Battles of the Civil War
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His lines, stretching from the Hagerstown road towards the Potomac, were protected by Stuart's cavalry. General Lee had his headquarters in a tent on a hill near Sharpsburg, where the National Cemetery now is, and from that point he overlooked much of the country that was made a battlefield the next day.
Antietam Creek was spanned by four stone bridges, which were strongly guarded.
McClellan made his headquarters at the fine brick mansion of Philip Pry, about two miles east of Antietam. His army was posted in front on each side, one wing under Sumner and the other under Hooker. Farther down the stream, and not far from bridge No. 3, Burnside's corps was posted. McClellan's artillery was planted on the hills in front of Sumner and Hooker. This was the general position of the contending armies on the 16th.
This was a day of intense anxiety and unrest in the valley of the Antietam. The people, who had lived in the farm houses that dotted the golden autumn landscape in this hitherto quiet community, had now abandoned their homes and given place to the gathering thousands who were marching to the stern command of the officers. It was a day of maneuvering and getting position preparatory to the coming mighty conflict.
The two great armies now lay facing each other in a grand double line three miles in length. At one point they were so near together that the pickets could hear each other tread. It would require no prophet to foretell what would happen on the morrow.
On the night of the 16th few officers found relief from anxiety, and it goes without saying that many a soldier on this particular night, with his mind on the battle which was to be fought on the morrow, did not close his eyes in slumber.
Beautiful and clear the morning broke over the Maryland hills on the fateful 17th of September, 1862. The sunlight had not yet touched the crowned hilltops when artillery fire announced the opening of the battle. The contest was opened by Hooker with about 8,000 men. He made a vigorous attack on the Confederate left, commanded by Jackson, and was supported by Doubleday on the right, and Meade on the left. He had not gone far before the glint of the rising sun disclosed the bayonet points of a large Confederate force standing in a cornfield in his immediate front. This was a part of Jackson's corps, who had arrived during the morning of the 16th from the capture of Harper's Ferry, and had been posted in this position to surprise Hooker in his advance. The outcome was a terrible surprise to the Confederates. Hooker's batteries hurried into action and opened with canister on the cornfield. Hooker's object was to push the Confederates back through a line of woods and seize the Hagerstown road and the woods beyond in the vicinity of the Dunker church. Around this church on this fateful day the demon of war reigned supreme, and near this church stood the fine mansion of a Mr. Mumma, which was fired by a retreating column of Confederate troops and burned throughout the entire engagement. The Federal batteries on the east side of the Antietam poured an enfilading fire on Jackson that galled him very much. The Confederates stood bravely against this fire and made a determined resistance. Back, and still further back, were Jackson's men driven across the field, every stalk of corn in which was cut down by the shot and shell as closely as a knife could have done it. On the ground the fallen lay in rows, precisely as they had stood in the ranks. The Confederates were driven from the cornfield into a patch of woods. Hooker now advanced his center under Meade to seize the Hagerstown road and the woods beyond. They were met by a murderous fire from Jackson, who had just been reënforced by Hood's refreshed troops, who fell heavily upon Meade in the cornfield. Hooker called upon Doubleday for aid, and a brigade was forwarded at double-quick across the cornfield in the face of a terrible storm of shot and shell. The Federals were further reënforced by Mansfield's corps, and while his divisions were deploying this veteran commander was mortally wounded. General Williams succeeded to the command of his corps, who pushed on across the open fields and seized a part of the woods on the Hagerstown road. At the same time Greene's division took position to the left of the Dunker church. This was on high ground and was the key to the Confederate left wing. But Greene's troops were exposed to a galling fire from the division of D. H. Hill and he called for reënforcements. General Sumner sent Sedgwick's division across the creek to reënforce Greene. His troops advanced straight towards the conflict. They found General Hooker severely wounded in the foot, which became so painful that he was carried off the field and left his troops in the command of Sumner. A sharp artillery fire was turned on Sedgwick before he reached the woods, west of the Hagerstown Pike, but once in the shelter of the thick trees he passed in safety to the western edge. Here the division found itself in an ambush.
