, 1886-09-19
"BALDY" SMITHS MEN.
HOW THEY SAVED A UNION BATTERY
AT ANTlETAM

On the Left Of the bunker Church
Outnanked by the Confederate Forces
Pouring in CanIster-A Gallant Brigade
Commander.
MY battery of six guns" said the major,
had been increased to eight by the addi-
ton OF a section from a volunteer battery
that had lost all its officers. We were
posted In front OF Frnnklin's division. and
to the left of the bunker church, and had
come into battle facing obliquely toward
the right. Our position was on the edge
of some rather thick woods, that projected
like a peninsula from the front of our
general line, and we had been Smelling
Jackson's men on the principle OF the
Irish fight, WHENEVER We sec a head, hit
itr Right in front OF us were undulating
fields, thickly covered with corn, which
on the 18th OF September was tall, ana
afforded excellent cover. We were sup
ported by n single regiment Of zouaves,
though the battle was raging fiercely to
our left, where burnside had forced the
bridge, and was fighting hard to maintain
the position he had gained.
n OIL WARNING.
We were in a comparatively quiet spot,
and hardly realized the fact that one of
iuG HOsb mOlIlcutOUS ENGAGEMENTS VI tnt
war had reached its climax. In our
fancied security we paid little oil no Mt
tention to possible danger to ourselves
that might be lurking in the wooded
slopes beyond the cornfield. SO it hap
pened that n Confederate division was
formed and lad actually started on the
run, to capture us, before we had any in
timation that we were threatened. But
all in a moment u cry of warning came,
and we saw the long gray lines sweeping
rapidly toward our left flank, while our
red-legged supports were decamping In
the hottest Of hot haste.
A nice position 1t seemed We couldn't
Timber up and gallop away, because the
woods were 10 dense anil the ground so
rough that only a slow retreat was posi-
BILE And how could we beat back n di-
vision with eight gunsS But we could
try TO beat it bnck. and assisted by a few
gallant fellows from the zouaves who
stood their ground we changed front by
hand, and opened fire on the charging
brigades. They were so near us, how
ever, that we used CAMS err, which is only
lit Tor the shortest ranges. Our fire was
rapid and very effective. but though we
could see that IL tore great gaps in their
ranks, still they came on CALAMITY, and
IL seemed certain that we must lose our
guns, a bitter thought to an artillerist.
We could distinguish the Confederate
officers, n could see the men putting
caps on their rifles as they came on at the
double gu ok. and though we pitched the
canister into them faster than ever, that
magnificent. rugged infantry OF HIS
never faltered in their charge.
TRANSPORTATION SCENE.
But in the meantime n transformation
scene had been arranged, of which we
knew nothing. AT the first glimpse of
the threatened attack a staff officer,
who la been chatting with us. hal
wheeled his horse and galIoped rapidly to-
ward the rear throu Oh the woods. Close
at hand he round Gen. Franklin, and In
the fewest words informed him that u
regular battery was in danger of capture
and was unsupported. Fortunately for
us, a very prompt and gallant brigade
commander was with Franklin at the
moment, and received the order to hurry
TO our support. and in an incredibly short
time he had deployed his regiments in the
face OF the advancing Confederates. 1t
was just in time, for the enemy had al
most reached our guns. But our fire had
somewhat broken the momentum OF their
charge, and the appearance of our sup
ports sent them bach as hastily rs they
nNu advanced.
But for the opportune presence Of this
brigade, and the prompt action of its
commander, IL captured guns would
have been turned upon our center. which
had been greatly weakened by the assist
anco sent to burnside on our left, and it
il more than probable that our army
would have been cut in two. Our right,
terribly shattered by the bitter struggle
chat had been in progress since the earii-
est dawn, would nave been cut off from
our left. and the ron of the army would
have left Washington and Baltimore
open and almost defenceless to Lees ad-
vance"
such is the story of one OF the many oc-
caslons during the var when the safety of
our national existence was secured by a
lucky chance. The narrator is n quiet
and very courteous gentleman, who in
herited an illustrious name, and the bri-
gade commander whose promptness foiled
the attack vas Gen. w. +. ("Baldy'l
Smith.-New York Commercial Adver-
tiser.