Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-10-01

LIEUT.. COL. KnIBALL'S REPORT OF ITS
PART IN THE BATTLE OF AN1lETAM.
HEADQUARTERS 18TH REG. Mass. Vols, !
NEAR SHARPsBURG, Sept. 20, 1862.

NEAR SHARPsBURG, Sept. 20, 1862.
Captain Il have the honor to report that
on Wednesday, the 18th inst, at seven
o'clock A. NJ, was ordered to hold my COM
mand in readiness to move at a moments no.
tice. At Z l2 o'clock we took up our line of
march, with $50 muskets, including first COM
pany of sharpshooters, Capt. J. Saunders, at
tached to this command, being the third regi-
ment in the brigade line. We moved in d.
rect line towards the ground held by the
forces of Gen. Hooker; fording in the march
Antietam creek. On reaching the field line
of battle was formed, in which my command
occupied the position of third regiment of the
first line. We then moved forward about q
mile INTO the ground gained by Gen. Hooker,
passing fences, fields, and obstacles of various
descriptions, eventually occupying piece of
woods, directly in front of which, and well
covered by the nature of the ground-fields of
grain, haystacks, buildings, and thick or
chard-were the enemy in strong force. AT
this time we were marching by the right
oblique, in order to close an interval between
| my command and that of Col. Hudson of the
2Sd New York volunteers, and as we gained
the summit of slight elevation my left be-
came hotly engaged with the enemy Covered
as before mentioned) at a distance of not more
than fifteen yards. A section of the enemy's
artillery was planted upon knoll immediate
ly in front, and not more than six hundred
yards distant from my right wing. This was
twice silenced and driven back by the fire of
my right wing concentrated upon it.
The engagement lasted between twenty
and thirty minutes; my line remaining un-
broken, the left wing advancing some ten
yards under the most terrific infantry fire.
Meanwhile the second line of the division
which had been halted some. thirty or forty
yards in our rear, advanced until portion of
| the fifty ninth New York volunteers, Col. It'd
ball, had closed upon and commenced firing
through my left wing, on the enemy. Many
of my own men were by this vancouver killed
by our own forces, and my most strenuous
exertions were of no avail either in stopping
this murderoua fire or in causing the second
line to advance to the front. AT this juncture
Gen. Sumner came up, and his attention was
Immediately called by myself to this terrible
mistake. He Immediately rode to the right
of the fifty-ninth regiment, ordered the firing
to cease and the line to retire, which order
was executed in considerable confusion.
The enemy soon appeared in heavy col
umns, advancing on my left and rear, pouring
in deadly cross-fre upon my left. imme
diately and without orders, ordered my COM
mand to retire, having noticed the same move
ment on the part Of both the second and third
lines. We retired slowly and in good order,
bringing off our colors and battle flag captured
from the enemy; reforming by the order of
Gen. German, in piece Of woods some five
hundred yards in the rear, under cover of our
artillery. This position was held until was
ordered to support battery planted upon the
brow of a hill Immediately in our rear, the
enemy having opened again with artillery.
| His fire being silenced the position was held
throughout the day. l desire to say that my
entire regiment behaved most CALAMITY during
the engagement, evincing great GOODNESS and
bravery, as my list of casualties will show.
Although suffering terribly from the fire Of
| the enemy it was with gr at surprise that they
received the orders to retire, never enter
tanning for a moment any idea but that of
complete success, although purchased at the
cost of their lives.
The order forbidding the carrying of wound
ed men to the rear was obeyed to the very let
ter. Of my line officers, without exception,
1 cannot speak in too high praise. They were
all at their posts bravely and manfully urging
on their men and equally exposed with them.
Those wounded refusing all assistance, order
ing their men to return to the ranks and do
their duty. l desire to call your particular
attention to Major Philbrick and Adjutant
Hooper. They were with me during the en-
tire engagement, in the thickest of the fight,
receiving and executing my orders with great
GOODNESS and promptitude.
l have the honor, captain, to be very re-
spectfully your obedient servant,
JOHN w. KMBALL, Lieut. Col. CONG.
To Capt. j. A. GoRMAN, A. A. G.