The National tribune., 1908-03-04
THE SLAUGHTER AT THE SUNKEN
ROAD
The Battle of AHtictam Seen From
Inside the Confederate Lines.

Editor National Tribune: In your is
sue of Dec. 26 you give the battle of
Antietam. suppose it would be pleas
ing to you to receive articles from the
different commands that did distin-
guished service on that field. The point
sons Division went into action to assist
Gen. French. ] was Orderly Sergeant.
On the morning of Sept. II, 1862, I was
dividing the rations of the company
when the order was given to fall in to
move to the right The First Lieuten-
ant, commanding the company, ordered
me to remain in the rear. saying, This
, is the second time l have ordered you
to remain from the company until your
feet geE well" Ny feet were badly
swollen. After Kimbaii's Brigade OF
f'rench's Division had moved forward |
saw heavy battery in front that was
fiercely@ engaged. / went there to have
a good view OF battery work. Soon
after the battle opened by Sedgwick and
his right. The crash of the infantry
and the canneI's roar made such dir
that bound up my feet as best could
and followed Prencn's Division. found
iHs tlif I4tfl lIlu., OIl the eA-
IRENE left of Gen. French's line moving
forward, fighting, ct the Roulette
House. When seen 81 my First Lieu
tenant. he ordered me to go back 1
moved - the depression, to the left and
followed it to beyond the Sunken Road.
About 100 yards up the rise of ground
] saw a tree that had bushy top that
] thought was just the place for me to
see a good portion of the battle from.
When 7 no T ~
from the woods in my rear; l hurriedly
began climbing fence; when half way
UP l was fired at from my front, where
lay nearly 20 rebels, just over the
fence. / surrendered. you bet" BY
this time Kimball's Brigade had driven
the rebels to the Sunken Road. where
there was fierce fishing We were not
156 yards in front and little to the
left The commander moved to where
he could see the lighting, there being
rise of ground between us. In 80
minutes, which seemed to me hours,
he turned and said to his men, Il see
line of men coming thru the cornfield;
them devils viii have to git now!" Kim
balls Brigade saw them coming; every
gun was loaded to receive them; when
the rebels got within as yards they
raised the yell and charged into the
Sunken Road, and when rising to move
out OF II they were given a whitening
volley. The way they dropped back in
to the Sunken Road was frightful The
rebel commander then said, "Our men
won't make II. Them men fight like
demons!" He asked what brigade il
was; / told him, and requested that !
be taken 10 the rear, which request
was granted. When not over zoe yards
away we met another line coming to
drive EimbaiFs Brigade. and they did
not succeed in doing so. / had been in
Sharpsburg some time when Richard
sons Division came into battle, at Ieas,
one and half hours after Kinbalrs
Brigade had been fighting at the Sunken
Road. When that splendid division be-
gan fighting there was something doing,
and, of course. coming in upon the
flank or the Sunk"n Road the enemy
was easily swept aside. The 200 that
] ran into We're the only troops | saw
except those We met when I was taken
back, and they seemed to be moving
for the Sunken Road, and not over two
regiments, was organized at Harrisburg
10 cope with Richardson's Division. 50
after leaving the field Gen. Hill mus,
have run troops in in position to meet
Gen. Richardson, and If took time to
move so many men
! We cannot expect Comrade McEiroy
TO note all that different commands
did: but where regiments or brigades
distinguished themselves comrades
should write, holding firmly onto thei'
lanrels. Gen. French gave Kimball's
Brigade the name of Gibraltar Bri-
eade" for their fighting qualities at the
Sunkeil Road The l4th Ind.'s loss was
sc l-i9 per cent. do not know wha,
the less in the other regiments of the
old brigade was. hut / hope YOU win
hear from the other regiments. con.
tending for what IS due them.-Chas
il. Ayerhon. Evansville, Ind