Second Day of Battle of Sherpherdstown-- Part 2: The Battle Opens

The 118th Pennsylvania Regiment splashed into the Potomac River with orders to march to Shepherdstown.  The water was cold, but they were in high spirits and had a lot of fun when a comrade would slip or stumble into the river.  They did not know about the approaching Rebels and figured that the enemy had just skedaddled and it was going to be an easy day.

Little did they know what was in store for them.

The 118th waded ashore and paused long enough to replace their socks and shoes before being ordered to take up a position at the top of the bluffs.

For Captain  Francis A. Donaldson of the 118th's Company H, this felt a whole lot like deja vu.  The lay of the land and situation reminded him of what he'd been at on October  21, 1861, when he was a member of the 71st Pennsylvania at the Battle of Ball's Bluff.

He didn't know it, but he had good reason to worry.

Confederate General A.P. Hill's Light Division was arriving on the scene.  And, there were a lot of them.

Pendleton's artillery had been moved so far away that they were unable to support Hill's men and the Union artillery across the river really poured it into the advancing Rebels.  Hill wrote it was, "the most  tremendous fire of artillery I ever saw.... It was as if each man felt the fate of the army was centered on

himself."

--Old Secesh