Lt. Archibald Madison Gordon, 9th Louisiana

Andy Cardinal

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Lieutenant Archibald Madison Gordon served in Company B, 9th Louisiana Infantry.

He was born on November 11, 1837, in Alexandria, Louisiana. He enlisted on July 7, 1861. The regiment was organized at Camp Moore under the command of Colonel Richard Taylor. The regiment was soon sent to Virginia, but did not arrive at Manassas in time for the battle.

The 9th Louisiana became part of the famous Louisiana brigade in October and saw its first major action at Front Royal in May 1862. They participated in all of the major battles of Jackson's Valley Campaign, then transferred to the Richmond areas and fought at Gaines's Mill and Malvern Hill.

After the Seven Days battles ended, the 9th Louisiana was transferred to the 2nd Louisiana brigade, commanded by Brigadier General William E. Starke. They fought at Cedar Mountain and Second Manassas. At Manassas, the Louisianians famously ran out of ammunition and threw rocks at the Union attackers.

During the invasion of Maryland, the 9th Louisiana participated in the capture of Harper's Ferry before hurrying to rejoin Lee at Sharpsuburg, arriving on September 16. At some point, Gordon had become the brigade's assistant adjutant general on General Starke's staff.

Late in the day Union forces commanded by Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker crossed Antietam Creek at the Upper Bridge. Advanced elements of Hooker's column soon became engaged with Hood's division in the East Woods. Both sides deployed their artillery.

Starke's brigade moved from its position near Sharpsburg and took a position west of the Hagerstown Pike and at the northern edge of the West Woods. They did not participate in the fighting on September 16, but were exposed to fire from Cooper's, Ransom's, and Simpson's batteries. According to Colonel Edmund Pendleton's report (Pendleton assumed command of the brigade the next day when Starke was killed), "we encountered the shells from three of the enemy's batteries, and had the misfortune about dark to lose several of our number, among whom was the gallant young Gordon, a Lieutenant in the Ninth Louisiana Regiment and acting assistant adjutant-general of the brigade, who was killed by a shell which cut off both his legs at the thigh."

Gordon was initially buried on the Grove farm but his body was later disinterred. He probably rests in the Confederate Cemetery in Hagerstown.

Sources:
Staff Officers in Gray
Antietam on the Web
Civil War in the East
 
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The page from the Bowie list showing the original burial location of Lieutenant Gordon.
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