Brigadier General David Ricketts 2nd Division, led by Brig. Gibbons Iron Brigade plowed down the Hagerstown Turnpike toward the cornfield and the West Woods. Confederate troops ferociously fought off offensive after offensive to prevent being overrun, turning the cornfield into a massive killing field. Gen. Samuel Garland, mortally wounded just as he completed an assessment of the situation. Strategically, Lees decision to invade the North made sense. Confederate Gen. John Bell Hood wrote: "It was here that I witnessed the most terrible clash of arms, by far, that has occurred during the war." On the diplomatic front, the Confederate cause was ripe for recognition by European powers, particularly Great Britain and France. 2023, A&E Television Networks, LLC. An hour before dawn, Hooker rode from the Poffenberger farm to his picket line beyond the edge of the North Woods. The Cornfield Trail starts at Auto Tour Stop 4. Their company commander, Captain Kop, was killed. He also counted on McClellan to move slowly, which he did. Here is a paper, McClellan chirped, with which if I cannot whip Bobbie Lee, I will be willing to go home.. The gunners went into action amid Millers haystacks, ignoring Confederate fire that cut down men and horses. 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. What they didnt understand was just how important holding this place was for a Confederate victory at Antietam, For Gods sake, come and help us out! begged the new head of Hartsuffs Brigade and without a pause, Colonel Lyle had the 90th Pennsylvania marching forward into the swirling inferno of Antietams Cornfield. Articles with the HISTORY.com Editors byline have been written or edited by the HISTORY.com editors, including Amanda Onion, Missy Sullivan and Matt Mullen. Most of the time its misspelled. Doctors at the scene are overwhelmed. By 9:30 a.m. thousands of them lay dead and dying. Within minutes, Doubledays hard-won progress was completely reversed. Late in the afternoon, reinforcements from Longstreet began to arrive. From his point of view, hed accomplished his mission of forcing Lees troops from Maryland and preventing a Confederate win on Union soil. Union Gen. Joseph Hooker remembered that "every stalk of corn in the northern and greater part of the field was cut as closely as could have been done with a knife, and the slain lay in rows precisely as they stood in their ranks a few moments before. The 7th Wisconsin and 19th Indiana, moving as flank protection, fired a devastating volley into the two brigades assailing the 6th Wisconsin. All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the HISTORY.com team. Civil War Trust.The Peninsula Campaign. To the south, at Cramptons Gap, a Confederate contingent of 1,000 men consisting of three Virginia infantry regiments and another from Georgia, two regiments of dismounted cavalry, and a few scattered guns of the horse artillery confronted more than 12,000 Union troops of Maj. Gen. William B. Franklins VI Corps. As he was carried to the rear, Reno yelled to Brig. Apparently it never reached the general. Why is nurse Clara Barton considered a hero of Antietam? 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. (3) Gen. Lee ordered troops from Gen. D. H. Hills command at the Sunken Road to move north into the Cornfield. Over Longstreets objections, Lee deployed 18,000 men, 14 infantry and three cavalry brigades in a four-mile line across the woods and fields at the northern end of the ridge, down to the bluffs of Antietam Creek, where the southernmost of three stone bridges spanned its waters. Gen. George S. Greene, a descendant of Revolutionary War General Nathanael Greene. Its commander, Colonel Hugh McNeil, was killed along with five others, and 20 were wounded. 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. Hooker threw a blanket on the ground near the Poffenberger farmhouse and commented within earshot of George Smalley, a reporter for the New York Tribune, If they had let us start earlier, we might have finished tonight.. This battle flag of the 12 th Georgia includes the names of several color bearers who . 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. Hill forced Cox back to Foxs Gap with a gritty, tooth-and-nail defense that included arming cooks, clerks, and teamsters. Lee detailed his complex plan in Special Orders No. HISTORY.com works with a wide range of writers and editors to create accurate and informative content. Although Continue reading Cowards in the Cornfield? But after several unexpected and demoralizing Union losses, including Major General John Popes sound defeat at the Second Battle of Bull Run, it became clear the Confederacy wasnt going to be easy to crush. In his later report, Hooker noted, In the time that I am writing, every stalk of corn in the northern and greater part of the field was cut as closely as could have been done with a knife, and the slain lay in rows precisely as they had stood in their ranks a few moments before. Dr. James Dunn, a surgeon at the Battle of Antietam lauded her efforts: The rattle of 150,000 muskets, and the fearful thunder of over 200 cannon, told us that the great battle of Antietam had commenced. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Lee planned to retreat to Virginia, but changed his mind after hearing Confederate General Thomas Jonathan Jacksonbetter known as Stonewall Jacksonhad captured Harpers Ferry. This 24-acre cornfield, owned by D.R. 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. Detached from the command of Maj. Gen. Thomas J. