Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-10-22

f of grey coats" emerging from the woOds
, Had it not been for the firmness of thei
/ officer, they would have broken at once
as it was, they reeled and staggered for {
; moment, soon rallied and returned ous
fire for half an hour, then wayeTed. PEI
| ceiving this Lieut.. Col. Tyndale, (2Stf
!, Pa, temporarily commanding the bri
. gade, ordered a charge. As we started
they broke and fed in confusion. The
advantage was followed up, and Cos II,
and Il, of the 9TH were sent into the
woods as skirmishers, and under the eth
cient direction of Capt. McClelland, we
soon cleared the woods of the rebel sharp
shooters, many of whom were made &c
bite the dust The brigade advancing
we held the woods for nearly two hours
when our ammunition being out we fell
back, the 18th New jersey taking ouI
place But the rebels obtained reinforce
ments, and again advanced, though not
so eagerly as before, opening fire upon
our men at long range The 18th New
! jersey WIS a new regiment, and remained
steady short time. The officers were ev-
identity deficient in courage, and the men
perceiYing it, caught the infection, and
blush TO say it,-fied. Col. Tyndale and
4 OlutE OlllCtI- tllutdN lO
but in vain. While thus engaged. Col. +.
fell seriously wounded Ii was seen at
once to be useless to stand with the rem
nant of our brigade, against a fresh divi-
sion, and our brave boys reluctantly fell
back, perhaps sixty rods, thus relinquish-
ing the woods and hill but we saved our
batteries.
On they came yelling and exultingly
waving their colols, across the field and
entered cornfield to the south, to flank
our men who were engaging another diyi-
sion. Their triumph was short, for as
they were thus advancing, they did not
perceive thar they were coming between
two fires, and suddenly found themselves
nearly surrounded. Fresh troops-Gen.
Franklin's, came in from the north and
east, over the identical ground we fought
over, and precipitated themselves upon
the flank of the enemy, six hundred OF
whom, threw down their guns and sur
rendered the rest fled in dismay from
the field.
We were again, aad permanently, masters
of the field.
This coup de gfdse, clos ell the heavy fight
ing upon the right, and we retired from
the front-decimated, but cheerful, feel
ing that our duty was performed faithful
ly and knowing that the rebels were de
feated.
In the first charge we captured ii twelve
FOUNDER rihed gun, made at the ''rredesar
works, Richmond" and three stands of
colors. As we passed the fence, the dead
and wounded lay in an indiscriminate
pile and in numbers difficult to imagine.
The blood lay in pools or ran in GRIM
son steams. To clear the bodies, i had to
stand upon the top of the fence, and
jump as far as | could. All over the field
the dead lay in long rows, plainly showing
the position of every line OF battle. Some
idea may be gained of the immense slaugh-
ter, by the fact, that on an area of only
700 square feet, with Il front of 60, ttty-ssU-
en- dead bodies lag besides the proPOrttondte
number Of ,cosoaded. This was Immediately
in front of our regiment in the first en-
gagement, and at the fence, and We're
counted the next morning by myself and
many Others The slaughter was terrible
in the extreme.
The 9TH entered with l56, and had )
killed and SO wounded. Company Ii,
lost one man killed-Henry Bacon, and
one wounded, Corporal ii. j. Bell. He
has recovered and is now doing duty
Ii is useless for me to eulogize the Ith or
any other regiment. 1t IS suthclent to be
conscious that our part was well sustained,
and our duty discharged in mannerwor-
thy of patriots.
/ need not describe the scenes of the
next two days-they are too horrible. !
shall always remember those upturned,
disfgured and blackened faces every
where to be seen upon the field, along
the road through the village of Sharps
burg, out to the bridge taken by Gen.
Burnside, and the Thousand other pain
ful scenes.
We started on the 10Th for Harper's
Ferry, arriving at Maryland Heights, on
the 10Th, but the rebels had skedaddled
thence. On the 23d we forded the Poto-
mac and Shenandoah rivers, and camped
upon Loudon Heights, where we still re-
main, the 9TH being detailed for headquar-
ter guards" to Gen. Geary who has just
returned He is looking somewhat thin,
and wears his arm in sling.
Had l time, would describe the sur
of our camp, which by the
way are rather extensive, but l will re-
serve this until future letter. As reg
iment, we are ''on the gain" although OF
late there has been considerable illness in
camp, owing probably to the water, which
is rather deleterious, and the excessive
fatigue endured to obtain it, having 10
90 down the mountain fully half mile
It is hoped that we will soon move our
camp to more favorable locality. We
have lately received 100 recruits, some of
whom have not be assigned to companies.
A number of our boys wounded at Cedar
Mountain, returned last evening, having
recovered, John Lentz and Joseph Kin
caid of our company were among the num-
Der, looking and feeling well.
But am afraid l am overstepping the
bounds of propriety, and will close this
lengthy but very imperfect letter, by hop
ing to soon have the pleasure of once
more seeing Chronicle" which by the
way has forgotten to visit our camp. Our
address is Co., 7th Ohio Regt., lst Brig,
I'd Div. 18th Army Corps, Washington,
D. c..
Yours, as ever, JULIUS