- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
- Location
- Central Massachusetts
Burnside Bridge in 1862, and as it appears today
[http://swevans.com/burnside-bridge-at-antietam-gardner-then-and-now-2015/]
As the Division belatedly approached Sharpsburg, near noontime on Sept. 17th, the 2nd Brigade was assigned the task of seizing the bridge over Antietam Creek, that later came to be known as the Burnside Bridge. Other troops had preceded them, and were repulsed with heavy casualties, and the ground was already littered with the dead and wounded. The narrative of how the bridge was finally taken, is taken up by Capt. Charles F. Walcott, Co. B, 21st Massachusetts Infantry:
"The bridge was very narrow, being only wide enough for four men to pass abreast, and the creek was supposed to be unfordable. On our side of the creek, at the foot of the higher land from which we descended for the assault, open, undulating fields stretched on both sides of the road: the other bank presented a steep hill-side, rising precipitously from the water on the left of the road (as we faced), and on the right cut into by a wooded ravine: the rebel bank to the left of the road was also covered with thick woods near the water. On the hill-side, a few yards above the bridge, there was a heavy stone wall running parallel with the stream, and in the woods and at the turns of the road as it wound up the hill were rifle-pits, and breastworks of rails and stones, all making an excellent cover for the rebel riflemen defending the passage. Take it altogether, it was an exceedingly difficult place to carry by assault, and the five hundred poor fellows, dead or cruelly wounded, who lay in front of it served as powerful remonstrants against the practicability of the attempt.
"The artillery opened with canister to cover our advance, as the three regiments moved down upon the bridge with steady ranks, and, taking position close along the stream, commenced a rapid fire by file upon the rebel cover. The first position taken by the 21st was to the left of the road, and on the left of the 51st Pennsylvania, who were directly in front of the bridge with the 51st New York on their right. The bank opposite the 21st was covered from the water's edge with a thicket of brush and trees, presenting a mass of foliage impenetrable to the eye: after firing from twenty to thirty rounds into the wall of shining leaves, into which six pieces of artillery were at the same time pouring canister over our heads, doubtless helping to keep the enemy quiet, but seriously wounding two of our men, the 21st were moved across the road to the right of the 51st New York, who were at the same time drawn in a little closer to the 51st Pennsylvania. This passage, of not more than five hundred yards, was made by the flank on the double-quick through a withering fire from the rebel sharp-shooters, secure in their entrenchments, which dotted the field around us with little puffs of dust as the hissing bullets entered the ground; and the pierced bodies of more than twenty of our little band marked the path by which we had made it.
"On reaching our new position, we joined in with the two 51sts in a desultory sharp-shooting fire as the rebels showed their heads, for ten or fifteen minutes, keeping the enemy comparatively quiet. Then came the order to charge; the response was worthy Reno's old brigade; the color-bearers started on the run for the bridge (the colors of the 51sts side by side, and a hundred yards nearer the bridge than ours), and the three regiments with a fierce shout crowded towards the narrow passage; but before the colors of the two 51sts had touched the long disputed bridge the panic stricken rebels left their cover and fled, all but the devoted leader of their nearest regiment, who ran down to the edge of the bank, and with a cry of defiance shook his sword in the faces of our men for a moment, and then fell pierced by a dozen bullets*.
"The bridge was won at last, and the veterans of Reno's old brigade are entitled unquestioned to the honor of its capture. The two 51sts immediately passed over the bridge without further opposition, while the 21st, who had nearly exhausted their ammunition in the heavy fusilade upon the peaceful foliage opposite our first position, were halted for a few minutes to allow the men to collect cartridges from the boxes of our dead and wounded; then we passed over the bridge which several thousand of our corps (infantry and artillery) were now hurrying to cross. When over the bridge the brigade, now joined by the 35th Massachusetts, took position in a ravine on the right of the road, which the rebels soon began to enfilade with artillery posted on high land on our right: a fragment of the first shell that I noticed pass down the ravine struck in the head and instantly killed the gallant Lieutenant-Colonel Bell of the 51st Pennsylvania, a worthy companion in arms and command to its loved and distinguished commander Colonel Hartranft."
* Capt Wolcott notes:
"This heroic officer was Lieutenant-Colonel Holmes, commanding the 2d Georgia regiment. Well might General Toombs say of him, as he did in his official report, 'Lieutenant-Colonel Holmes, who commanded the Second Georgia Volunteers, fell near the close of his heroic defense of the passage of the Antietam; and it is due to him to say that, in my judgment, he has not left in the armies of the republic a truer or braver soldier."'
The 21st Mass. had taken into action that day only 150 men, of whom 10 were killed in action, and 35 were wounded (of which 14 subsequently died of their wounds).
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