Year: 1862


wounded and missing among the woods that mountain
The word missing" means-those who not knoOn to
be killed or wounded but not present At O'Clock,
had hardly gone four five miles before the news reaches
US that the enemy are pursuing Our wagons are sndan-
gered. The column forms line of battle on the first line
of hills that dagonay to the road and wagons
move on TO the 'front.' This the enemy to halt and
form in battle array and while they dsposng of their
forces to the best advantage for attack quietly move
on by the flank to the next succession of hills and thus
continue retreat until arrived the South side of


small creek in the vicinity Of Sharpsburg three miles
from the river Here formed q junction with Long
streets corps (who also had been fighting all day long
Sunday on another mountain farther SOuth) formed


line OF battle and determined to make stand But the
enemy was wary and though making demonstrations did
not dare to cross the creek which remained the dividing
line between us until Wednesday morning. We threw
out skirmshers to the creek bank placed artillery in
position, and though desuOry fighting between pickets
continuous and an hour passed but the booming
Of cannon and the whz of she'll grated the ate,
slept and stood line of battle through the long hours of
Monday night, Tuesday, and Tuesday night. Tuesday,
one division of JacksOns victorious corps joined They
had while fighting South Mountain, Sunday,
been busly fighting Harpers Ferry and succeeded
Yankees 900 stands of arms and about 80 of the most
improved pieces of field artillery, together with large lot
OF ammunition clothing shoes and horses and Wagons


have seen all the captured articles myself Our line of
battle formed Jackson's troops put
the right; D. H. Hills in the centre and Longstreets
the left facing creek with their backs towards the
Potomac All day long Tuesday we could see heavy col.
umns of Yankees arriving in front of lines and felt
that the crisis was near At daylight on Wednesday
morning, awakened by heavy artillery and
ket firing left and each was ordered to his
place Desperate and heavy does it roll from the left and
the sound seems to nearer. Soon the wound
ed come mpng towards u.s. and they say the enemy has
attacked our left flank in heavy force, and
falling back. Look at that cloud of dust Our artillery
IS retreatng and while straniug in the
direction of the rereatng mass of men that just
emerging in view away the open bills left,
galOping courier arrives and directs Gen. Hill to change
his front to the left Quickly we are faced to the left
marched through growing field of corn and then filed to
the left in long lane that parallel to left flank
rtuhp int tbal
the extreme left Garands next Rhodes next, and Ander
sons on the right. Away goes Longsreets reireating


In a few moments 1 could see the advancing line of
Yankees Three heavy columns approaching extend
ing TO the right and lett as a as we can see each column
about 100 yards behind the other, and the nearest
400 yards distant. To oppose this, was Hills weak
little division onefourth as large, and my very
heart sunk within me, / heard Gen. Anderson say to
of his aids to hurry to the rear and tell Gen. Hill for
Gods sake to send reinforcemens it was hopeless
contend against the approaching columns. 1t
about o'clock The battle had begun also on the right
of first position and jackson hotly engaged
were sent about % yards to the front OF u.s.
and line ordered to lie down in the lane, and hold
their fire till the enemy close to us. stood near Col


Tew the of hill, in front of position, and
gazed with tumultuous emotion the fast approaching


line. Our little corps seemed doomed to destruction, but
not eye 1inched a nerve quvered and you could
observe the battleght of determination on every coun
tenance, and then felt would do honor to
noble old State that day. though would not live TO
il again. On moved the columns until could distin-
gush the stars their Haunting banners the mount


ed officers and hear their words of command Just then


Yankee horseman waved his hat at US, and Col Tew
turned the compliment. 1t was the last of the Col


onel. Our skirmishers began fire the advancing


line and returned to Slowly they approach the
hill and slowly our skrmishers retire before them rpg
they Our skirmishers ordered to into
the line. Here they right before 80 yards
off but if with one feeling whole line pour a dead


