First Day Battle of Shepherdstown-- Part 4: Chaos at the River

I got to wondering how far Shepherdstown and Sharpsburg (site of the Battle of Antietam) were from each other.  I was shocked that they were so close, just 4.1 miles.

When Fitz John Porter's troops arrived at Boteler's Ford on the Maryland side, they eventually had some 70 cannons set up and began pounding the Confederate positions.  Confederate guns were effectively outdistanced.

Messages were sent to William Pendleton describing a worsening situation.  At 5:30, a group of U.S. Sharpshooters crossed the Potomac and set up a line on top of the bluffs.  Pendleton had never commanded infantry in combat before and started making mistakes with his positioning of them not knowing how many troops he actually had.

Reinforcing his flanks left him with just about 300 men to defend Boteler's Ford.  Pendleton's artillery began running low on ammunition.  Eventually the Confederate lines broke and mass confusion reined.  At that point, he went out looking for support and orders as to what he should do.  He had not seen any of his cannons for awhile and assumed the pieces had been captured.

However, all but four of the 44 cannons were saved.

--Old Secesh

McHenry Co. CW Round Table Discussion Group Meeting This Sat., Sept. 25: Sept. 1862- Lee's First Invasion

The McHenry County Civil War Round Table will meet Saturday, September 25 at Panera Bread in Crystal Lake, Illinois, from 10 am to noon.  Topic of the day will be Lee's First Invasion of the North September 1862.

All are welcome.  On topic and off-topic subjects will be discussed.  You never know where we'll end up.

And, it's in person.

Panera Bread is at 6000 Northwest Highway (US-14) and Main Street.

Ya'll Welcome.  --Old Secesh

The Battles of the German Light Artillery

From Research Online

Battles:

Seven Days Battles, Virginia   25 June-1 July 1862

2nd Manassas, Virginia   28-30 August 1862

South Mountain, Maryland   14 September 1862

Sharpsburg, Maryland   17 September 1861

Fredericksburg, Virginia   13 December 1862

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania   1-3 July 1863

Tullifinny Station   9 December 1864  Actually the Battle of Tulifinny Creek

Carolinas Campaign  South Carolina and North Carolina  February to April 1865

--Old Secesh

Goldsboro's Sacrifice at Battle of Antietam-- Part 6

The battle effectively convinced both sides that a peaceful solution to the war was not possible.

Photgraphers were at the battle and for the first time, the folks back home in the North got a first-hand look at the horrors of the war.  Exhibits of masses of dead soldiers were shown all over the country.

Then, Lincoln used the Battle of Antietam, although not a complete victory, as the enabler to issue his Emancipation Proclamation, freeing the slaves in the Confederacy.

Coffman compared the news coverage of the Vietnam War with that of the Civil War, which helped sway public opinion at home about the reasons for fighting.

A bus trip was planned to the Antietam Battlefield for October 19-21 for $100, with attendees paying for their own room and meals.

I was able to visit the battlefield this past November, just two months after the battle's 150th anniversary and was impressed with it.  However, if you're thinking of finding all the Civil War-related stores, musems, etc., in Sharpsburg, that's not going to happen.  This town has gone through great lengths not to allow the Gettsburgation of it.  I could not easily find a place to eat breakfast the morning I was there.

Old Secesh