This article is of particular interest to me since I wrote a lot about this little-known battle earlier in the year.
From the November 25, 2022, Shepherdstown Chronicle 'Save the Battlefield': Civil War location to be preserved, thanks to National Park Service grant" by Tabitha Johnston.
Last Friday, the National Park Service announced that it would be awarding a $1.9 million American Battlefield Protection Program Battlefield Land Acquisition Grant to the Jefferson County Historic Landmarks Commission, so the organization can use it to preserve more than 200 acres of the Civil War battlefield.
According to Shepherdstown Battlefield Preservation Association President Michael Nickerson, the preservation of a 121-acre farm has been the recent focus of his organization's Save the Battlefield campaign.
Great News. --Old Secesh
From the Ameriacan Battlefield Trust 2022 calendar.
OCTOBER 14, 1863
** Battle of Bristoe Station, Virginia
OCTOBER 16, 1859
** John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia), begins and lasts three days.
OCTOBER 18, 1859
** U.S. Marines storm engine house at Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia), and capture John Brown.
OCTOBER 19, 1864
** Battle of Cedar Creek, Virginia
OCTOBER 21, 1861
** Battle of Ball's Bluff, Leesburg, Virginia (This battle sure reminds me a lot of the Battle of Sheperdstown.)
OCTOBER 25, 1864
** Battle of Mine Creek, Kansas
--Old Secesh
From the American Battlefield Trust September 2022 calendar.
SEPTEMBER 18, 1863
** Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia, begins.
SEPTEMBER 19, 1862
** Battle of Shepherdstown, West Virginia, begins.
SEPTEMBER 19, 1864
** Battle of Third Winchester, Virginia.
SEPTEMBER 23, 1862
** Battle of Wood Lake, Minnesota
SEPTEMBER 29, 1864
** Battle of New Market Heights, Virginia, begins.
SEPTEMBER 30, 1864
** Battle of Peebles' Farm, Virginia, begins.
--Old Secesh
The McHenry County Civil War Round Table's (Illinois) held its May meeting at the Woodstock (Illinois) Public Library both in person and by Zoom.
The announcement was made that McHenry High School student Jack Waters was the recipient of the 2022 essay contest. He will be receiving a $1000 scholarship to college. Congratulations, Jack.
Tonight's speaker was Fred Reczkowiz and he spoke on a battle I've often heard of, but really didn't know much about, the Battle of Ball's Bluff on October 21, 1861.
He described the battle as a simple accident resulting from a faulty report. And, indeed, after hearing his presentation, Ball's Bluff reminded me a whole lot of the Union catastrophe at the Battle of Shepherdstown less than a year later. I have written a whole lot about that battle in this blog in January and February.
The battle included the 20th Massachusetts, so-called the Harvard Regiment because so many members were from that school. It was also called the "Copperhead Regiment" because so many members were Democrats and not in favor of Republicans.
--Old Secesh
From Wikipedia.
PENN PRESBYTERIAN MEDICAL CENTER
Is a hospital located in the University City section of West Philadelphia. It was founded by Reverend Ephraim D. Saunders in 1871 and formally joined the Pennsylvania Health System in 1995.
Presbyterian was founded in 1871 by the Alliance of Philadelphia Prebyteries as a 48-bed facility on 2.5 acres. The Reverend Dr. Ephraim D. Saunders, a Presbyterian minister, dedicated the land in memory of his son, Courtland, who was shot and killed as a captain in the 118th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment at the Battle of Shepherdstown on September 20, 1862.
He also gave a $400,000 endowment to it.
Reverend Saunders said the dedication, "A few days before the Battle of Antietam ... he[Courtland] passed with me from his tent in the forest.... In view of the perils of war ... he recommended that in the case of his death ... the property should all be donated to some prominent ... charity."
So, the father donated the land and $400,000 to the memory of his son.
The incorporators of the Presbyterian Hospital declared its purpose was "to provide medical and surgical aid and nursing for the sick and disabled..." Care and nursing was granted to the indigent of Philadelphia, funded by donations from individuals and Presbyterian churches.
