Today in History:

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

Page 392 OPERATIONS IN N.VA.,W.VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter XXXI.

As this regiment gained the skirt of the woods, one of the enemy's battle-flags was borne immediately in front of my right wing. The color-bearers were fired upon, and one of the men wounded, and a private, James Allen, of Company F, rushed forward, securing the colors, and taking the bearer prisoner. The flag has been forwarded to General McClellan's headquarters, in obedience to an order to that effect.

The loss of the regiment in this action was 20 enlisted men killed, 1 commissioned officer (Lieutenant C. L. Jones) and 41 enlisted men wounded.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOEL J. SEAVER,

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Regiment.

Lieutenant R. P. WILSON,

Actg. Asst. Adjt. General, Second Brigade, Slocum's Division.


No. 119. Report of Lieutenant Colonel Alexander D. Adams, Twenty-seventh New York Infantry, of the battle of Crampton's Pass.

HDQRS. TWENTY-SEVENTH NEW YORK VOLUNTEERS, In the Field near Williamsport, Md., September 23, 1862.

LIEUTENANT: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part taken by this regiment in the action of Crampton's Pass, September 14, 1862:

On leaving Jefferson, the Ninety-sixth Pennsylvania was sent out in advance as skirmishers, and soon after the Sixteenth New York was assigned to support a battery, so that the Twenty-seventh had the advance on approaching the pass. The presence of the enemy having been discovered,the brigade was drawn into a ravine in column by battalion to avoid his artillery, and to prepare for storming the gap. Shortly after, the Ninety-sixth Pennsylvania having been recalled and placed in the column, the brigade moved under cover as far as practicable toward the pass, and at 3.30 the Twenty-seventh, still leading the column, was ordered by Colonel Bartlett, commanding brigade, to deploy as skirmishers, advance on the pass, and develop the enemy's position, the center of the line, which was in all at least a mile long, being directed a little to the right of the pass. Almost as soon as the deployment was completed, and the flank companies had been thrown forward a little, bringing the line into the form of an arc, the skirmishers became briskly engaged simultaneously on the right and left with a superior force of the enemy posted at the base of the mountain, behind stone fences and houses.

The firing at once became general along the whole line, and was very rapid and at close range. In ten or fifteen minutes the first line of attack of this brigade had advanced to the left of the center of the line of skirmishers,and opened a fierce fire on the enemy in the woods in front. After considerable interval, the musketry continuing fiercely, the Second Brigade, in column, General Newton's having been brought up to support the attack, and the skirmishers, as well as the first line of Colonel Bartlett's brigade, having expended their ammunition, the colonel commanding directed that the skirmishers should retire and rally on the center, for the purpose of reforming the regiment. This was done in good order, though, owing to the extent of the line, it necessarily occupied some time, the charge which carried the pass being made when but three or four companies had formed. As soon as the flank companies had come in, the regiment was placed in the position previously


Page 392 OPERATIONS IN N.VA.,W.VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter XXXI.