Today in History:

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

Page 972 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter XXXI.

doing, however, no damage. Major-General McLaws brought up two brigades some time afterward, placing one (Kershaw's) on the left of Armistead's, on the same line, and the other (Barksdale's) on my right. In this position we remained during the rest of the day, the ensuing night, and all day Thursday (the 18th.). The enemy made no further attack, but there were several demonstrations, as if another advance was intended, and there were at least three lines of battle formed on the opposite side of the Hagerstown road, near the woods, with a heavy line of skirmishers extending nearly up to the road.

I deem it proper to state that all the killed and wounded of my own brigade were inside of my lines, as I established them after the fight, and that the killed and wounded of the enemy on this part of the field were also within the same lines. All my killed were buried, and all my wounded were carried to the hospitals in the rear, though, by some mis-management on the part of the surgeons or quartermasters, of which I was not aware until too late, some 10 or 15 of my wounded were left in a hospital on the Maryland side of the river when we recrossed.

Late in the afternoon of the 17th I went to the rear to look after the other brigades of the division, and found Major Lowe, with about 100 men of Lawton's brigade, which he had collected together, and which I had moved up to where my brigades was and posted on the right of it.

Early next morning General Hays, with about 90 men of his brigade, reported to me, and was placed on my left in the same line, and during the morning Captain [I. B.] Feagin [Fifteenth Alabama], with about 200 men of Trimble's brigade, reported to me, and was posted in my rear. Only Johnson's and D'Aquin's batteries accompanies the division across the Potomac, the former being attached to Trimble's brigade, and the latter to Hays' brigade. They were both engaged on the 17th, and suffered to some extent, but I am unable to give an account of their operations, as Johnson's battery was soon after detached from the division, and has since been amalgamated with another battery in some other command, and Captain D'Aquin was killed at Fredericksburg. The other batteries which had been detained at Harper's Ferry, were brought over the river on the 18th, by my orders.

RECROSSING THE POTOMAC, AFFAIRS AT BOTELER'S FORD AND SHEPHERDSTOWN, AND MARCH TO BUNKER HILL.

Having received the order from General Jackson after night on the 18th to move back so soon as my pickets were relieved by General Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry, which was between 10 and 11 o'clock, I moved the division back, carrying along Armistead's brigade and I believe this was the last division to move. It recrossed the Potomac at Boteler's Ford shortly after sunrise on the morning of the 19th, and was formed in line of battle on the heights on the Virginia side, under the direction of General Longstreet. After remaining in position for two or three hours, the enemy having in the mean time opened an artillery fire from the opposite side of the Potomac, I was ordered to move toward Martinsburg and to leave Lawton's brigade,then increased to about 400 men, and under command of Colonel [J. H.] Lamar, of the Sixty first Georgia Regiment, in position on the height just below Boteler's Ford. I accordingly moved in the direction indicated until I was ordered to encamp for the night near a school-house, 5 or 6 miles from Shepherdstown.

On the afternoon of the 19th the enemy commenced crossing a small force at Boteler's Ford, and Lawton's brigade gave way, abandoning its


Page 972 OPERATIONS IN N. VA., W. VA., MD., AND PA. Chapter XXXI.