~ voey into their ranks-they drop reel stagger and
back their first line go beyond the of the hill Our
reload, and await for them to again approach while
the first column of the enemy meet the second rally and
move forward again. They meet with the reception
and back again they to back when met by their
third line Here they all come You can see their mount


ed riders cheering them on and with slckly "huZza


thev again approach at charge, but another vOey
sends their whole line rceng back They then approach
the top of the hi cautiously, and lying down, pour
into each other continuous shower of caden hail for
four long mortal hours the whole air resounds with the
din of Musket rifle, cannon and shell pour forth
an avalanche of lead and ron Our protected by
about inches of the of the road but that is
great protectUn; they fire cautiously, and apparently
as cool if shooting at squirrels taking every


fire. The protection however, is not sufficient The air
is full of lead and many shot rs they aiming at
the enemy and the groans Of the wounded heard amid
the of the musketry Col Tew was Killed about II
o'clock, minnie ball penetrating his brain. 1t is certain
death leave the rad, wounded, the balls fly thick
over u.s. We hear renfOrcements coming up behind u.s.
but the fire hot they able
r. and forced to fall back Our number is percep
tby reduced by deaths and wounds and fire sackens
while the enemy has succeeded in planting battery that
rakes the road and sends many to eternity at every dis
charge. Our left has given away and the enemy has al


ready crossed the lane in our rear At last the order is
given fall back and the few that remain unnjured fall
sueny back. The enemy, however have been so badly
punished, they not able tn follow immediately. We
rally behind stone fence and await their approach the
whole division hardly making respectable regiment.
Reinrrcemens arrive the enemy approach but fall back
in disorder before fire from behind the wall that fairly
melted their ranks Their retreat is followed up by the
fresh troops of A. P Hill. who have just arrived, and
when night sets in the whipped three miles
the battlefield on the left while the recedng fire that
bazes horribly from the right Indicates that the right
the enemy sueuy rereang before the invincibc
forces of jackson. The day is but dearly Six
to eight thousand of brave boys lay around dead
wounded that days fray, while the ground is made blue


In C,It,, nnn.J !, a..
field Their wounded must be immense. Our regiment
brought only 100 of the fight just one-thrd 1t carried
in while other regiments suffered worse


The next morning the Yankees sent in flag asking
permission bury their dead and all that day devo
ted that purpose and to taking care of the wounded


who are hospitaled ut Sharpsburg. Nd, Harpers
Ferry Cbarestown, Winchester and throughout the
try on the Virginia side OF the Potomac Each army
so dsorganized that neither able to make another
offensive move On Friday our army crossed the river
into Virginia. and enclmpcd in the woods, near Shepards
town. The enemy took the movement as retreat and on
Saturday morning undertook to at the ford but
were by forces, and were driven pemell across
the river with fearful slaughtsS Our loss was slight In
been put hors du coJd killed. wounded prisoners.
This is small estimate. think it likely to amount to
60 10000 Our army has again crossed into Maryland
and occupy the places they did before the battles,
while Stuart with his cavalry and artillery Is at Hages-
town. near the Pennsylvania line. do not know what


Now as have given you an account of the battles
will give an account of myself l do not know all that
are killed and wounded in the regiment in my
own companv. know Col Tew is killed and Capt. How
ard taken prisoner. Capt. Hurt Of Co wounded,
and taken prisoner. Lieut. APPewhite OF ID, wounded in
the arm and hear that there only three officers with
the regiment slightly wounded on the bead and in
the right foot about O'Clock, by bursting she'll had
no bones broken. was able to get off the field by my
self and did without being hit again. many others tried
it, but the only one that know Of who attempted to
,eave the field wounded that was not shot again. went
TO the rear had my wounds dressed hired horse and,
knowing the vicinity of the battlefield would be crowded
with wounded came to this place There are about 400
wounded in the Hospitals here, and they treated
well as if they were at home Every woman in the town
is devoted SouhrOn and they all vie with each other in
their kindness to the wounded fortunate to
be able to secure quarters with rich Presbyterian family,
where every lady about the house does she could not
do enough for me They want to wait on me too much.
There are three wounded officers the office with me-
ana am not able the good things that shOwered
unon me at all hours of the day. am in perfect clover


and stow away large quantities of luscious grapes apples
peaches pears while preserves and cakes, pies etc. lie
untasted around shall De loath to go back again to
green corn BADLY cooked flour bread. and fat mddng