carried them over it, when one of the most exciting and spirited fights took place we ever witnessed. The ground was of the most difficult character for the movement of troops, the mountain side being very steep and rocky, and obstructed by stone walls, rocks and timber, from behind which the enemy, in lines and squads kept up an incessant fire, as also from their guns posted upon the mountain tops. All order and regularity of the lines were soon destroyed, and the battle partook of the nature of a free fight, every one going in "on his own hook," as it suited his fancy. From wall after wall, and rock after rock, the enemy were driven until our glorious banners caught the gleam of the setting sun, that had been hid from our sight by the mountain tops. Our loud cheers of victory arose from the crest, and was rolled down the mountain side. It was dark before the battle was over, and a desultory fire was continued until near nine o'clock. Towards the close of the battle, General Hooker ordered up General Duryea's brigade of Rickett's division, but they did not arrive until after the action closed, and upon their reaching the crest, they Justily cheered the Reserves.

In his official report General McClellan says, "General Meade speaks highly of General Seymour's skill in handling his brigade on the extreme right, securing by his manoeuvres the great object of the movement, the out flanking of the enemy."

While the Reserves were at work on the extreme right, General Hatch's division was engaged in a severe contest for the crest to our left, which they carried soon after dusk with considerable loss. General Gibbon with his brigade late in the afternoon moved up the turnpike and attacked the enemy's centre, and after a severe engagement which lasted until nine o'clock entirely defeated and drove him away.*

Just before the battle opened our Adjutant, A. T.

* See Appendix A.

Cross was detailed as an Aid to General Seymour and acted with conspicuous bravery.

The troops we fought consisted of D. H. Hill's Corps, our old friend Longstreet's, and a portion of Jackson's, numbering about thirty thousand men. Our force was about the same, and our loss was three hundred and twelve killed, one thousand two hundred and thirty-four wounded and twenty-two missing, making an aggregate of one thousand, five hundred and sixty-eight. About fifteen hundred prisoners were taken by us during the battle, and the loss to the enemy in killed was much greater than our own, and probably also in wounded.

That night we slept on the mountain, and found the heavy dews chilling and damp. To the west in the valley below us the enemy's camp-fires burnt brightly all night. Through the night ammunition was received and distributed to the men. About one o'clock, the Adjutant of the Fifth Alabama who was probably waking up the men of his regiment to withdraw them, got among our boys in mistake, who not admiring the rough shaking he gave them, coupled with the information that the "Yanks" were near, one of them got up and knocked him down, and took him prisoner.

In the morning we were up early, and buried the dead. Among the enemy's was Colonel Gale of the Twelfth Alabama, a very gentlemanly looking fellow. Our pity was excited by a young Alabamian who had a musket ball through the forehead. He was unconscious, yet vitality in him was strong and he swallowed water freely.

A rather remarkable incident occurred in this battle. In the regiment there was a man who had been through the Mexican and this war, but who had never been in a battle, he always shirking, and neither the threats of his officers or ridicule of his comrades could induce him to go into danger, as he declared he had a presentiment when a boy that he would be killed the first fight he went into. Some of his comrades, however, determined he should go into this battle, and threatened

to shoot him if he did not. Soon after his regiment got under fire he laid down behind a trunk of a tree where he was perfectly safe, but seeing a large rock a few feet from him, he got up to go to it, and the instant he rose he fell dead with nine of the enemy's balls in him. What ever could have induced him to go a soldiering a second time after he had discovered his failing we cannot imagine.*

Before we left the field, General Seymour thanked Captain Byrnes and the regiment for their conduct during the battle.

The Reserves moved off about nine A. M., but we were detained on the mountain until noon, when we marched to the turnpike along which we moved to Boonsboro', where we found the churches and buildings filled with the enemy's wounded. Large numbers of prisoners were also there under guard, and further on we passed many more, the most of whom had voluntarily come in and given themselves up to the citizens. Here early in the day our cavalry overtook the enemy's and charging them, killed and wounded a number and captured two hundred and fifty prisoners and two guns.