The Confederates had been heavily reënforced by several brigades under Walker and McLaws, having just arrived from Harper's Ferry, and had not only blocked the front but had worked around to the rear of Sedgwick, who was wounded in the awful slaughter that followed, but he and Sumner finally extricated their men after severe loss. The Federals were now reënforced by Franklin's fresh troops and were able to hold the cornfield and part of the woods over which the conflict had raged till the ground was saturated with blood.
Sedgwick was twice wounded and carried from the field. The command of his division involved on General Howard.
It was now about noon and the battle had been raging since early in the morning. Another deadly conflict was in progress near the center. Sumner's corps had crossed the stream and made a desperate assault on the Confederates under D. H. Hill, stationed to the south of where the battle had previously raged and along a sunken road, since known as "Bloody Lane." The fighting here was of a most desperate character and continued nearly four hours. The Federal advance was led by Generals French and Richardson, who captured a few flags and several prisoners, but failed to carry the heights along which the Confederates were posted. Richardson was mortally wounded while leading a charge and was succeeded by General Hancock, but his men finally captured Bloody Lane with the 300 living men who remained to defend it.
The final Federal charge was made at this point by Colonel Barlow, who displayed the utmost bravery, where he won a brigadier-generalship. He was later wounded and carried off the field. The Confederates had fought desperately to hold their position at Bloody Lane, and when it was captured it was filled with dead bodies. It was now after one o'clock and the firing ceased for the day on the Union right and center.
General Burnside was in command of the Federal left wing and had remained inactive for some hours after the battle had begun at the other end of the line, having finally received orders from McClellan to cross the stone bridge, since known as Burnside's Bridge, and drive the Confederates out of their strong position. The Confederates at this bridge were commanded by General Toombs, who had orders from General Lee to hold the bridge at all hazards. They were behind strong breastworks and rifle pits, which commanded the bridge with both a direct and enfilading fire. General Robert Toombs had been a former United States senator and a member of Jefferson Davis' cabinet. Perhaps the most notable event of his life was the holding of the Burnside Bridge at Antietam for three hours against the fearful onslaughts of the Federals. Burnside's chief officer at this time was General Jacob D. Cox, afterwards governor of Ohio, who succeeded General Reno, killed at South Mountain or Boonsborough Gap. On General Cox fell the task of capturing the stone bridge.
The Confederates had been weakened at this point by the sending of Walker to the support of Jackson, where, as we have noticed, he took part in the deadly assault upon Sedgwick's division.
Toombs, with his small force, had a hard task of defending the bridge, notwithstanding his advantage of position. McClellan sent several urgent orders to General Burnside to cross the bridge at all hazards. Burnside forwarded these to Cox and in the fear that the latter would not be able to carry the bridge by a direct front attack, he sent General Rodman with a division to cross the creek at a ford below. This was accomplished after much difficulty. One assault after another was made upon the bridge in rapid succession, which was at length carried at the cost of 500 men. Burnside charged up the hill and drove the Confederates almost to Sharpsburg. The fighting along the Sharpsburg road might have resulted in the Confederates' disaster and the capture of General Lee's headquarters had it not been for the timely arrival of A. P. Hill's division, which emerged out of a cloud of dust on the Harper's Ferry road and came upon the field at double quick, and, under a heavy fire of artillery, charged upon Burnside's columns and after severe fighting, in which General Rodman was mortally wounded, drove the Federals back almost to the bridge. The pursuit was checked by the Federal artillery on the eastern side of the stream. Darkness closed the conflict.
Lee had counted on the arrival of A. P. Hill in time to help hold the Federals in check at the bridge, but he was late and came up just in time to save the army from disastrous defeat.
With the gloom of that night ended the conflict known as Antietam.
