HARPERS FERRY TO ANTIETAM... THE BLOODIEST DAYS IN AMERICA'S HISTORY

Famous American Civil War - Battles and Events ^ | Sept 15, 2003 | National Park Service description of the Battle of Antietam

[carlo3b]

Emancipation Proclamation

The new beginning, may have ended on an American blood stained battlefield in Maryland, the official Emancipation Proclamation was issued on January 1, 1863, during the second year of the American Civil War and was Abraham Lincoln's declaration that all slaves in the states which had seceded from the Union, and which were not at the time under Federal control, were considered free. This action had little immediate effect, since it was impossible for the Federal government to implement it in those regions where it actually applied--namely the states in rebellion that were not under Federal control. Slaves in the states which remained loyal to the Union were not affected, and remained in slavery until the ratification of the thirteenth amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1865. Thus the impact of the proclamation was more symbolic than real. William Seward, Lincoln's Secretary of State, commented on this by remarking, "We show our sympathy with slavery by emancipating slaves where we cannot reach them and holding them in bondage where we can set them free."

However, Lincoln believed he had no constitutional authority to free the slaves except in those states where it was deemed a military necessity in order to suppress the rebellion, and freeing slaves was still a risky political act given that there were still slave states loyal to the union, and the initial war aims were centered on preserving the union rather than freeing slaves. As such, the proclamation was a military order issued by Lincoln in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief. The Emancipation Proclamation also allowed for the admittance of freed slaves into the (then-segregated) United States military, an unusual opportunity taken by nearly 200,000 black men, many of them former slaves.

[carlo3b]

Our honorable heritage, had a humble and tragic start.. so many, lost in a struggle for the love of all.. it was not in vain!

[azhenfud]

Just recalling a scene from G&G.

Beau Regards,
Az

[UB355]

I had the opportunity to visit Antietam a few years ago. Quite a place.

[carlo3b]

"GODS AND GENERALS", and the Ken Burns, "The Civil War" Series are some of my family favorite movies. It's a shame more folks never got to see GODS AND GENERALS, because of a all out effort to kill it's popularity.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

I wish I had more tolerance for the Civil War. I really do not. I think it was a horrible thing that those men died ,and for the reasons as I understand them.

I pay homage to those soilders, because I think they were doing their patriotic duty as they understood it. That is what a hero does.

Any way I look at it, I just believe it was a dark period in our country's history. Perhaps I do not understand the finer points. That really could be.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

I think it is interesting that you loved this movie. My husband and I tried to watch it and could not finish it. I am confused by the Civil War to begin with. I love the stories of the Ammerican revolution..Perhaps Civil War is just not my thing.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up!

[netmilsmom]

Mr. Carlo, you never cease to amaze me.
My mom, may God Bless her, was so very much into the history of the civil war. She was very pro-south. We traveled with my dad, who was a salesman, during the 70's. His territory was the eastern states down to SC and over to OH. We went to Antietam before it was as commercialized as Gettysburg and visited many battle sites.
You have again brought tears to my eyes, remembering my mom.
Thanks!
xxoo

P.S. I'm saving this as a homeschooling lesson as well, but I think my hubby must handle it. I may not make it through.

[netmilsmom]

If one understands that the Civil War was not about freeing slaves (a depicable practice that should have been ended) as it was about states rights, it all becomes clearer.

It must be tough for you to homeschool something that doesn't interest you. I can't even imagine. Homeschoolers are miracle workers.

[baseballmom]

I have visited Harper's Ferry several times, having grown up in the DC area. Now, I'm just an hour or so from Gettysburg. The sites are sacred ground - for both sides.

Years ago, the manager of the bank where I worked kept several (at least) volumes of hand written diaries of his Union Soldier ancestor in a safe box. He would occasionally take them out and let me read them. I felt as if I was holding a holy book, so beautiful was the actual script and his thoughts on battles he participated in; Thoughts of home and family and his comrades in arms, even thoughts(not hateful) of the "Rebs". The most fascinating were the pages devoted to the assination of President Lincoln. His prose was worthy of the finest book. I don't know his education; he was an infantryman, who survived the war.

[Lee Heggy]

"Does anyone think that the original thirteen colonies would have signed onto anything they couldn't have gotten out of?"

Shelby Foote

[Diva Betsy Ross]

I think I have a mental block on this war. I have to do more research on it before I can teach it ,for sure. I have some problem with the states right thing though.

I don't know what to think about it.

My husband is up on all of the military issues and wars, so this is really his department. I can handle some of the other wars, esp. the revolutionay war.

