Today in History:

325 Series I Volume XIX-I Serial 27 - Antietam Part I

Page 325 Chapter XXXI] THE MARYLAND CAMPAIGN.


Numbers 71. Report of Captain John D. Frank, Battery G, First New York Light Artillery, of the battle of Antietam.

LIGHT CO. G, BAILEY'S Regiment LIGHT ARTILLERY,

Camp near Sharpsburg, Md., September 18, 1862.

MAJOR: I have the honor to state that about 8 or 9 o'clock yesterday morning I placed my battery in position to the right and center of our lines, supported by the Sixth Regiment of Maine Volunteers, Hancock's brigade. At about 9.30 o'clock one of the enemy's batteries opened a severe fire to the left and front of my battery, but was driven from its position in less than ten minutes by a well-directed fire of solid shot thrown from my battery. While engaged with this battery, another of the enemy's batteries was placed in a strip of woods unobserved, and opened a very destructive flank fire on my pieces; changing front forward on my left piece, and firing some 40 or 50 solid shot and shell, compelled this battery to withdraw. About 2 o'clock p. m. I opened a flank fire on a battery placed in a corn-field opposite my position, dislodging it with the assistance of a battery on my right.

The loss sustained by my battery was trifling: 1 man killed, 2 severely and 2 slightly wounded: 2 horses killed and 5 wounded; 1 pole cut in two, 1 pole-yoke broken by a shell, and 1 breech-sight disabled, is all the damage sustained by the carriages; all replaced except the breech-sight. Two hundred and forty rounds of solid shot, 48 shell, and about 30 rounds of spherical case were expended, but replaced to-day.

At 8 o'clock this morning I was relieved by Captain Hazard's Rhode Island battery, for the purpose of replacing my ammunition.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN D. FRANK,

Captain, Bailey's Regiment Light Artillery, Commanding Light Company G.

Major F. N. CLARKE, U. S. Army,

Chief of Artillery, Sumner's Cops.


Numbers 72. Report of Captain Charles D. Owen, Battery G. First Rhode Island Light Artillery, of the battle of Antietam.


HDQRS. BATTERY G, FIRST RHODE ISLAND ARTILLERY,
Bolivar Heights, September 23, 1862.

SIR: Agreeably to your orders received on the morning of the 17th, I proceeded with my battery toward the front of our lines, in search of some position where my guns could be employed to advantage. I went from the extreme right toward the center, and, after emerging the open field across the road and in rear of the church, but the head of my column had hardly got into the field when our infantry came retreating over the hill, closely followed by the enemy, coming out of the woods. I therefore turned the head of the column and retired behind the burning ruins and reported to you for orders, and you informed me that there were more batteries than could be used, and I had better get my battery under cover, which I did by placing it in the open ground behind the orchard, in rear of the burning ruins.


Page 325 Chapter XXXI] THE MARYLAND CAMPAIGN.