- Joined
- Feb 13, 2011
- Location
- Howard County, Maryland
"Ezra Ayres Carman was Lt. Colonel of the 7th Regiment of New Jersey Volunteers during the Civil War. He volunteered at Newark, NJ on 3 Sept 1861, and was honorably discharged at Newark on 8 Jul 1862 (This discharge was to accommodate his taking command of another Regiment). Wounded in the line of duty at Williamsburg, Virginia on 5 May 1862 by a gunshot wound to his right arm in action. He also served as Colonel of the 13th Regiment of New Jersey Volunteers from 5 August 1862 to 5 June 1865. He was later promoted to the rank of Brigadier General." At the request of the U.S. government, Carman authored an 1,800 page history of Antietam, undoubtedly the most comprehensive documentation of the Battle."
Here he describes the action near the Dunker Church after the initial attacks of Hooker's men down the Hagerstown Turnpike and the intense fighting in the Cornfield. The italicized words are from the manuscript.
Hood's Division consisted of two brigades commanded by Colonel W.T. Wofford, 18th Georgia, and Colonel E.M. Law, 4th Alabama. Wofford's was Hood's old command, generally known as the Texas Brigade, comprising the 1st, 4th and 5th Texas, 18th Georgia, and the Hampton (S.C.) Legion. Law's Brigade consisted of the 4th Alabama, 6th North Carolina, 2nd and 11th Mississippi. The division numbered about 2000 men, their superior fighting quality not excelled in the army. Up to this day they had never known defeat. Hood was a lion-hearted soldier; his brigade commanders brave and skillful officers.
When Hood was relieved by Lawton, on the night of the 16th, and retired to the woods about 250 yards in rear of the Dunkard Church, it was to get food for his men, who had been nearly famished for three days, and he road in search of his wagons. It was with much difficulty that he found these in the darkness, and they contained flour only. Not until nearly dawn was this in the hands of his men and they were without cooking utensils. It was dawn before the dough was prepared, which the men proceeded to cook on ramrods. About 4 a.m. Hood sent his aid to General D.H. Hill, apprising him of his condition and asking if he could furnish any troops to assist in holding the position on the left, to which Hill replied that he could not. As we have seen, the fighting began at dawn, in and near the East Woods, and, soon hereafter, Hood received notice from Lawton that he would require all the assistance he could give him, and later, when Hartsuff and Gibbon advanced, an officer of Lawton's staff dashed up to Hood, saying "General Lawton sends his compliments, with the request that you come at once to his support" and added that Lawton had been wounded. "To Arms" was instantly sounded, and quite a number of Hood's men were obliged to go to the front, leaving their uncooked rations behind; some carried the half-cooked dough on their ramrods and ate it as they went forward.
Here he describes the action near the Dunker Church after the initial attacks of Hooker's men down the Hagerstown Turnpike and the intense fighting in the Cornfield. The italicized words are from the manuscript.
Hood's Division consisted of two brigades commanded by Colonel W.T. Wofford, 18th Georgia, and Colonel E.M. Law, 4th Alabama. Wofford's was Hood's old command, generally known as the Texas Brigade, comprising the 1st, 4th and 5th Texas, 18th Georgia, and the Hampton (S.C.) Legion. Law's Brigade consisted of the 4th Alabama, 6th North Carolina, 2nd and 11th Mississippi. The division numbered about 2000 men, their superior fighting quality not excelled in the army. Up to this day they had never known defeat. Hood was a lion-hearted soldier; his brigade commanders brave and skillful officers.
When Hood was relieved by Lawton, on the night of the 16th, and retired to the woods about 250 yards in rear of the Dunkard Church, it was to get food for his men, who had been nearly famished for three days, and he road in search of his wagons. It was with much difficulty that he found these in the darkness, and they contained flour only. Not until nearly dawn was this in the hands of his men and they were without cooking utensils. It was dawn before the dough was prepared, which the men proceeded to cook on ramrods. About 4 a.m. Hood sent his aid to General D.H. Hill, apprising him of his condition and asking if he could furnish any troops to assist in holding the position on the left, to which Hill replied that he could not. As we have seen, the fighting began at dawn, in and near the East Woods, and, soon hereafter, Hood received notice from Lawton that he would require all the assistance he could give him, and later, when Hartsuff and Gibbon advanced, an officer of Lawton's staff dashed up to Hood, saying "General Lawton sends his compliments, with the request that you come at once to his support" and added that Lawton had been wounded. "To Arms" was instantly sounded, and quite a number of Hood's men were obliged to go to the front, leaving their uncooked rations behind; some carried the half-cooked dough on their ramrods and ate it as they went forward.