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

Page 504 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter XXXI.

of the brigade particularly engaged at the point referred to-the Second massachusetts, Twenty-seventh Indiana, and Third Wisconsin-drove the enemy rapidly our of the corn-field and into the woods. At this time an advance was ordered, and was being executed, with bayonets fixed, for the purpose of charging. Before any considerable distance was made, however, the corps of General Sumner came upon the field in two or three lines, which were perpendicular, or nearly so, to our line, which compelled a halt of our line. Very soon the troops, or some portion of them, that had passed and gone into the woods into which the enemy had been driven from the corn-field, come back in some disorder.

The regiment, with others of the brigade, was now placed by a change of front in position to support a battery, covering the retreat of the troops driven back from the woods. During the remainder of the day the regiment, with others of the brigade, continued in position as support to batteries, being exposed at times to the fire of the enemy's shells. The total number carried into action was, officers and men, about 340. The loss in killed, wounded, and missing was 198. I regret to report that most of the officers wounded were so severely wounded as to prevent return to duty for some time. Out of 12 officers with the regiment during the action, but 4 escaped untouched.

Accompanying is a list of killed, wounded, and missing.* It has been impossible in many cases to ascertain the character of the wounds.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

THOS. H. RUGER,

Colonel, Commanding Third Wisconsin Volunteers.

Captain CHARLES WHEATON, JR.,

Acting Assistant Adjutant-General, Third Brigade.


Numbers 180. Report of Brig. General George S. Greene, U. S. Army, commanding Second Division, of the battle of Antietam.


HDQRS. SECOND DIVISION, TWELFTH ARMY CORPS,
September 29, 1862.

GENERAL: I have the honor to report the operations of this division in the battle of Antietam, on the 17th instant.

The division went into action with three brigades. First Brigade (Geary's), under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Tyndale: Twenty eighth Pennsylvania, Fifth and Seventh Ohio, and Sixty-sixth Ohio (the Twenty-ninth Ohio was on detached service). Second Brigade (prince's), under command of Colonel Stainrook, of the One hundred and ninth Pennsylvania was on detached service). Third Brigade: Purnell Legion, Maryland Volunteers, Seventy-eighth New York, Sixtieth New York, and Third Delaware, under command of Colonel Goodrich. The First District of Columbia Volunteers had, with the exception of the colonel and adjutant, entirely disappeared from the command by sickness and desertion. The aggregate present on the day of the action was 2,504. The loss was in killed, 114; wounded, 507; missing, 30; total, 651.

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*Embodied in revised statement, p. 199.

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Page 504 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter XXXI.