Chapter 71: Bloody Day at Sharpsburg
A Council of War was called by General Johnston at his HQ at the Dunker Church September 28,1862
In attendance was Lieutenant General James Longstreet Commander of the Army of Northern Virginia, Lieutenant General G. W. Smith commander of Smith’s Corp, Major General Richard H. Anderson commander of Longstreet’s Corp, Major General Benjamin Huger commander of the AoNV Artillery Reserve, Major General Philip St. George Cooke commander of the AoNV Cavalry Corps, Colonel Ferdinand von Zeppelin commander of the Signal Corp attached to the AoNV
Johnston: “ Zeppelin report the enemy’s positions.”
Zeppelin: (standing in front of a map sitting on a table) “Currently Sumner’s forces are concentrated across Antietam Creek at Rohrback’s Bridge at the southern end here we find the 9th and 12th Corps, just north to that is the Middle Bridge outside of the town of Porterstown we see the 5th and 10th Corps, north to that is Pry’s Ford and the 3rd and 6th Corps, and finally the Upper Bridge we see the 1st and 2nd Corps.
Johnston: “ General Longstreet please share your disposition of you troops”.
Longstreet: “ I’ve placed General Smith’s Corp to defend the Upper Bridge where General Kirby-Smith’s Division is stationed, at the Pry Ford we have D.H. Hill’s Division covering that sector, and at the Middle Bridge I’ve stationed General Bee’s division. To cover the Rohrback Bridge we have stationed General McLaws division.”
Johnston: “That leaves Whiting and Wilcox held in reserve.”
Longstreet: “Correct”. After a brief pause “If any place along the front gets pierced then we will pull back to ground predetermined going from Nicodemus Heights running to a bend along Antietam Creek below Pry’s Ford.”
Huger: “General the Reserve Artillery and the bulk of Anderson’s Corp of Artillery are already deployed along this line. We will cover any retreat by Smith’s troops.”
Johnston: “Colonel Zeppelin what are the whereabouts of Lee’s army?”
Zeppelin: “ the lead elements are south of Frederick.”
An aide arrived “Sir (officer saluting) the Union army has begun to stir.”
Johnston: “General Longstreet I leave you to your battle plan.”
Officers saluted and dispersed.
At 7am elements of the AoP began their attack. Under the personal supervision of the army commander himself the 1st and 2nd Corps attacked Kirby-Smith’s division. After early success Kirby-Smith couldn’t hold out indefinitely and sent word to his commanding officer his need to pull back. G.W. Smith sent word to Longstreet that Upper Bridge would soon fall, and sent word to other divisions under his command to begin withdrawing to the next line of defense.
Around midday Longstreet received the word from Smith of his withdrawal. Soon word arrived to Longstreet that Lieutenant General Gustavus W. Smith was killed while overseeing his corps retreat. Major General Edmond Kirby Smith assumed command of the corps. By 2pm Kirby-Smith had joined the troops of R.H. Anderson and prepared to receive the next wave of the Union’s assault.
At 2:30pm elements of the Union’s 10th Corps under Major General Joseph Mansfield. Here is where the soldiers that fought over termed the place “Bloody Lane” ad a sunken road was used by the troops of Major General Bernard E. Bee who had withheld Mansfield’s attempts at crossing Antietam Creek now rushed the Confederate positions. Leading the assault was Union Brigadier Oliver O. Howard’s Division. Howard for his bravery would be wounded twice in the right arm, for his heroics would receive the Medal of Honor, and pierce the confederate line where hand to hand combat saw the Union forces finally pushed back. By the end of the day the 10th Corps would see their corp commander Mansfield killed, and all three division commanders wounded.
As the battle of Sharpsburg developed Robert E. Lee’s troops smashed into Frederick, Maryland and began to assault the AoP from the rear through the Fox and Turner Gaps. By 4pm Major General Sumner finally received reports of what was happening. His army was fully engaged at Sharpsburg, and now another Confederate army that was supposed to be at Centerville in Northern Virginia was now attacking him from the rear. Sumner now ordered all corps minus the 1st and 2nd Corps to disengage and withdraw northward to Hagerstown. The army commander now personally drew his pistol and joined the battle after he turned control over to his second in command Major General William Franklin. Sumner knowing his mistake decided to go out fighting. His body would be later identified in a cornfield along with hundreds of others killed north of the Dunkers Church.