Sunken Road Questions

[Andy Cardinal]

I have been working through the fighting at the Sunken Road and am currently reading Colonel Franklin Sawyer's account of the 8th Ohio in his history of the regiment. In it he writes of "a fresh line" making its appearance to their front, emerging "the Sharpsburg heights" and moving "splendidly with its colors, advanced and commanded by an officer on a white charger." This is, chronologically in his telling, after Richardson's division has attacked and
the Confederate line has broken. He says that the line "came down about midway of the cornfield when a volley by our men struck it. Its gallant leader with his horse fell, the line reeled, broke and fled."

I believe all of Anderson's division has already been committed to the fight, so who are those fresh troops? The 3rd Arkansas and 27th North Carolina? He goes on top describe the attempt by these two regiments to move oast their right flank and rear, but this seems to be a different force. When reading I assumed he was talking about Piper's cornfield, but maybe he is referring to Mumma's?

Any thoughts as to who the officer might be?

Any thoughts are appreciated.

 

[Scott1967]

I have been working through the fighting at the Sunken Road and am currently reading Colonel Franklin Sawyer's account of the 8th Ohio in his history of the regiment. In it he writes of "a fresh line" making its appearance to their front, emerging "the Sharpsburg heights" and moving "splendidly with its colors, advanced and commanded by an officer on a white charger." This is, chronologically in his telling, after Richardson's division has attacked and
the Confederate line has broken. He says that the line "came down about midway of the cornfield when a volley by our men struck it. Its gallant leader with his horse fell, the line reeled, broke and fled."

I believe all of Anderson's division has already been committed to the fight, so who are those fresh troops? The 3rd Arkansas and 27th North Carolina? He goes on top describe the attempt by these two regiments to move oast their right flank and rear, but this seems to be a different force. When reading I assumed he was talking about Piper's cornfield, but maybe he is referring to Mumma's?

Any thoughts as to who the officer might be?

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Hmm I'm not sure but I do know Harvey Hill had a horse shot from beneath him after the road was taken the only other high ranking officer I can think of who died was Tew of the 2nd NC but he was shot in the road itself.

I think you best bet is to see which troops DH Hill manged to counter attack with as far as I know they were a mixture of various regiments he could muster together.

I could be completely wrong and I'm sure you have thought of this already.

 

[Andy Cardinal]

Hmm I'm not sure but I do know Harvey Hill had a horse shot from beneath him after the road was taken the only other high ranking officer I can think of who died was Tew of the 2nd NC but he was shot in the road itself.

I think you best bet is to see which troops DH Hill manged to counter attack with as far as I know they were a mixture of various regiments he could muster together.

I could be completely wrong and I'm sure you have thought of this already.

I should have added that Sawyer says that on September 19 after Lee retreated they found the officer and his "milk-white steed" lying dead in the cornfield where they had fallen, both pierced by multiple bullets.

 

[Scott1967]

I should have added that Sawyer says that on September 19 after Lee retreated they found the officer and his "milk-white steed" lying dead in the cornfield where they had fallen, both pierced by multiple bullets.

Ahh thx Andy , Well in that case i haven't got a clue but generally speaking he would have been a major or above I would have thought but in all honesty in all my readings of Antietam I have never heard of this advance after the road was taken just D H Hills counter attack.

Looking at the order of battle the 27th and 3rd didn't lose any high ranking or company officers.

However I did notice that Lt Col De Coppens from the 8th Florida Pryor's Brigade who were around that area was killed But not reported until after the battle by all accounts he was very flamboyant and French so a white steed would fit right in maybe worth a look Andy?.

 

[rpkennedy]

There are a couple field officers who might fit the bill.

Lt. Colonel Georges A.G. De Coppens, 8th Florida (Coppens' Zouaves were attached just prior to the battle)
Lt. Colonel Charles A. Derby, 44th Alabama

I lean towards De Coppens since records indicate that he wasn't known to be dead until after the battle when his body was recovered.

Ryan

Correction: Lt. Colonel Coppens was assigned to the 8th Florida as its commander just prior to Antietam. Coppens' Zouaves (also known as the 1st Louisiana Battalion) was a part of William Starke's brigade under the command of Marie Alfred Coppens, Georges' brother.

