Today in History:

226 Series I Volume XIX-I Serial 27 - Antietam Part I

Page 226 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter XXXI.

of the corps. Thirty guns had been concentrated on the right flank of the general line of battle, and my division was directed to join the remains of General Sumner's corps as a support to these guns. General Sumner assumed command in person, and I was directed by General Meade, who received the order from General Sumner, to assume special command of these thirty guns in addition to the command of my division. About 5.30 p.m. the enemy massed his infantry and opened fire with his artillery to force our position, but my thirty guns replied with such vigor and effect that the columns of attack melted away and the rebels gave up the attempt. After this we were not disturbed.

It only remains for me to speak in terms of just commendation of my brigade commanders, General Patrick, General Gibbon, Colonel Phelps, and Lieutenant-Colonel Hofmann, each of whom displayed great personal gallantry and the ability to meet every contingency that occurred. In this, as on similar occasions, I was much indebted to the skill and bravery of Captain E. P. Halstead, assistant adjutant-general, who was slightly wounded in the engagement; Captain George F. Noyes, commissary of subsistence, acting aide-de-camp, and Lieutenant B. T. Marten, aide-de-camp, who composed my personal staff. I inclose herewith a tabular statement of the killed, wounded, and missing, the aggregate amounting to 862.*

I am, major, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

ABNER DOUBLEDAY,

Major-General of Vols., Commanding First Division, First Corps.

Major JOSEPH DICKINSON,

Assistant Adjutant-General, First Corps.

NOTE.- The tabular statement referred to in report cannot now be found. Brigade commanders report their losses as follows: First Brigade, Colonel Phelps, reports 10 killed, 147 wounded, 29 missing; Second Brigade, Hofmann, few losses; Third Brigade, Patrick, 20 killed, 180 wounded, 17 missing; Fourth Brigade, Gibbon, 61 killed, 274 wounded, and 45 missing.*

MEMORANDA.- The date at which this report was originally sent on to the War Department is unknown, and therefore I have left it bank. Campbell's battery was in reality Gibbon's battery of the Regular Army, but, as Campbell commanded it, I styled it Campbell's battery to avoid confusion. A shell exploded under my horse's nose in the beginning of this action on the 17th. This caused him to run over some steep, sharp rocks. He fell, and I was very much bruised and unable to hold the reins in my hands for a long time.


No. 12. Report of Captain J. Albert Monroe, First Rhode Island Light Artillery, Chief of Artillery First Division, of the battle of Antietam.


HDQRS. ARTILLERY, FIRST DIV., FIRST ARMY CORPS,
Camp near Sharpsburg, Md., September 26, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part the light batteries of this division took in the engagement of the 17th instant: Early in the morning the enemy opened upon us an exceedingly brisk

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* But see revised statement, pp.189, 190.

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Page 226 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter XXXI.