As far as homeshcooling things that don't interest me. I look at it through the eyes of my kids. I think about how I would like to have learned a topic. Mostly they teach themselves, I just have to get them the materials they need. Besides, I always need to learn things myself. It is fun!

[azhenfud]

Both were fascinating pieces of work.

Laying aside the good of ridding chattel slavery, I've often wondered what would have become of the U.S. had not there been those willing to war to preserve states' rights.

A people willing to lie down and allow any government to dictate to its people are not free, but are merely slaves of that institution. The only true check and balance of tyranny is for it to be met with force, preferrably in the voting booth - but if not, on the battlefield.

[Pompah]

Many,Many books have been written on the subject of this battle known as "The Bloodiest Single Day" of the Civil War. For the Finest definitive account on this God Awful fight in the fields,and lanes around Sharpsburg Maryland find a copy of Stephen W. Sears Landscape Turned Red. The Battle of Antietam. If you're like me, You'll read most of the book with your mouth agape. Thanks for the Post. Pax-Aye

[nathanbedford]

I wish I had more tolerance for the Civil War. I really do not.

Through the dust peers Lee for hope. To the east a column raises dust. To a subaltern with younger eye, he asks, "who comes there?" The young officer replies, "they are Yankees, General." Turning in the saddle to the south, Lee asks again, who comes there? And the reply, "they are Confederates, general." "Thank God" says Lee, "its A.P. Hill come from Harpers Ferry."

And so my grandfather survived until Appomatox and bequethed to you a cauldron of liberty.

[carlo3b]

I pay homage to those soilders, because I think they were doing their patriotic duty as they understood it. That is what a hero does.

Any way I look at it, I just believe it was a dark period in our country's history. Perhaps I do not understand the finer points. That really could be

You are precisely correct in your conclusions and concern. Both are true feelings that should come forth in viewing the uncivil struggle of a just war in the view of at least half of our nation at the time.

Whether, your sympathies lay with the Rebels (the Southern cause), in that "We have fought a war for independence from a tyrannical central form of governance, then why should we again trade 1 tyrant a thousand miles away, for a hundred tyrants 10 miles away" Each of the Southern States had within it's state Constitution, an escape clause.. A secession clause, in the event that state felt that they could no longer agree with federal authority.. The U S Constitution ratified those states knowing those clauses were a part and parcel. So, when each state found that the northern states were imposing their will on the authority of the southern states with singular stinging tariffs and levees directed at just the commerce of the south.. they bolted from the Union, with a legal vote of their people. Slave trade was a particular unsavory aspect of primarily the Southern states it did exist widely in the north as well.. but it was not the primary, or secondary cause of the split.

The Federalists (Northern States), with an advantage of population, and therefore the legal voting power in the federal legislature (congress), believed in the strength of numbers, and the entire Union was integrated as one unit. This meaning the laws, military defense, common heritage, and commerce where tied into each and every part as it was intended. When the Southern state became obstinate, and rebelled.. the power of the United States Government as it was, moved forcibly to hold it together.

The cause was inexorably, in the EYE OF THE BEHOLDER!

[Smogger]

It's a shame more folks never got to see GODS AND GENERALS, because of a all out effort to kill it's popularity.

Actually, I think it probably had more to do with its 3:30 minute running time, and bombastic dialogue, then it's somewhat sympathetic portrayl of the Confederacy. People that think the History channel is cool (like myself) will probably enjoy it though.

It's playing on PPV right now.

[ijcr]

From http://www.carman.net/antietam.htm

With the first skirmishes out of the way, the two armies now took positions near the town of Sharpsburg along the Hagerstown Pike, just 35 miles south of Gettysburg, along the small creek there named Antietam. McClellan divided his army into three groups there. On September 16th General Lee had spread his army out 4 miles long parallel to the Hagerstown Pike.

The 13th Pennsylvania was first to engage, finishing off a skirmish from the night before, for they were eager for revenge - their Colonel had been killed the night before, but they soon ran out of ammunition and withdrew. The 107th Pennsylvania now took the field and Confederate artillery opened up with Shells and Solid Shot rounds. Scores of Union troops were taken out in less than 5 minutes. At 6am Colonel Abram Duryea's 1,100 man Brigade, made of two New York Regiments and one Pennsylvania took the field.

