The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1898-09-24
"REMINISCENCES OF
.....ANTIETAM.
One of the Fiercegt BATTLES Ever
Waged by MORTAL Man.
BY ]. K. POLK RACINE.

The morning of Wednesday, the 18th,
was fresh and fair The men were astir at
dawn. The wagon train had come up in
the night and each company's was being
unloaded nearby, and the half starved boys
Of the bloody Fifth were trying to get their
rations between shells, for the enemy was
constantly Smelling in our direction. One
screaming devil struck a barrel of beans
near the writer and beans went up"
which caused the poor shaky scribe to
scamper away without his breakfast.
But soon the awful pangs OF hunger
reminded him of the aching void within
and he sneaked back with one eye rebel
ward. and the other on the commissary
stores. and we had raw pork and hard
tack. NJ time to cook anything-for listen
to the silyery noted bugle. Harken to the
long roll of the drum-to arms to arms,
and then to battle fierce. For that is what
the shrill tones of the bugle, and the harsh
roll of the drum meant, and we knew it,
Ordinarily the Orderly Sergeant in form
ing the company in line, would have lots
Of trouble of his own, but on this particu-
lar morning, mid the terrible din OF fierce
battle calls from bugle and drum, William
C. Purnell's task was soon performed, and
the Cecil boys were quickly gotten into
shape for the awful slaughter, which was
already under way just across the creek,
the Little Antietam.
And shall never forget the last words
uttered by Orderly Purnell, while forming
Company l, of the bloody Fifth, on that
memorable morning thirty.six years ago
"Steady now boys" said Orderly Purnell,
1--WE will soon see what you are made OF. y
And great guns that frightened some OF
us worse than the shell that wasted that
barrel of beans. The order was given
forward march, just as the sun was peeping
over the scrub trees which fringed the
stream along, and when we reached the
creek, we found that the approach thereto,
sloped gently to the waters edge, the his
toric rivulet at this point, was not more
than ten yards wide, but having been
swollen by the downpour OF rain of the
previous day, it was turbid and running at
furious rate.
The bank which faced US on the opposite
side was almost perpendicular, and about
80 feet from the water edge to the summit
above.
The order from Purnell was, prepare tc
wade boys, and keep your arms and ammu,
milton dry. He said nothing about our
grub. but Amor Dunbar came to my rescue
and tied my haversack to my gun, like he
had fixed his own. But how often, all the
way down through the 80 years, have
thought about that particular event, as to
poor Armor's precaution over his provision,
when he might as we'll have thrown the
bag in the raging current at his feet, for he
was never heard tell OF, after we emerged into
the CORY clover field, Many times when
think of that brave Elkton boy and his
very last act before the battle, which was a
kindness to me, great scalding tears OF
sorrow chase each other down my old
blinded and must desist from my narrative
for a short time. And what a time we had
in clambering up the bank, the water was
waist deep and our clothing saturated,
which made us clumsy, and two or three
OF our boys lost their footing when near the
top OF the steep bank, and heard their
plunge in the mad stream below.
After we had mounted the treacherous
precipce high above the naughty rivulet
and marched up the slope OF the ridge
before us, and looking across from its crest
much Of the coming battlefield was before
us, and even then fierce and bloody battle
was being waged far to the left. / will
turn aside Just here to tell my readers that
the battle line at Antietam was several
miles long. Immediately at our left An
tetam wound through the hollow, the hills
rising gently ON both sides In the back
ground was seen the village Of Sharpsburg,
with fields inclosed by stone fences in
front OF it. At its right was bit of wood
(since known as the West wood with the
little Drenker Church standing white and
sharp against it. Further to the right and
left the scene was closed in by wooded
ridges with open farm lands between, the
whole making as pleasing and prosperous
landscape as can easily be imagined. And
being exposed where we were on the bluff,
we soon attracted the enemy's attention.
A puff of smoke from knoll on the right
of the Sharpsburg road was followed by
the screaming of shell over our heads.
The brigade to which we were attached
after having reached the main army, was
composed of three regiments the LIST Della
ware on the right, the 4th New York on
the left, and the bloody 9TH in the CENTRE
The brigade was commanded by General
Max Weber, and no Drawer man ever sat
astride charger. The gallant German
chieftain was severely wounded in the
early engagement just after passing into
that cruel clover field, where our noble
corps commander, the venerable Mansfield,
also lost his life We were standing in
line Of battle and awaiting the command
which would order us into the terrible
slaughter pen in the valley below. The