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at . Corporal Barton W. Mitchell of Company F noticed something unusual lying in the grass. Jones covered the ground to the south and occupied the bluffs above the lower bridge across the Antietam with six brigades. On the afternoon of September 16, Union general George B. McClellan sets his army in motion, sending Maj. Gen. Joseph Hookers First Corps across Antietam Creek to find Lees left flank. .In my feeble estimation, General McClellan, with all his laurels, sinks into insignificance beside the true heroine of the age, the angel of the battle field. The Most Terrible Clash of Arms Men laughed and giggled, screamed and cried. A recently discovered 1864 map suggests the Cornfield's human cost was even greater than previously understood, among other new insights it reveals about the men who fought in and around David Millers deadly Cornfield. McClellan had given him the option to push on to relieve the trapped garrison at the arsenal, but McLaws hastily put together a defensive line that gave Franklin pause. Hooker ordered four batteries to unlimber. Greenes two brigades were within 200 yards of the Dunker Church, where they halted and watched the West Woods swarm with Confederates. McClellan charged Hooker and Mansfield, supported by Sumner, with the main effort against the Confederate left, while Burnside crossed the lower bridge and fords at Antietam Creek to attack the ridgeline on the Confederate right. It was obvious that Turners Gap could not be held, and he ordered Longstreet and Hill to withdraw to the west. We know no enemies among you, and will protect all of every opinion. The division commander, John R. Jones, had been wounded by shrapnel earlier, and Brig. Lee invaded Maryland in September 1862 with a full agenda. Sign up for our quarterly email series highlighting the environmental benefits of battlefield preservation. General James Longstreet "On the forenoon of the 15th, the blue uniforms of the Federals appeared among the trees that crowned the heights on the eastern bank of the Antietam. But even this firestorm of controversy couldnt prepare Jones for what awaited him when his postwar indiscretions became known. Take a virtual tour of Antietam Battlefield by clicking on the links for the battlefield tour stops below. Gen. John Bell Hood went into line on the fringe of the West Woods, a stretch of trees 300 yards wide to the west of the Hagerstown Turnpike, the major thoroughfare that led into Sharpsburg. It was finalized on the afternoon of the 16th, a full day after McClellan had arrived on the scene. 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. Lee accompanied Longstreets columns across Antietam Creek, a tributary of the Potomac, heading toward the village of Sharpsburg. Alfred Colquitt and Robert Rodes fought desperately to hold the pass. 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. Even so, the Union claimed victory. The single, bloodiest day in American History had begun in earnest. Mansfield and II Corps under Maj. Gen. Edwin Sumner extended the Federal right opposite Hoods positions along the Smoketown Road to high ground near McClellans headquarters at a brick farmhouse. ", "Through a shower of bullets and shells, it was only the thoughts of home that brought me from that place." Join us online July 24-26! On the morning of the 13th, the 27th Indiana Infantry paused to rest in a field on the outskirts of Frederick. The first Confederate shell struck the ranks of the 6th Wisconsin, killing two soldiers and wounding 11. Gen. William E. Starke spurred his brigade of Louisiana soldiers and accompanying Virginians headlong into the Iron Brigade. The 5th Virginia's Ezra Stickley awakened and realized the firing had picked up considerably. (Part Two): The Complicated Story of Virginias General John R.Jones, Amidst a firestorm of Confederate shells, just as his brigade was heading into the hell of Antietams Cornfield, Colonel William Christian suddenly muttered Ive always had a great fear of shelling. And with that, he simply vanished By David A. Welker William Henry Christian was born on April 9th 1825 in Utica, New York. Duryeas men fought valiantly, pressing the Georgians hard. John Cook swung his bugle over his shoulder and wrested from the dead man his leather pouch, bearing the undelivered shell without which the cannon was useless. By September 12, the Army of Northern Virginia expected to mass in the vicinity of Hagerstown, poised for the push into Pennsylvania. It was one of those marvelous flights that beggar explanation or description.. One Union officer saw an arm go 30 feet in the air and fall back again. The fighting was desperate as the Confederate tide surged forward. Artillery to dislodge the Rebels to his front. 191 that Chilton had intended for Hill. Widely considered to be one of the most beautiful, pristine and well-preserved Civil War battlefields, Antietam is a must-see for any Civil War Our FREE Virtual Teacher Institute is the can't miss online educator event of the summer. Eventually he decided against another general assault. And when Lee heard a copy of Special Order 191 was missing, he knew his scattered army was vulnerable and rushed to reunite its units. They also ended any hope of France and Great Britain acknowledging the Confederacy and coming to their aid. Williams sent the order to McClellan with a note that read: I enclose a Special Order of Gen. Lee commanding Rebel forces which was found on the field where my corps is encamped. North Woods 3. The American Battlefield Trust and our members have saved more than 56,000 acres in 25 states! The distance closed to 30 yards, and the two sides blazed away at one another. Gen. Alpheus Williams and Colonel Samuel Pittman read the document with great interest. . But do you know their experiences in the month and hours before marching together into the Cornfield? Gen. Truman Seymour, quickly reached the edge of the East Woods at the Smoketown Road. When the Union men loosed a volley in reply, Mansfield, who had only taken command two days earlier, became confused, believing that large numbers of Federal troops were still to their front. 