For fourteen hours more than 100,000 men, with 500 pieces of artillery, had engaged in Titanic conflict. As the battle's smoke rose and cleared away the scene presented was one to make the stoutest heart shudder. There lay upon the ground, scattered for three miles over the valleys and hills, and in the improvised hospitals, more than 20,000 men.
Horace Greeley was probably right when he said that this was the bloodiest day in American history.
THE BATTLE OF MURFREESBORO
The fall months of 1862 had been spent by Generals Bragg and Buell in racing across Kentucky, each at the head of a large army. Buell had saved Louisville from the hands of the Confederates, while on the other hand Bragg had succeeded in carrying away a large amount of plunder and supplies for his army which he had gathered from the country through which he passed, and of which his army was in great need.
The authorities at Washington became impatient with Buell on account of his permitting the Confederate army to escape intact, and decided to relieve him of the command of the army, which was handed to General W. S. Rosecrans, who had won considerable distinction by his victories at Corinth and other engagements in the West. The Union army was now designated as the Army of the Cumberland.
Bragg was concentrating his army at Murfreesboro, in central Tennessee, which was near Stone's River, a tributary of the Cumberland River.
On the last days of December General Bragg was advised of the Federals' advance from Nashville, which is about thirty miles from Murfreesboro, and he lost no time in taking position and getting his army into well-drawn battle lines. His left wing under General Hardee, the center Polk, and his right wing under Breckenridge, his cavalry division was commanded by Generals Wheeler, Forrest and Morgan. His lines were three miles in length. On December 30th the Federals came up from Nashville and took position directly opposite in a parallel line. The Federal left was commanded by Thos. L. Crittenden, whose brother was a commander in the Confederate army, and were sons of a famous United States senator from Kentucky. The Federal center was in command of General George H. Thomas, and the right wing under General McCook. Rosecrans had under his command about 43,000 men, while the strength of the Confederates was about 38,000.
The two armies bivouacked within musket range of each other, and the camp-fires of each were clearly seen by the other, as they shown through the groves of trees.
It was plain to be seen that a deadly combat would begin with the coming of the morning.
Rosecrans had planned to attack the Confederate right under Breckinridge, while on the other hand Bragg had planned to attack the Federal left under McCook, and to seize the Nashville turnpike and thereby cut off Rosecrans' retreat. Neither, of course, knew of the other's plan.
At the break of day, on December 31st, the Confederate left moved forward in a magnificent battle-line, about a mile in length and two columns deep. At the same time the Confederate artillery opened with their cannon. The Federals were astonished at so fierce and sudden a charge and were ill prepared. Before McCook could arrange them several batteries were overpowered and several heavy guns fell into the hands of the Confederates. The Union troops fell back in confusion and seemed to have no power to check the impetuous charge of the onrushing foe. Only one division, under General Philip H. Sheridan, held its ground. Sill's brigade of Sheridan's division drove the Confederates in front of its back to their entrenchments, but in this charge the brave commander lost his life.
While the battle raged with tremendous fury on the Union right, Rosecrans was three miles away, throwing his left across the river. Hearing the terrific roar of the cannon and rattle of the musketry, he hastened to attack Breckinridge, hoping to draw a portion of the Confederate force away from the attack on his right. Ere long the sound of battle was coming nearer, and he rightly divined that his right wing was being rapidly driven upon his center by the dashing soldiers of the South. He ordered McCook to dispute every inch of the ground; but McCook's command was torn to pieces except the division of Sheridan, which stood firm against the overwhelming numbers, which stand attracted the attention of the country and brought military fame to Sheridan. He checked the onrushing foe at the point of the bayonet, and re-formed his lines under a heavy fire. Rosecrans ordered up the reserves to the support of the Union center and right. Here for two hours longer the battle raged with unabated fury. Three times the Confederate left and center were thrown against the Union lines, but failed to break them. At length it was discovered that the ammunition was exhausted in Sheridan's division and he withdrew in good order to a plain near the Nashville road. The Confederates' advance was checked by the division of Thomas.
