Civilians fall victim after the Battle of Antietam

kholland

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Farmhouses, barns, churches and every other building near Sharpsburg, Md., were turned into shelters for about 18,000 Union and Confederate soldiers wounded at the Battle of Antietam on Sept. 17, 1862.

A local newspaper described the Sharpsburg area as “one vast hospital.”

One of these makeshift hospitals was Green Hill Farm, on the northern edge of Sharpsburg. Adam Michael, who had married Nancy Reel of Sharpsburg, operated this 81-acre homestead and was also a wagon maker.

The Michaels were parents of three daughters and three sons. But only four of their children remained at home at the time of the battle. Ann Sophia had died at age 16. David married Ellen Carney and, like other adventurous folks at that time, got caught up in the great Western movement and settled in Indiana. At home were Samuel, Elizabeth, Catherine (Kate) and Caleb.

Beginning four days after black-powder smoke settled from the “bloodiest day of the war” and lasting until late November, the Michael farm was used as a Union hospital, and it was during these days of mass confusion and troubled times that two members of the Michael family gave their lives while desperately trying to bring comfort and healing to the Yankee wounded.

On Nov. 27, after the last wounded soldier was removed from Green Hill Farm, Samuel Michael wrote a letter to the brother in Indianapolis. Sam attempted to explain the death and devastation his family had experienced since the battle.

“I am sorry that I did not answer your note earlier. It was on account of the family being ill. Elizabeth took sick and died from typhoid fever the Doctor says. She had been sick and was doing well on Sunday, previous to her death. She walked out into the garden and looked at her flowers. I was certain that she was going to recover. On Monday they forced a hospital in our house. Kate and Mother fought them hard. And she heard it up stairs and it frightened her and she just gave way and was taken with severe hemorrhage at the nose and bowels and died on the 24th of October.”

Sam continued to share his grief with brother David: “The hospital was in our parlor for several weeks. I do not know how many died in it. They have left now. It looks like a hog pen. Your house that you lived in was also a hospital by the Yankees. They had as high as 90 in there. They burned all of the fence around it. It is smart riddled from the Yankee shells. Such thundering and roaring you never heard since you were born. You would have thought the day of judgement had finally come if you would have been there.”

“Worst of all the disease of the hospital has affected three of our family. Mother died with the disease on the 25th day of November. She was buried today. Mother complained but a short time was taken with three severe hemorrhage — took place about 12 o’clock at night. She died the next day 10 minutes before two. … I never experienced such a night as that was. I had to do what I never expected I would have to do. I must close. I heard you had a young son. No more at present. Answer immediately without fail."


From Your brother, Samuel Michael


Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2004/jan/2/20040102-091328-1
 
I keep learning about the many dimensions of the war - thanks to this website and the dedicated students of the Civil War that post here. I had not before considered the impact of the makeshift post-battle hospitals on the families whose home it was.
 
When I volunteered at Antietam I went through their collection of letters from the months after the battle. Many civilians died of illnesses contracted while tending the wounded, but I don't think anyone ever counted the number of civilians who were lost in the war, from battle itself or the direct aftermath.
 
I am always interested in the situations where union and confederate soldiers co-mingled as humans rather than enemies of each other. Like at Gettysburg,/Spangler Springs where they filled canteens. And I wonder at Sharpsburg and Shepardstown how many times both union and rebels were being treated in the same rooms.
 
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