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Antietam Battlefield Historical Tablet No. 116

Second Army Corps

6 AM 17 September to 10 AM 17 September

U.S.A.
SECOND ARMY CORPS
Maj. Gen. E. V. Sumner, Commanding.

(September 17, 1862.)
   At daybreak of the 17th, the three divisions of the 2nd Corps were east of the Antietam: Sedgwick's and French's near Army Headquarters, Richardson's in advance behind the bluff overlooking the Antietam. At 7:30 A. M. Sedgwick's Division moved, crossed the Antietam at Pry's Ford and, advancing through the East Woods and Miller's Cornfield and the fields to the south, in column of Brigades, crossed the Hagerstown Pike about a third of a mile north of this, entered the West Woods, and the right and center had reached the open ground beyond, when its advance was checked by Jackson's Command and the Artillery of Stuart's Cavalry Division.

Gorman's Brigade was in the first line, its left Regiment, the 34th New York, a few yards west of the Dunkard Church and separated from the Brigade by an interval of 460 yards, the Brigade line running in a general dirction northwest, its right 940 yards from this and 610 yards west of the Hagerstown Pike. Dana's and Howard's Brigades were in the second and third lines respectively, their left flanks in the ravine and on the roll of ground 200 to 250 yards northeast of this and 280 to 300 yards west of the Pike. In this position the left flank of the Division was attacked and turned by McLaws' and Walker's Divisions and it was obliged to retreat northward to the fields and woods beyond D. R. Miller's.

Location: east side of the Hagerstown Pike opposite the Dunkard Church (Map 2)

 

Notes: This narrative continues on a second tablet (No. 116, cont.) placed directly adjacent.

 

Units described and/or located by this Tablet:


Second Army Corps
        6th New York Cavalry, Company D
        6th New York Cavalry, Company K
2nd Division, 2nd Corps
    1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 2nd Corps
        15th Massachusetts Infantry
        Massachusetts Sharpshooters, First Company
        1st Minnesota Infantry
        Minnesota Sharpshooters, Second Company
        34th New York Infantry
        82nd New York Infantry (2nd Militia)
    2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 2nd Corps
        106th Pennsylvania Infantry
        69th Pennsylvania Infantry
        71st Pennsylvania Infantry
        72nd Pennsylvania Infantry
    2nd Division, 2nd Corps Artillery
        1st Rhode Island Light Artillery, Battery A
        1st United States Artillery, Battery I
    3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 2nd Corps
        19th Massachusetts Infantry
        20th Massachusetts Infantry
        7th Michigan Infantry
        42nd New York Infantry
        59th New York Infantry

Source: Antietam Battlefield Board, Antietam Battlefield Board Papers, Washington DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1891-1898, Entry 707, Record Group 92 (Historical Tablet text by Generals E.A. Carman and H. Heth)

 

Notes

1   Antietam Board, Antietam Battlefield Commission Papers, Washington DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1891-1898, Entry 707, Record Group 92 (Historical Tablet text by Generals E.A. Carman and H. Heth)  [AotW citation 16718]

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