 

[Andy Cardinal]

Here are the relevant pages from Sawyer's book:

 

[Brian Downey]

I though immediately of Colonel Henry B Strong, 6th Louisiana Infantry and his battle-famous "milk-white" horse. But Strong's horse was found on DR Miller's farm near the East Woods. Not really close to the Sunken Road.

Could Colonel Sawyer have confused this horse (and its Colonel) after the fact? He was writing about events from 10 to 20 years later.

 

[rpkennedy]

I though immediately of Colonel Henry B Strong, 6th Louisiana Infantry and his battle-famous "milk-white" horse. But Strong's horse was found on DR Miller's farm near the East Woods. Not really close to the Sunken Road.

Could Colonel Sawyer have confused this horse (and its Colonel) after the fact? He was writing about events from 10 to 20 years later.


View attachment 451537

It's a possibility. Memory is a funny thing like that.

That said, his timeline of events is pretty accurate. The last advance across Piper's farm before the Confederate line broke in the Sunken Road and the appearance of Cooke's two regiments against their right flank which forced the 8th Ohio to swing to face them.

Ryan

 

[DixieRifles]

I believe all of Anderson's division has already been committed to the fight, so who are those fresh troops? The 3rd Arkansas and 27th North Carolina? He goes on top describe the attempt by these two regiments to move oast their right flank and rear, but this seems to be a different force. When reading I assumed he was talking about Piper's cornfield, but maybe he is referring to Mumma's?

I had an ancestor/relative in the 3rd Arkansas Regiment, so when I went to Antietam last fall with the CWT Muster, I wanted to understand how they were deployed. It will take me a while to find my maps, but the 3rd Arkansas and the 27 NC were split off from the rest of their brigade and placed under the command of a Cooke. They advanced towards the Sunken Road and fired into the right flank of the Union line but were repulsed---likely by the other Union reserves coming up.

 

[Scott1967]

I though immediately of Colonel Henry B Strong, 6th Louisiana Infantry and his battle-famous "milk-white" horse. But Strong's horse was found on DR Miller's farm near the East Woods. Not really close to the Sunken Road.

Could Colonel Sawyer have confused this horse (and its Colonel) after the fact? He was writing about events from 10 to 20 years later.


View attachment 451537

Thanks Brian this picture was in my brain but I couldn't recall which battle it was from.

And your spot on sometimes soldiers accounts are taken as gospel but maybe Sawyer was genuinely confused while writing his accounts so many years later.

 

[Andy Cardinal]

I though immediately of Colonel Henry B Strong, 6th Louisiana Infantry and his battle-famous "milk-white" horse. But Strong's horse was found on DR Miller's farm near the East Woods. Not really close to the Sunken Road.

Could Colonel Sawyer have confused this horse (and its Colonel) after the fact? He was writing about events from 10 to 20 years later.


View attachment 451537

Thanks Brian.This possibility occured to me too. The 8th Ohio wasn't too terribly far from the East Woods based on where they slept on the night of September 17. But he does record seeing him and the horse shot, which definately not tye 8th Ohio -- unless Sawyer made this story up, which I have also considered.

 

[MHB1862]

I had an ancestor/relative in the 3rd Arkansas Regiment, so when I went to Antietam last fall with the CWT Muster, I wanted to understand how they were deployed. It will take me a while to find my maps, but the 3rd Arkansas and the 27 NC were split off from the rest of their brigade and placed under the command of a Cooke. They advanced towards the Sunken Road and fired into the right flank of the Union line but were repulsed---likely by the other Union reserves coming up.

These two small regiments advanced from across the road from the modern visitors center all the way into the Roulette cornfield. The attack did a great deal to take pressure off of the sunken road at a critical moment. It never had a chance of being decisive. Probably some of the best small unit fighting of the entire war. It kind of reminds me of Ramseur's Brigade's counterattack on the mule Shoe.

 

[Andy Cardinal]

These two small regiments advanced from across the road from the modern visitors center all the way into the Roulette cornfield. The attack did a great deal to take pressure off of the sunken road at a critical moment. It never had a chance of being decisive. Probably some of the best small unit fighting of the entire war. It kind of reminds me of Ramseur's Brigade's counterattack on the mule Shoe.

