Year: 1862




nardsville.


Reaching Harrisons Landing the I'd
of July, Gen. Kimball was sent on the
morning of the 3rd to dislodge a battery,
which jackson had in position on the
nights commanding the camp of the ex-
hausted army of the Potomac. While
driving back the battery with a part of
his command, he had succeeded in plac-
ing two regiments within few yards of
it, still undiscovered by the enemy, and
the capture of the battery was only pre-
vented by his receiving an order to halt,
while he himself was giving the order to
charge He employed the night in
throwing up a log breastwork in the
woods, where he had halted, and was at
tackled by jackson on the morning of the
18th, whom, after a sharp skirmish, he
repulsed with loss, and ensured quiet to
the army in that direction.


At Antietam Gen kimballs brigade
was first formed in the third line, the
other two brigades of French's division
Ito which he belonged) being in the front.
French's division formed the extreme
left Of Summers corps, and was the cen
ter of the Fedral lines Soon after the
action commenced, Gen. Kimball was
ordered to advance and form on the left
of Max Weber's brigade. The position
to which he was ordered was the crest of
a hill, in front of which the enemy was
posted; their first line in an old road
washed out by water and forming natu
raj rife-pit, their second and third lines
in corn field on the side of a second
hill, and in such a position that all could
deliver their fire upon an attacking line
at the same time-these three were sup
ported by artillery within short range
His advance was made by regiments
echelon, the General leading and placing
in position each regiment himself
Among them was one that had not been
in the service three weeks, the officers
and men of which were wholly unused to
war. On the west of the hill, among
these new troops, he took his position,
where he could see each man of his COM
mand and be seen by every one of them;
and there, in the full fire of the enemy
artillery and musketry, he sat upon his
horse for four hours and half AT eight
o'clock his whole line was formed; at 81
Max Weber was wounded and carried off
the field; at 9 o'clock Sedgwick's divis-
ion had fallen back Max Weber's and
the other brigade of French's divis-
ion had melted away, and Kimball stood
upon the hill alone. No troops on his
right or on his left, and no reserve upon
which to fall back. Had he failed, the
center of the Federal army would have
been pierced, and the history Of Antie-
tam must have been that of Federal
defeatl At glance he saw the impor-
tance of holding the position while a
man was left him. Officers of tried
courage came to him, General, we must
fall back; our friends have gone" ''You
may go when l do" but we are out
of ammunition" "Strip the dead and
wounded" The enemy attempted to
turn first his right flank, then his left,
but the flank regiments changed front
and drove him back. His right wing
charged upon the enemy in the ditch in
front, and left more of the enemys dead
and wounded therein than Gen. Kimball
took into battle with him. The unequal
struggle continued until near noon,
when Richardson came up on his left,
and at one o'clock the enemy withdrew
from his position, leaving Gen. Kimball
with but 600 men of his brigade unhurt.


That the position was held is due to
the unyielding obstinacy of Gen. Kim
ball, and to his presence among his men.
You may 60 when l do and for more
than four hours he was exposed as no
other man was on that feld-perempto
rily silencing his friends who advised
him to retire or seek shelter for himself,
and holding by his own strength of will
and example, raw troops, where veterans
were forced to fall back


Our countrymen should know these
things 1t is not often that General
may feel it necessary to expose himself
for hours in the front line in battle, nor is
it often that tits done when the necessity
arises. Our Government should hasten
to recognize and reward the man who
saw his duty in that case, and who more
than performed it; to whom history will
give the credit of saving the day at An
tietam. Very respectfully,


w. T. DENNIS.