It is now a 300-bed institution on 16.5 acres of land.
So, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center Owes Its Start to Capt. Courtland Saunders and His Father. --Old Secesh
Union Army officer. Served as captain of Company G of the 118th Pennsylvania Infantry (The Corn Exchange Regiment). He led his company at the September 20, 1862, Battle of Shepherdstown, a small but bloody engagement that marked the end of the Antietam Campaign
In the battle, his unit was sent to the Potomac River to engage retreating Confederates whose rear guard took up defensive positions to guard fords across the river near Shepherdstown, Virginia (it was not yet in the state of West Virginia).
Facing a determined enemy who outnumbered them and had advantages in terrain, the Union troops across the river were ordered to fall back. The 118th's commander, Colonel Charles Provost, objected to the way his retreat orders were received and refused to fall back and ordered an attack.
He was then struck down by a bullet and the 118th was forced back to the river and across it in confusion with many casualties. Of 737 men in the regiment at the beginning, their first combat after having been formed just a month prior, 60 men and three officers were killed.
One of those killed was Captain Courtland Saunders.
--Old Secesh
From Find-A-Grave.
CAPTAIN COURTLAND SAUNDERS
BIRTH: 1840
DEATH: 20 September 1862 (aged 21-22) Battle of Shepherdstown
BURIAL: Woodlands Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
--Old Secesh
From the September 15, 2021 Laurel Hill Cemetery Blog "A Philadelphia Regiment's September baptism of fire" by Russell Dodge.
They have a copy of a poster calling for men to sign up for Company K of the regiment:
*****************************
"$162 BOUNTY
STEADY, ABLE-BODIED MEN WANTED
FOR CO. K.,
CORN EXCHANGE REGIMENT,
At 241 Race Street.
First Lieut. W.M. McKeen
Second Lieut. J. Mora Moss
Captain JOS. W. RICKETTS"
*****************************
These officers were all killed or wounded at the Battle of Shepherdstown.
Then it went into the financial benefits of joining which I will cover in my next post.
--Old Secesh
From Steve's Civil War PHP page.
RICKETTS, JOSEPH W.-- Captain -- Killed at Shepherdstown, W. Va. on September 20, 1862.
CROCKER, LEMUEL L.-- Captain-- Promoted from 1st Lt. of Company C on September 20, 1862. Resigned on February 26, 1864. (I wrote about his brave river crossings to save his comrades last month.)
M'KEAN, WILLIAM N.-- 1st Lieutenant-- Wounded at Shepherdstown, W. Va. on September 20, 1862. Discharged on March 25, 1863. (Also spelled McKeen which is most likely the correct spelling.)
MOSS JR., J. MORA-- 2nd Lieutenant-- Killed at Shepherdstown, W. Va. September 20, 1862.
WILSON, JAMES B.-- 2nd Lieutenant-- Promoted from 1st sergeant Co. A on October 22, 1862 to 1st Lieutenant Co. B on January 12, 1863.
So, Co. K had its captain and 2nd lieutenant killed and 1st lieutenant seriously wounded at the Battle of Shepherdstown.
--Old Secesh
From Find a Grave.
BORN: 16 January 1836 Baltimore, Maryland
DEATH: 20 September 1862 Shepherdstown, West Virginia
BURIED: Woodlands Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Civil War Union Army officer. He served during the Civil War as commander of Company K, 118th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, being mustered in on August 21, 1862.
A month later he was killed at the Battle of Sherpherdstown Ford, (West) Virginia.
--Old Secesh
The 118th's dilemma. Crossing the Potomac under the combined enemy and friendly fire seemed less dangerous than staying and most of the Pennsylvanians decided to risk it. Some waded right into the water, while others threaded their way across the mill dam, which in places were knee-deep.
Musket balls tore splinters from the slippery planks as Colonel Provost was carried across. Many men were shot down before they got to safety.
Lieutenant J. Rudhall White only ha time to give thanks to God for reaching the other side safely when a musket ball fatally struck him.