I agree with that assessment as I am trying to piece it together. It seems to be a relatively overlooked episode in Antietam literature outside of Carman. Are you aware of any good sources?

 

[DixieRifles]

Are you aware of any good sources?

Are you referring to the advance of the 3rd Ark and 27 NC? While I was at Antietam, I obtained a history of the 3rd Arkansas during that battle and it might have some sources.

 

[Andy Cardinal]

Are you referring to the advance of the 3rd Ark and 27 NC? While I was at Antietam, I obtained a history of the 3rd Arkansas during that battle and it might have some sources.

Yes, thanks. What is the history of.the 3rd Arkansas?

 

[DixieRifles]

What is the history of.the 3rd Arkansas?

The 3rd Arkansas Regt was sent to Virginia and ANV. It served in Walker's brigade which was later commanded by Manning at Antietam.
The ANV reorganized to group regiments by state. This resulted in this only Arkansas regiment to be put with the Texas regiments— they became part of the old "Hood's Brigade" lead by Robertson and later Gregg.
So they fought in all the ANV battles. When Longstreet went to Tennessee, they went to fight at Chickamauga and Knoxville. They returned to the Wilderness Campaign in VA until the end of the War.
I went on Muster last year to learn more about the 3rd Arkansas. At Harpers Ferry, Walker occupied Loudoun Heights.
At Antietam, they were held in reserves until 10:20. Col. Van Manning lead the 30 VA, 46 & 48 NC from the woods, past Dunker Church to capture Tomokin's Thode Island Battery. Whereas the 3rd Arkansas and 27 NC were lead by Cooke towards the Dunker Church towards the flank of the Sunken Road and then fell back.

 

[Scott1967]

The 3rd Arkansas Regt was sent to Virginia and ANV. It served in Walker's brigade which was later commanded by Manning at Antietam.
The ANV reorganized to group regiments by state. This resulted in this only Arkansas regiment to be put with the Texas regiments— they became part of the old "Hood's Brigade" lead by Robertson and later Gregg.
So they fought in all the ANV battles. When Longstreet went to Tennessee, they went to fight at Chickamauga and Knoxville. They returned to the Wilderness Campaign in VA until the end of the War.
I went on Muster last year to learn more about the 3rd Arkansas. At Harpers Ferry, Walker occupied Loudoun Heights.
At Antietam, they were held in reserves until 10:20. Col. Van Manning lead the 30 VA, 46 & 48 NC from the woods, past Dunker Church to capture Tomokin's Thode Island Battery. Whereas the 3rd Arkansas and 27 NC were lead by Cooke towards the Dunker Church towards the flank of the Sunken Road and then fell back.

I thought half the regiment was made up from the 2nd Arkansas who fought in the Seven Days battles?.

 

[DixieRifles]

I thought half the regiment was made up from the 2nd Arkansas who fought in the Seven Days battles?.

That was a general history I typed up while browsing the history given to me at the Antietam National Battlefield Interpretive Center. I seem to have seen something about a 2nd Arkansas but I think it refers to a "2nd battalion"?
Also, my ancestor/relative died at Gettysburg so I have not studied many of the other battles in that theater. I have a book on Hood's Texas Brigade and "They'' Do To Tie To!" on the 3rd Arkansas Regiment. The latter is not exactly a book but a collection of articles about different battles.

 

[Scott1967]

That was a general history I typed up while browsing the history given to me at the Antietam National Battlefield Interpretive Center. I seem to have seen something about a 2nd Arkansas but I think it refers to a "2nd battalion"?
Also, my ancestor/relative died at Gettysburg so I have not studied many of the other battles in that theater. I have a book on Hood's Texas Brigade and "They'' Do To Tie To!" on the 3rd Arkansas Regiment. The latter is not exactly a book but a collection of articles about different battles.

Your quite right it was the 2nd Arkansas Battalion that merged into the 3rd after their losses at Gaines Mill.

 

[DixieRifles]

Your quite right it was the 2nd Arkansas Battalion that merged into the 3rd after their losses at Gaines Mill.

This is what you find in British regiments. During WW1 a regiment recruited more men and created new battalions. Some regiments had a dozen battalions including a training battalion or two.