Today in History:

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

Page 695 Chapter XXXI. MARYLAND CAMPAIGN.

By the JUDGE-ADVOCATE:

Question. Do you know the officers of the One hundred and twenty-sixth New York that ran?

Answer. I knew one of them; he was in the same regiment with me last year.

Question. Could you give the names of any officers that particularly distinguished themselves in this retreat?

Answer. I was not up there at all; I was down at the battery; but I think the retreating part was done pretty well-enough of them in it.

By the COURT:

Question. Did not the officers retreat with the men?

Answer. Yes, sir; I saw officers there. I heard-I do not know as I saw it-that some of them went clean down below my works, down the side of the hill toward the canal. They broke in every direction.

Question. Did you see any efforts on the part of the officers of the One hundred and twenty-sixth to stop the men at all, or did they lead the way?

Answer. All I saw in relation to that was that Colonel Ford got a company of the Garibaldi Guards and drove them up the hill. Not long after that Colonel Miles, with two or three staff officers, came along, and they drove up, I should think, 180 of them. I should judge so from the few moments I looked at them.

Question. Was Colonel Ford on the top of the mountain in the advance any time during the day?

Answer. No, sir; I do not think he was; not that I know of. He might have been there; I do not know.

By Colonel FORD:

Question. Do you know the location of our forces there where Colonel Sammon's One hundred and fifteenth Regiment was?

Answer. They were right here [pointing to the map].

Question. Do you know where you requested me to place four companies to protect that point [indicating on the map]?

Answer. It was through Colonel Miles that I suggested that. That was a knob that run out of the mountain, perhaps a quarter of a mile, toward this Mr. Unsell's house. Colonel Miles said to me, "Captain, be careful of that; operate on that mountain, and be well flanked on that knob, for they will try to get a battery there." That was literally true for the old gentleman, for they did try to get a battery there. One of their men was taken prisoner who was trying to get a battery up there, and he told us so.

Question. And the other forces were all along here toward Solomon's Gap beyond the lookout?

Answer. I do not know about that.

Question. And we had forces over here [indicating on the map] under Captain Crumbecker?

Answer. I do not know how they were located.

Question. And then we had some over the Sandy Hook way. Will you describe the condition of these roads?

Answer. It is rather a difficult mountain to get about much; however, the rebels managed to get their batteries right along over the worst part of it, I know.

Question. When you went up any of these roads it was necessary to come back in order to get to another one?

Answer. I do not know what points you have reference to.


Page 695 Chapter XXXI. MARYLAND CAMPAIGN.