The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-08-06
BATTLE OF ANTIETAM.
Who Got the Little Testament Near the Forks or
the Antietam Creek

thc Ahttttam treeA8
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Having read
the very kind and interesting letter Of inquiry
Of VIM. NJ. Robbins, Major, 9TH Ala, States
vile, y. G., entitled "Antietam, and what be-
came of Lieut.. Petrikin's watch ?" which ap-
peared in your Issue Of July Is, / became much
interested in his excellent narrative Of one Of
the events Of that er-tO-be- forgotten night
previous TO the great battle. / regret my ina
bility to give Maj. Robbins any information on
the subject Of tue watch. etc, but decided TO
look up the record Of the brave officer be so
kindly ministered 70, and hope with him
that the letter he has published may elicit an
early an satisfactory response. / also person
ally thank him for the prompt succOr given our
stricken comrades on that DARK night, for the
interest be has manifested in this matter. as
well as supplying to me, for one, the exact
meaning Of that firing at 10 p. N. Sept. l6, 1862,
which l confess 10 never having fully under
stood until his letter supplied the missing link.
The lively diminishing Of which he speaks
was with the First Brigade Of Pennsylvania
Reserves. Gen. Truman Seymour. the skir-
mishers being the Back tails, or lst Pa. Rifles,
Col. Mcneil, who was killed during that short
action. The brigade advanced too rapidly for
our Second Brigade Col. A. l.. MagiitOn) to
keep in line with IT, we being on their right
near the HageTstown pike, and coming under
the fire Of the Confederate battery in the open
field just beyond the narrow strip Of woods
fronting the large cOrnield nearly north Of the
bunker Church. oar brigade here encountered
the fire from said Confederate battery, which
was, if | mistake not, the extreme left Of their
forces engaged that night. Battery g. 9Th u. :.
Art, was our battery, which engaged them ut
close range. Our regiment (the 18th Pa Re-
serves was Immediately on the left and rear
Of our battery. and thought il a warm place for
a while. We remained on that ground during
the night in line, and were reused up by that
fatal vOlley he speaks Of and which was 70 our
right front some little distance, near the edge
Of the square projection of woods running out
to the cOrnficld. where skirmishiug begun early
on the morning of Sept. Il. The Pennsylvania
Reserves, commanded by Gen. Meade, were the
advance Of Rockers Corps, and the brigade to
which Lieut. Petrkin belonged first struck the
Confederate infantry. / find in the - istOry
Of the Pennsylvania Reserves" the following
personal record, or records, of his company
that it was an excellent one Go. i, 9Th Pa.
Reserves. / find in it list Of Is deaths, OF
whom Is were killed in battle, and of the re-
mainder 81 or more were wounded, some in
more than one battle and only three deserters
/ hope that some of the comrades Of Lieut..
Petrikin, or some of Richardson's Division, or
other troops. passing over or bivOuacking on
that ground. may try TO shed some light on the
staff officer who received the watch.
Another case / will speak of here. and if
these lines fall under the notice Of parties who
know Of the circumstances mentioned hope
that, even at this late day, they may comply
with the request of gallant Confederate SOL
der whose name and regiment have no means
OF tracing my diary being silent On the sub
ject for obvious reasons.
On Saturday morning, Aug 30. 1862, the
Division Of Pennsylvania Reserves, then COM
manded by Gen. John +. Reynolds, were nov
ing out toward "GrOvetOn Nights" near Ma
a.. 81
etc. and after drawing their Ere in abundance,
and while lying on the ground, where either
Kings Division or a part of Doubleday's com
mand had made that spirited attack on the
night of Aug. -. saw a copy OF the New
Testament laid up IN the forks Of a sassafras
bush, perhaps Is inches from the ground, evil
IDENTIFY by a wounded, perhaps dying. man.
found on examination that it belonged to a
Louisiana soldier, and q request made on fy
leaf or inside OF the cover. that in ease Of
the death or wOunding Of its owner the friend
finding the same would kindly communicate
with the soldiers relatives or friends in New
Orleans, address given. l carried the little
mementO in my Eayersack, having no other
place, until after the eventful days at Second
Bull Run, aud until Sept. IG, when, having
passed beyond Kesdysville, in the MARYLAND
campaign, my division. under Gen. Meade,
bivouacked in the forks Of the Antietam on the
night Of Sept l.. my regiment and others in an
apple orchard, the apples falling on and near us
all night. In the morning Of the 18th, hay
ing no food, filed my hayersack with apples,
and while awaiting orders to move against
Sharpsburg. with my heavy hayersack lying on
the ground near me, some one tosk it, or
"seized it," thus losing the apples and many
relics, besides the little sacred volume that
fully intended sending TO the address given if
spared. or sending it home to have it's proper
custodian found. For all these years / have
not ceased TO regret my inability to carry out
those intentions. Perhaps someone else can.
If So trust they will do sO-JOuS W. BUR-
NETT, Lieutenant. 18th Pa. Reserves, 20 Maple
street. WaltEam, Mass