At Boonsboro' we turned to the left, and marched to Keedysville, where we halted for several hours. Here the boys were most liberally supplied with hot cakes and bread by Mr. John Cost, a good Union citizen of that place, and from whom Captain Byrnes got liquor enough to give the men a ration. Just before dark we moved off and bivouacked in an orchard.

* Bravery is born in us and not acquired. It lies in the blood and is a species of instinct. It is involuntary, and depends not upon ourselves. It is always thoughtlessly impetuous and is inspired by the impulse of example, the blindness arising from common danger, and the heat of battle.

Courage, which is generally confounded with bravery, is not always united with it. It is in the soul, and is a real virtue, a sublime and noble sentiment. It is the result of reflection, of education and sometimes of misfortune. It is animated by patriotism, self-respect and a zeal for the cause engaged in. It is not inaccessible to fear; but it overcomes it. Bravery in the hour of danger is sometimes weakened by reflection; courage is always strengthened by it.

CHAPTER XIX.

THE BATTLE OF ANTIETAM. FIELD HOSPITALS. THE ENEMY WITHDRAWN TO VIRGINIA. PORTER'S RECONNOISSANCE. VISIT OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN.

DURING the day the army under McClellan had been concentrated in the neighborhood of Antietam creek, where the enemy was found occupying a strong position on the heights to the westward of it. Some artillery firing had taken place between our advance and the enemy, but it amounted to little on either side.

BATTLE OF ANTIETAM, SEPTEMBER 16th and 17TH.— Antietam creek, in this vicinity, is crossed by four stone bridges-the upper one on the Keedysville and Williamsport road; the second on the Keedysville and Sharpsburg turnpike, some two and a half miles below; the third about a mile below the second, on the Rhorerville and Sharpsburg; and the fourth near the mouth of Antietam creek, on the road leading from Harper's Ferry to Sharpsburg, some three miles below the third. The stream is sluggish, with few and difficult fords.

The enemy had the mass of his troops concealed behind the heights to the west of the creek. Their left and centre were upon and in front of the Sharpsburg and Hagerstown turnpike, hidden by woods and irregularities of the ground; their extreme left resting upon a wooded eminence near the cross roads to the north of J. Miller's farm, their left resting upon the Potomac. Their line extending south, the right resting upon the hills to the south of Sharpsburg, near Sheavely's farm. On all favorable points the enemy's artillery was posted, and their reserves hidden from view by the hills, on which their line of battle was formed, could manœuvre unobserved by our army, and from the shortness of their line could rapidly reinforce any point threatened by our

attack. Their position, stretching across the angle formed by the Potomac and Antietam, their flanks and rear protected by these streams, was one of the strongest to be found in this region of country, which is well adapted to defensive warfare.

On the right, near Keedysville, on both sides of the Sharpsburg turnpike, were Sumner's and Hooker's corps. In advance, on the right of the turnpike and near Antietam creek, General Richardson's division of Sumner's. corps was posted. General Sykes' division of General Porter's corps was on the left of the turnpike and in line with General Richardson's, protecting the bridge on the Keedysville and Sharpsburg pike. The left of the line, opposite to and some distance from the bridge on the Rohrersville and Sharpsburg road, was occupied by General Burnside's corps. In front of General Sumner's and Hooker's corps, near Keedysville, and on the ridge of the first line of hills overlooking the Antietam, and between the pike and Fry's house on the right of the road were placed Captains Taft's, Von Kleiser's, and Lieutenant Weaver's batteries of 20-pounder Parrott guns. On the crest of the hill in the rear and right of the bridge on the Rohrersville and Sharpsburg road; Captain Weed's 3-inch and Lieutenant Benjamin's 20pounder batteries, General Franklin's corps and Couch's division held a position in Pleasant valley in front of Brownsville, with a strong force of the enemy in their front.

The enemy was commanded by General R. E. Lee, and their force was composed of General Jackson's, Longstreet's, D. H. Hill, Stuart, Ransom's, Jenkins', and other troops, and from information obtained by the examination of prisoners, deserters, spies, etc., previous to the battle, they were estimated to number ninety-seven thousand four hundred and forty-five men for duty, and four hundred guns. Our own force, composed of the corps of General Hooker, Sumner, Porter, Franklin, Burnside, Banks; the divisions of Couch and Pleasanton