Regiment after Regiment now took the field, each in turn wilting under the cross-fire the Confederate cannon had established with ruthless precision. Among them the 12th Massachusetts who were chewed to bits within minutes by the Louisiana "Tigers" and only 32 men of 334 who took the field returned with the Regimental colors. The Union artillery now concentrated on the Louisiana troops and caught them in their own cross-fire - it was now about 7am. The 12th Massachusetts had now gone into history taking the highest casualties of any Federal Unit that day - 67%. The Louisiana Tigers suffered 61% casualties including every one of it's Regimental Officers.

The 6th Wisconsin now took the field along with the 2nd and 7th Wisconsin and 19th Indiana. They met an unseen line of Confederate troops hidden in a pasture who jumped up and opened fire - men by the dozens were knocked out of the ranks. The 84th New York was added to the fray. The combined units of Wisconsin, Indiana and New York now fused into one unit facing three Georgia regiments. The Georgians began to break, when 1,150 men from the remaining Confederate brigades reinforced them and now the Union troops swayed. But the price was annihilation from a three point cross fire of Federal sharpshooters, artillery firing case shot, and musket fire from the pasture. - Captain R. P. Jennings of the 23rd Virginia was the only survivor of his entire Company, and he was wounded.

The Rebels were now so close to the union lines that the Federal artillery in and around the Corn Field took to shortening the fuses on their shells so they would go off only one and one-half seconds after leaving their muzzles. They could not fire canisters, as their were scores of wounded under the front of their guns.

The 90th Pennsylvania, with half its strength dead or wounded left the field and withdrew. The color bearer walking backwards the whole way out of the cornfield, believing that a gunshot in his back would be the ultimate disgrace on the battlefield. An entire Union Division was now effectively out of operation.

The battle now became an artillery duel. Guns were firing at each other from distances of less than 200 yards. Guns took to firing double canisters ( a canister was something like a #10 can filled with hundred metal balls, and fused to explode in the face of the enemy). At the end of the battle the survivors found piles of dead, one on top of the other, from the carnage.

The 1st Texas foolishly followed a retreating Union unit and within twenty minutes lost two complete companies. Four out of every five men of the 1st Texas was killed or wounded. - it was now 7:30am.

Of the three Confederate brigades commanded by General Lawton, one out of every two men had been killed or wounded. Stonewall Jackson's old Division had taken 30% casualties. When General Hood was asked where his Division was, he replied "Dead on the field." - He had taken 60% casualties. Union losses were no less. General Hooker's Corp had taken 30% casualties. Of the 3,150 men General Rickett's took on the field, about 300 remained.

The 128th Pennsylvania took the field and out to the Corn Field - a newly organized unit with green troops, they quickly broke in the withering fire. By the time they were reorganized enough to get them off the field they had taken 118 casualties. The Confederate troops still had smooth bore rifles. And now with the fighting at close range they took to using "buck and ball" loads (a cartridge which beside the standard musket ball also contained 3 buckshot) - the result was multiple wounds from one round fired. Two thousand fresh Union troops were put into the line to bolster the attack. Pennsylvania and Ohio companies were now engaged in hand to hand combat among the tramped cornstalks. The 6th Georgia now had 24 men left of it's 250 it had started the morning with. There were now nearly 8,000 casualties - and it was only 9am.

The Pennsylvania "Philadelphia Brigade" took the field and was swept off in a swell of retreat from a flanking movement near the Dunker Church. They lost 550 men in about ten minutes. The 42nd New York on the left flank was also swept away taking 181 casualties. The 15th Massachusetts took 318 casualties, many from friendly fire when they were mistaken by a green New York Regiment for Confederate in the smoky-haze of the battle. Captain Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. of the 20th Massachusetts witnessed one of his troops firing into the rear of the line hit him with the flat edge of his sword and cursed him to stop firing on his own men, only to learn a minute later that the man knew what he was doing. The 20th Massachusetts had been flanked and the enemy was now behind them! About 2,300 casualties, mostly Pennsylvanians, were taken in a ten to fifteen minute period in the confusion. - it was 9:45am.

The 2nd Massachusetts and the 13th New Jersey now were ordered in. The Massachusetts men were veterans, but the the 13th New Jersey under Colonel Ezra Ayres Carman was a green unit never having loaded their muskets in battle before. They were sent into the Cornfield. Approaching the Hagerstown Pike they were met by Confederates lying in prone position behind a ledge of limestone at the edge of the woods. Colonel Carman wrote "The men were being shot by a foe they could not see, so perfectly did the ledge protect them." The 2nd Massachusetts flag took twenty new holes from the fire before the two units recognized the impossibility of this attack and the two units about-faced and marched back the way they came "in perfect order".

