtless have a battle in a few
days. Next day we lay still for a rest. On
the 12th were up and off very early, and after
a long and very severe march we went into
position, and encamped for the night. On
the 13th after a very short march we halted
just outside Buckeystown, and encamped for
the night. The rebs occupied this ground this
morning and tried hard to hold it, but
were driven from it by our advance. To
day were up and off as early as usual,
at noon we halted just out side the
town of Jefferson. At two P. M. we again
started on, and at three P. M arrived at Burketts-
-ville, immediatly in rear of which we found the
rebs posted in force on both sides of the
road with Artillery: their position was very
strong. The 1st Div was formed on the right of
the road. the 2nd on the left. a line composed
of Bartletts, and Talbott’s Brigade supported
by Newton’s advanced steadily on a charge.
The rebs were driven from their position at
the base of the Mt. and forced back to their
artillery. Here they attempted another stand,
but the impetuosity of our troops again routed
them from their position, and they retired
fireing their pieces by echelon: after an action
of two hours, the crest was gained, and
the rebs fled hastily down the other side of
the Mts. On the left of the road. Brook’s
and Irwin’s brigades of the 2nd div. formed to
protect our flanks, and charged up the
Mts. in the same steady manner, driving all
before them, and carried the crest on the left.
Four hundred prisoners, seven hundred stands
of arms, and one piece of Artillery were captu-
-red, also three colors. Our loss was 115. killed
16 wounded, and several missing, the rebs lost
beside their prisoners three hundred killed
at Browns Pass on these same Mts: Gen’s
Burnside, Sumner and Hooker’s corps, and
Sykes div. had a very severe and obstinate
[Johnson breaks here and continues on the 17th]
Battle of South Mountain
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
1862 September 7
This week has also been very busily employed,
On the 1st we lay in camp all day, every thing
is being sent to the rear. the army is to fall
back to its old line of defense on the
Potomac, During the afternoon our lines
at Chantilly were attacked, and a brisk
engagement followed: the rebs were finaly
repulsed but with a severe loss to our
side.. Gen’s Kearney and Stephens were
killed. Our corps is as usual left as
the rear guard. At five P. M. we harnessed
up, at six a severe thunder shower set in
and it continued stormy all night. At.
one half past eight every thing being well on the
road, the head of our corps started on its way
toward Alexandria. Tuesday morning we halted
at Fairfax, here we remained until eleven A.
M, when we again started on. halted again
at two P. M., we soon after started on again
reaching Alexandria at seven P. M. Next day
we returned to our old encampment on the
Leesburg turnpike. The army is to be reconstr-
-ucted. Gen Mc Clellan is reinstated in
command of the army. The 4th and 5th were
very quiet, At five P. M of the sixth, we very
suddenly received marching orders, and by six
P. M. we were on our way for Md. The
Johnnies have crossed the Potomac at Willia-
-msport and have marched as far north as
the Pennsylvania state line. Passed through
Washington and Georgetown and at 11. P. M.
we encamped for the night. Lay still all
the next day, a steady column of troops
and trains has been passing by our camps.
Several of the new regts have joined this
army. Pleasant and mild
The battle of Chantilly was the last engagement in the battle of Second Bull Run/Manassas.
General Philip Kearney, 1815-1862, was killed in the Battle of Chantilly after accidentally riding into Confederate lines and then trying to fight his way out rather than surrender.General Wifield Scott called him "the bravest man I ever knew, and a perfect soldier."
General John Ingalls Stevens, 1818-1862, graduated first in his West Point class, was breveted for gallantry in the Mexican War, and served as governor of Washington Territory. He made his Civil War reputation by restoring order to the mutinous 79th New York after their Colonel was killed at 1st Manasses.
[Generals in Blue, lives of the Union Commanders]
On the 1st we lay in camp all day, every thing
is being sent to the rear. the army is to fall
back to its old line of defense on the
Potomac, During the afternoon our lines
at Chantilly were attacked, and a brisk
engagement followed: the rebs were finaly
repulsed but with a severe loss to our
side.. Gen’s Kearney and Stephens were
killed. Our corps is as usual left as
the rear guard. At five P. M. we harnessed
up, at six a severe thunder shower set in
and it continued stormy all night. At.
one half past eight every thing being well on the
road, the head of our corps started on its way
toward Alexandria. Tuesday morning we halted
at Fairfax, here we remained until eleven A.
M, when we again started on. halted again
at two P. M., we soon after started on again
reaching Alexandria at seven P. M. Next day
we returned to our old encampment on the
Leesburg turnpike. The army is to be reconstr-
-ucted. Gen Mc Clellan is reinstated in
command of the army. The 4th and 5th were
very quiet, At five P. M of the sixth, we very
suddenly received marching orders, and by six
P. M. we were on our way for Md. The
Johnnies have crossed the Potomac at Willia-
-msport and have marched as far north as
the Pennsylvania state line. Passed through
Washington and Georgetown and at 11. P. M.
we encamped for the night. Lay still all
the next day, a steady column of troops
and trains has been passing by our camps.
Several of the new regts have joined this
army. Pleasant and mild
The battle of Chantilly was the last engagement in the battle of Second Bull Run/Manassas.
General Philip Kearney, 1815-1862, was killed in the Battle of Chantilly after accidentally riding into Confederate lines and then trying to fight his way out rather than surrender.General Wifield Scott called him "the bravest man I ever knew, and a perfect soldier."
General John Ingalls Stevens, 1818-1862, graduated first in his West Point class, was breveted for gallantry in the Mexican War, and served as governor of Washington Territory. He made his Civil War reputation by restoring order to the mutinous 79th New York after their Colonel was killed at 1st Manasses.
[Generals in Blue, lives of the Union Commanders]
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