This is when Lt. Lemuel Crocker got involved with his rescue mission.
The 118th Pennsylvania entered the fight with 737 men. When the fighting died down around 2 pm, three officers and sixty men had been killed, 101 were wounded and 105 were missing. Their 269 casualties constituted the bulk of the 361 Union men lost at the battle.
A.P. Hill was satisfied that the Yankees had been driven back across the Potomac and made no attempt to follow them. Confederate losses numbered 30 dead and 261 wounded.
--Old Secesh
I almost forgot to mention another pressing problem facing the 118th Pennsylvania. Not only were the rookies coming up against seasoned veterans, but also there were a whole lot more of them. In addition, a problem with their weapons developed. Half the Enfields issued to the regiment probed to be defective. Their mainsprings caused the hammers to strike too weakly to pop the percussion caps.
Some men, dazed by their first elephant, were not even aware that their rifles weren't firing. They kept ramming cartridge after cartridge into the barrel. As some gave up their useless weapons and tossed them away, others pounded on the hammers with rocks to force them to fire. Officers searched desperately for rifles dropped by the dead or wounded, hoping to find some that would work.
So, the 118th was in a real desperate situation.
Some of them fell over the bluffs and were hurt. Others took cover in the old limekilns near the cement factory. There, they not only had to dodge fire from the Rebels, but also the Union guns from across the river. The gunners there were cutting the fuses too short and their shells were exploding among friendly soldiers.
Lt. Donaldson believed he saw one Union shell killing 12 or 15 of his own soldiers. He also said he'd seen several of his men rush with a white flag to Rebel lines to surrender.
Friendly Fire-- Old Secesh
The 20th Maine got off fairly easily in what could have been a debacle. However, the 118th Pennsylvania wasn't so fortunate. (This is where Lt. Lemuel Crocker comes in). They were positioned across a ravine from the other Union troops when couriers brought orders to withdraw across the Potomac River.
The messenger sent to the 118th delivered the message to a line officer, who relayed them to the colonel. Men from other regiments yelled across the ravine to tell them to withdraw. When word reached Col. Charles Mallet Prevost, he refused to accept them, saying: "I do not receive orders in that way. If Colonel Barnes has any messages to give me, let his aide come to me."
Colonel Prevost grabbed the regimental standard and started waving it to urge his men to move forward. Just then, a musket ball slammed into his shoulder and ended the brief rally. Command passed to Lt. Col. James Gwyn. An aide brought new orders to retreat and this time they were promptly followed.
The intensity of Confederate General A.P. Hill's attack and inexperience of the 118th began to tell. They fell back to the edge of the bluff and began to break up in panic and confusion. Men rushed and tumbled down the steep hillside and streamed into the river. Hill's men reached the top of the bluff and began pouring fire into the 118th.
One Tar Heel soldier wrote that he watched "them take to the water like ducks."
And, it is not yet over for the 118th.
--Old Secesh
Union General Fitz John Porter, seeing these new Confederates arriving on the field and in sufficient numbers to be a cause of concern, then ordered a withdrawal.
The regular Federal troops got out with no difficulty. But, Private Daniel Webster Burke of the 2nd U.S. Infantry that one abandoned Confederate cannon in the Virginia side had not been spiked. He got permission to spike and crossed the river under increasing Confederate lead the whole time and he finally had to halt his effort.
In 1892, Burke, who had stayed in the Army and attained the rank of colonel was awarded a Medal of Honor for is feat.
Also, along with the 118th Pennsylvania, another Union regiment, the 20th Maine was seeing the elephant as well. Ten months later they would win immortal fame for their stand on the crucial Little Round Top at another bloody battle. Today, their second in command, Lt. Col. Joshua Chamberlain had borrowed a horse and was in the middle of the Potomac directing withdrawal when a Rebel bullet struck his horse and down he went into the water.
He managed to get to the Maryland bank of the river, wet, but still in control. The 20th Maine did well in their first engagement despite some initial fear and confusion, Three men were wounded; one man accidentally shot himself with his musket.
--Old Secesh