It was now in the afternoon, and still the battle raged in the woods and on the hills about Murfreesboro.
The Federal right and center had been forced back to Stone's River, while Bragg's right was on the same stream close to the Federal line.
In the meantime Rosecrans had massed his artillery on a hill overlooking the field. He had also re-formed his broken lines, and had called 12,000 fresh troops from his left into action. The battle re-opened with utmost fury, and the ranks of both armies were torn with grape and canister and bursting shells.
General Breckinridge brought all of his division excepting one brigade into the action. They had for some time been inactive and were refreshed by a short rest. The Confederates now began a vigorous attack upon the Federal columns, but were swept by a raking artillery fire. They rallied again to the attack, but their ranks were again swept by Rosecrans' artillery and the assault was abandoned.
Darkness was now drawing over the scene of battle, and the firing abated slowly and died away. It had been a bloody day, the dead and dying lay upon the field and in the hospitals in great numbers, and with the awful gloom and suffering of that night ended the first day's battle at Murfreesboro.
The next day was the first of the new year, and both armies remained inactive during the entire day, except to quietly prepare to renew the conflict on the morrow. The renewal of the battle on January 2d was fully expected, but there was but little fighting until late in the afternoon. Rosecrans had sent General Van Cleve across the river to occupy an elevation from which he could shell the town of Murfreesboro.
Bragg sent Breckinridge to dislodge this division, which he did with splendid effect. But Breckinridge's men became exposed to the raking fire of the Federal artillery across the stream and retreated to a place of safety with a loss of 1,700 men killed and wounded.
The next day brought no further conflict. On the night of January 3d General Bragg began to move his army away to winter quarters at Shelbyville.
Murfreesboro was one of the great battles of the war, and, except at Antietam, had not thus far been surpassed. The losses were about 13,000 to the Federals, and about 10,000 to the Confederates. Both sides claimed the victory—the South because of Bragg's decided success on the first day; the North because of Breckinridge's fearful repulse on the last day's battle, and of Bragg's retiring in the night and refusing to fight again.
THE BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG
The silent city of military graves at Fredericksburg is a memorial of one of the bloodiest battles of the war. General McClellan failed to follow up the retreating Southern army after the battle of Antietam, and thereby lost favor with the authorities at Washington, and was relieved of the command of the army, which was handed to General Ambrose E. Burnside, who took command of the Army of the Potomac on November 9, 1862, and on the following day McClellan took leave of his troops.
Burnside changed the whole plan of the campaign and decided to move on Fredericksburg on the Rappahannock River. His army moved forward in three divisions, under Sumner, Hooker and Franklin. They were delayed several days in crossing the river, due to the failure of the arrival of the pontoon bridges. A council of war was held on the night of December 10th, in which the officers were opposed to the plan of battle, but Burnside was determined to carry out his original plan immediately. After two days of skirmishing with the Confederate sharpshooters he succeeded in getting his army across the river on the morning of December 13th.
General Lee had by this time entrenched his army on the hills surrounding Fredericksburg. His line stretched for five miles along the range of hills, surrounding the town on all sides save the east, where the river flows. The strongest position of the Confederates was on Marye's Heights, in the rear of the town. Along the foot of this hill was a stone wall about four feet high, bounding the eastern side of the Telegraph road, being depressed a few feet below the surface of the stone wall, and thus it formed a breastwork for the Confederate troops. Behind this wall a strong Confederate force was concealed, while higher up the hill in several ranks the main army was posted. The right wing of the Confederate army, consisting of about 30,000 men, commanded by "Stonewall" Jackson, was posted on an elevation near Hamilton's crossing of the Fredericksburg and Potomac railroad. The left wing was posted on Marye's Heights, and was commanded by the redoubtable Longstreet. The Southern forces numbered about 75,000 men.
The town proper and the adjoining valleys had been occupied for two days by the Federal troops, marching to and fro and making ready for a decisive conflict, which required no prophet to foretell was near at hand. Franklin's division of 40,000 men was strengthened by a part of Hooker's division and was ordered to make the first attack on the Confederate right, under Jackson. Sumner's division was also reënforced from Hooker's division and was formed for an assault against the Confederates, posted on Marye's Heights.