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. I will have a battery here to help you.. Hills division charges into battle after a long march from Harpers Ferry, helping drive back the assault and saving the day for the Army of Northern Virginia. Racing 150 yards ahead of the units on either side, the whooping Texans came within 30 yards of the Pennsylvanians, who rested their rifles on the lowest fence rails and fired a withering volley at the legs of the onrushing Rebels, shrouded in the thick smoke of battle. Im glad that the map correctly shows the Dunkard Church, after that particular sect of German Baptists. Ricketts division was knocked out of the battle with 30 percent casualties, and it fell to Meade to patch a defensive line together. Mansfield spluttered, Yes, yes, you are right. Precisely at that moment a bullet hit the 58-year-old general squarely in the chest. Hays' Louisiana Brigade suffered over 60-percent casualties in 30 minutes. Gen. Jacob Coxs Kanawha Division were in control of Foxs Gap. Meanwhile, towards the center of the battlefield, Union assaults against the Sunken Road pierce the Confederate center after a terrible struggle for this key defensive position. The 12th Massachusetts had 224 of its 334 soldiers shot down, a casualty rate of 67 percent that was the highest of any Union regiment on the field. How it ended Inconclusive. . Among the wounded during two hours of savage fighting was Lt. Col. Rutherford B. Hayes, commander of the 23rd Ohio Regiment and a future president of the United States. The 28th Pennsylvania and 5th, 7th, and 66th Ohio of Lt. Col. Hector Tyndales 1st Brigade led the way. Return to Tour Map 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. Meanwhile, on September 2, McClellan retook command of the army to the cheers of his men. "Battle of Antietam: Carnage in a Cornfield", "cwla - Antietam Modern Image Gallery 11 Frame", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Miller%27s_Cornfield&oldid=1139340604, Battlefields of the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. The Iron Brigade battled several Confederate units during the bloody fighting in D.R. As the reliable Battery B, 4th U.S. And it gave President Abraham Lincoln enough of a military victory to go forward with the Emancipation Proclamation . On the Confederate left, two brigades under Brig. Lincoln and McClellan had a tortured relationship. This is the excerpt for your very firstpost. The next day, as Lee began the painstaking job of moving his ravaged troops back to Virginia, McClellan, surprisingly, did nothing. Stay up-to-date on the American Battlefield Trust's battlefield preservation efforts, travel tips, upcoming events, history content and more. The terrain is gently rolling, but the surface can be slightly uneven, so good walking shoes are recommended. We cannot afford to be idle.. Battle of Antietam, also called Battle of Sharpsburg, (September 17, 1862), in the American Civil War (1861-65), a decisive engagement that halted the Confederate invasion of Maryland, an advance that was regarded as one of the greatest Confederate threats to Washington, D.C. It also gave President Abraham Lincoln the confidence to issue the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation at a moment of strength rather than desperation. 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. Amidst a firestorm of Confederate shells, just as his brigade was heading into the hell of Antietam's Cornfield, Colonel William Christian suddenly muttered "I've always had a great fear of shelling." And with that, he simply vanished By David A. Welker William Henry Christian was born on April 9th 1825 in Utica, New York. Jackson called them into battle and, In less than five minutes we were advancing toward the enemy. By the 7th, the army was completely across the Potomac and camped in the vicinity of Frederick. Antietam | Cornfield | Sep 17, 1862 | 8:00 - 8:30 am (November 2021) [PDF] 580.63 KB Preserve 128 sacred acres at Antietam and Shepherdstown We can add 6 additional acres to the 130-year-old Antietam Battlefield site and preserve 122 acres of nearly-pristine land at Shepherdstown all part. Their fire was devastating. You are bully boys but dont go any farther. 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 a document of interest and is also thought genuine., When McClellan received the communication from Williams, he abruptly ended a conference with a delegation of citizens from Frederick. Lee issued a proclamation to the people of Maryland inviting them to join the Southern cause. If either effort made good progress, McClellan was prepared to pitch every available soldier against the center of Lees line. Under withering fire the Union vanguard pushed forward and the five Pennsylvania regiments of Meades 1st Brigade, under Brig. Antietam, the deadliest one-day battle in American military history, showed that the Union could stand against the Confederate army in the Eastern theater. 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. The Battle of Antietam began at dawn on September 17 as the fog lifted. Just then, an enemy sharpshooter put a bullet through Hookers foot, which bled profusely. West Woods 6. Colquitt lost 100 casualties in an already understrength brigade, while Rodes faced two full Federal divisions, Brig. (Part Two): The Complicated Story of Virginias General John R.Jones, Cowards in the Cornfield? 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