At 10am the Confederates advanced. Union troops waited until they were within 70 yards and opened fire. One soldier of the 102nd New York wrote in his diary "it seemed as if whole companies were wiped out of existence." Indeed the 30th Virginia lost 160 of the 236 men they started out with.

The Union now attempted a bayoneted charge across a ridge. The Confederates were waiting for them. In five minutes the Union Brigade took more than 450 casualties. General Longstreet now ordered a counterattack and Union artillery chewed them to pieces. But another Union Division was spent with 1,750 casualties. The 63rd and 69th New York each lost 60% of their number. Most within the first few minutes of battle. - it was now 10:30am.



The Sunken Road was later renamed "Bloody Lane" by the Veterans of Antietam. James Hope of the 2nd Vermont made sketches during the battle and later made them into a large oil paintings. Over 5,600 dead, Union and Confederate filled the road by 1 pm of that fateful day.



The 9th Alabama was now ordered to charge across the Cornfield. The 5th New Hampshire was waiting for them, kneeling among the dead on the Sunken Road. The 5th New Hampshire would hold the distinction of having the highest casualty statistics of any Union unit during the Civil War, one-third of them being inflicted at Antietam. The Confederacy took 2,600 casualties trying to take the Sunken Road that day, and still failed. The Union lost nearly 3,000 defending it. In total nearly 18,500 Confederate and Union casualties had been taken in about seven hours of the battle. - it was now about 1pm. The battle lines were now shifting to the stone bridge under siege by General Burnside. The carnage continued. By sunset the fighting began to subside. While not a Union victory, it was not a Union defeat and General Lee thought best to withdraw from the field.

The total casualties of the Battle of Antietam will never be known, because of a lack of Confederate record keeping. The best estimates are for the Army of the Potomac: 2,108 dead, 9,540 wounded and 753 missing (most more than likely killed) for a total of 12,401 men. Twenty-five percent of all Union troops who stepped into battle that day. Confederate casualties are estimated as 1,546 dead, 7,752 wounded, and 1,018 missing for a total of 10,318 men. Combined casualties for 12 hours of fighting were 22,719.

[carlo3b]

July 1, 1863 9 AM

Early this morning, Longstreet and Lee move by horseback down the Chambersburg Pike. The rains of the past days have given way to a bright sunshine that promises summer heat. As they move towards Gettysburg, Lee hears the distant rumble of artillery. Giving Traveler a kick, he leaves Longstreet behind and hurries to the battle.

Several miles ahead of Lee, Major General Henry Heth moves slowly down the Chambersburg Pike. He met a Union cavalry picket west of Gettysburg before nine and quickly drove them in slowly as the horsement retreated the zing of bullets came out of a wood on the slope of a low hill behind. "That's all right", called Heth, "only some Pennsylvania Militia". He then sent two brigades to clear the way for his full column. They swung forward carelessly and as they reached the edge of the wood, the fire rose to surprising crescendo. Out of the underbrush onto their flank burst a storm of men with bayonets low and all in a line--it was the IRON BRIGADE. The best known of the Army of the Potomac, they insisted on wearing the same old black hats as when first mustered into the service. Upon seeing them, the Confederates knew they were facing Buford's cavalry.

The Union now pressed the attack into the late morning.
 
 

25 posted on 07/01/2003 5:31 AM CDT by GRRRRR (If the GOP could just send in the Marines against the Demokrats now....)
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To: GRRRRR

To: GRRRRR
Report from Gettysburg, July 1, 1863, 10:30 am:

MGen. Pleasonton's cavalry, under MGen Buford, is defending itself agaist heavy attacks from the Northwest, as strong Confederate forces move down the Chambersburg Pike from Cashtown and deploy. The National cavalry is armed with the new Spencer repeating rifle, and is extracting a great toll from the rebel forces. It is said that MGen. John Reynolds has arrived on the field, along with Meredith's Iron Brigade of the 1st Corps deploying to Buford's left, and Howard's 11th Corps is just behind on the Baltimore Pike.

Rumors abound, but it seems that Ewell's corps is moving from the North, down the Carlilse Road, and the 1st Corps is facing Rode's division of Hill's Corps from Cashtown.

Violence seems to be building here abouts, like a thunderstorm. Artillery batteries clatter through the town and rush for the fight, which can be heard as the clattering of musket fire, punctuated with the thuds of cannon fire, grows.

33 Posted on 07/01/2001 07:51:36 PDT by jonascord
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26 posted on 07/01/2003 5:32 AM CDT by GRRRRR (If the GOP could just send in the Marines against the Demokrats now....)
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