From the position taken by the Confederate forces their cannons and field artillery poured shot and shell into the town of Fredericksburg. Every house became a target, though deserted except by a few venturesome riflemen. There was scarcely a house that escaped. Ruined, battered and bloody Fredericksburg three times was a Federal hospital and its back yards became little cemeteries.
All this magnificent battle formation had been effected under cover of a dense fog, and when it lifted on that fateful Saturday there was revealed a scene of truly military grandeur. Concealed by the curtain of nature, the Southern army had entrenched itself most advantageously upon the hills, and the Union force massed in strength below, lay within cannon shot of their foe. The Union army totaled 113,000 men.
When the fog lifted in the forenoon of December 13th, Franklin's division was revealed in full strength marching and counter-marching in preparation of the coming conflict. Officers in new uniforms, thousands of bayonets gleaming in the sunshine, champing steeds, rattling gun-carriages whisking artillery into proper range, formed a scene of magnificent grandeur, which excited the admiration of all, even the Confederates. This maneuver has been called the grandest military scene of the war, yet after all this show, Burnside's subordinate officers were unanimous in their belief in the rashness of the undertaking. It is said by historians that the Army of the Potomac never went down to battle with less alacrity than on this day at Fredericksburg.
The advance began about the middle of the forenoon on Jackson's right, which was made by the divisions led by Generals Meade, Doubleday and Gibbon, who endeavored to seize one of the opposing heights on Jackson's extreme right. The advance was made in three lines of battle, which were guarded in front and on each flank by Jackson, whose artillery swept the field by both a front and an enfilading fire as the attacking columns advanced. And as the divisions approached within range Jackson's left poured a deadly fire of musketry upon them, which mowed down brave men in the Union lines in swaths, leaving broad gaps where men had stood.
On the Federal columns came, only to be swept again and again by this murderous fire, but were at length repulsed.
The Confederate lines were broken only once by a part of Meade's division, which captured a few flags and several prisoners. The lost ground was soon recovered by the Confederates. Some of the charges made by the Federals in this engagement were heroic in the extreme. In one advance knapsacks were unslung and bayonets fixed; a brigade marched across a plowed field and passed through broken lines of other brigades, which were retiring in confusion from the leaden storm. In every instance the Federals were driven back in shattered columns.
The dead and wounded lay in heaps. Soldiers were fleeing and officers were galloping to and fro, urging their lines forward.
At length they received orders to retreat, and in retiring from the field the destruction was almost as great as during the assault. Most of the wounded were brought from the field after the engagement, but the dead were left where they fell.
During this engagement General George D. Bayard was mortally wounded by a shot that had severed the sword-belt of a subordinate officer who was standing by.
While Franklin's division was engaged with the Confederate right, Sumner's division was engaged in a terrific assault upon the works of Marye's Heights, which was the stronghold of the Confederate forces. Their position was almost impregnable, consisting of earthworks, wood and stone barricades, running along the sunken road near the foot of the hill. The Federals were not apprised of the sunken road nor of the Confederate force concealed behind the stone wall, under General Cobb. When the Federals advanced up the road they were harassed by shot and shell at every step, but came dashing on in line notwithstanding the terrific fire which poured upon them. The Irish brigade of Hancock's division, under General Meagher, made a wonderful charge, the Irish soldiers moved steadily up the ridge until within a few yards of the sunken road, from which the unexpected fire mowed them down. When they returned from the assault but 250 out of 1,200 men reported under arms from the field, and all these were needed to care for their wounded comrades. This brigade, as we will notice later, distinguished itself at Gettysburg and other engagements. It lost more men in killed and wounded than any regiment that left the State of New York. When returning to be mustered out in 1865, it had only forty-seven men out of 950 that enlisted four years before on first leaving for the front.