Today in History:

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

Page 937 Chapter XXXI. THE MARYLAND CAMPAIGN.

The casualties of the regiment were 5 killed and 81 wounded total, 86. Of the wounded, 3 were mortally, and have died; 16 were not removed from the field, and 2 were left on the Maryland side in hospital for want of transportation.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

IKE N. M. TURNER,

Captain, Commanding Fifth Texas Regiment.

Colonel W. T. WOFFORD,

Commanding Texas Brigade.


Numbers 256. Report of Colonel E. M. Law, Fourth Alabama Infantry, commanding brigade, of the battle of Sharpsburg.


HEADQUARTERS THIRD BRIGADE,
October 2, 1862.

SIR: I have the honor to report the part taken by my command in the engagements at Sharpsburg, Md., on September 16 and 17.

When the army arrived at the height on the south side of Antietam river on the morning of the 15th, I was ordered to take position about a mile from Sharpsburg, on the Hagerstown turnpike. The right of my brigade rested at Saint Mumma's Church (Dunkers' Chapel), and the line extended along the turnpike in the edge of a wood which bordered it on the southwest. Across the road (on the northeast) was an open field a quarter of mile in width, extending along the whole front of the line and beyond it about 600 yards. This open space was bounded on the northeast (to my front) and northwest (to my left) by woods, an opening being left at the north corner.

Late in the afternoon of the 16th, the enemy's skirmishers advanced into the woods in front of my position. They were held in check by my riflemen and the Texas skirmishers. In the mean time I was ordered by General Hood, commanding the division, to move forward and occupy the edge of the wood in which the skirmishing was going on. This was quickly accomplished, and the enemy was driven, at dark, to the farther side of the wood, toward the Antietam. My brigade was relieved during the night, and moved, with the rest of General Hood's command, to the wood in rear of Saint Mumma's Church (Dunkers' Chape.).

Soon after daylight on the 17th, the attack of the enemy commenced. The battle had lasted about an hour and a half, when I was ordered to move forward into the open field across the turnpike. On reaching the road, I found but few of our troops on the field, and these seemed to be in much confusion, but still opposing the advance of the enemy's dense masses with determination. Throwing the brigade at once into line of battle, facing northward, I gave the order to advance. The Texas Brigade, Colonel Wofford, had in the mean time come into line on my left, and the two brigades now moved forward together. The enemy, who had by this time advanced half-way across the field and had planted a heavy battery at the north end of it, began to give way before us, though in vastly superior force. The Fifth Texas Regiment (which had been sent over to my right) and the Fourth Alabama pushed into the wood in which the skirmishing had taken place the evening previous, and


Page 937 Chapter XXXI. THE MARYLAND CAMPAIGN.