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Capt John D Frank's Official Report

Report of September 18, 1862

[author biography]

LIGHT CO. G, BAILEY'S Regiment LIGHT ARTILLERY,
Camp near Sharpsburg, September 18, 1862.

Major F. N. CLARKE, U. S. Army,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

MAJOR: I have the honor to state that about 8 or 9 o'clock yesterday morning I placed my battery in position to the right and center of our lines, supported by the Sixth Regiment of Maine Volunteers, Hancock's brigade. At about 9.30 o'clock one of the enemy's batteries opened a severe fire to the left and front of my battery, but was driven from its position in less than ten minutes by a well-directed fire of solid shot thrown from my battery. While engaged with this battery, another of the enemy's batteries was placed in a strip of woods unobserved, and opened a very destructive flank fire on my pieces; changing front forward on my left piece, and firing some 40 or 50 solid shot and shell, compelled this battery to withdraw. About 2 o'clock p. m. I opened a flank fire on a battery placed in a corn-field opposite my position, dislodging it with the assistance of a battery on my right.

The loss sustained by my battery was trifling: 1 man killed, 2 severely and 2 slightly wounded: 2 horses killed and 5 wounded; 1 pole cut in two, 1 pole-yoke broken by a shell, and 1 breech-sight disabled, is all the damage sustained by the carriages; all replaced except the breech-sight. Two hundred and forty rounds of solid shot, 48 shell, and about 30 rounds of spherical case were expended, but replaced to-day.

At 8 o'clock this morning I was relieved by Captain Hazard's Rhode Island battery, for the purpose of replacing my ammunition.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JOHN D. FRANK,
Captain, Bailey's Regiment Light Artillery, Commanding Light Company G.

Source: OFFICIAL RECORDS: Series 1, Vol 19, Part 1 (Antietam - Serial 27) , Page 325

 

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