The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-28
BATTLE OF ANrtRrAM-
A Union Soldiers Experience In That
Conflict


Conflict.
WELAKA, Fla, Sept. 2Z.-Editor Norm
ing Netos; have read with much interest
pieces in your paper about the late war. A
very interesting one was the letter written
by Georgian about the first Bull Run bat.
tie. sent it 20 northern ex-union soldier
friends who were also pleased to get it. In
your issue Of Sept. Is, the piece by pert"
on the battle Of Antietam was of particular
interest to me, bringing back vivid
recollectious Of that Sept. II, 1852
AT that time 1 belonged 70 the TWENTY
ninth Ohio regiment, volunteer infantry,
and was on detached duty on provost guard
and had almost the entire day to myself
getting good views of the battle from diff
ferent places, and where shot, she'll and bull
lets few with reckless regard Of human life:
and some allowance should be made by
Pert" as to the troops engaged. We had
many thousands on duty from the field 70
frederick City guarding stores. supplies, etc,
and the army of Pope was not well up. was
with his army at Cedar Mountain, and was
twice wounded in that battle. When Cen
jackson went around US after that battle
we were cut entirely of and only marched
at night time. Having no rations we lived,
until getting TO Broad Run, on green corn,
mostly. At Broad and Kettle Runs we
AOGAln al AlAulblh6 bIhlu ana seven lOCOnO-
tlves, which the oonfederetes had stopped
We tried to build the bridges and save the
trains, but were SO hotly pressed that we
fired as many cars as we could and marched
on. The second Bull Run was then being
fought some miles from US. There was
much struggling on that march all the way
from Centerville to Frederick City, and
many OF the regiments did not get well to-
gether to take active part at Antietam
IL >F
were pushed into that campaign, which
was their first experience. They were
loaded with knapsacks, blankets, etc., while
we vets were happy TO have blanket and
rubber rolled up across our shoulders. The
day after AntietRm was all over the field
and 20 say the confederacystoodt their ground
well, would not half tell the story. Around a
large stone pile in an open field and di-
rectly in front Of a piece Of woods from
which the union troops had driven the con-
federates, and where we had sew
eral brass 12-pounders of the four
regulars, l counted sixty or seventy
dead confederates. They fell across one an
other and we're in all sorts Of positions and
shapes. About one-eighth Of mile south
from this stone pile the confederates had
tern down a rail fence in an open field and
their dead laid there almost as thick as
when in life, At another place the union
men had driven the oonfederates out Of a
piece of woods across narrow field to a
board fence. Over this fence was q road
leading up to the Dunkers' church. They
endeavored to get into this road and
the firing was so deadly that they were shot
while getting over the fence, and fell back
on one another. Il was the worst sight |
saw during the war, and counted over 100
in short distance where they had fallen
back on one another. All this spoke of the
valor shown upon that field.
Going through a piece of woods, held by
the confederates in the morning but taken
by our troops, found a confederate first
sergeant. lying under an upturned root Of a
tree, and he told me he had been shot in the
morning. His leg was shattered. Near him
in path was a union soldier with a bullet
hole through his head, and the letters on his
cap said 18th o. V. D." belonging to my
brigade. The little brick church, called
Dunkers, was all Clipped up with musket
balls and openings made BY cannon.
should like to see more in your paper from
ex-oonfederates.