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WASHINGTON, GA.,
October 25, 1862.
Brig. Gen. D R. JONES.
GENERAL: The day that the army,
commanded by General Lee, left Leesburg and marched toward Maryland, you notified me that
I was assigned to the command of a division, composed of my own brigade, General
Drayton's, and Col. G. T. Anderson's. When Major-General Longstreet's command arrived
within 4 or 5 miles of Hagerstown, I was ordered to send forward one of my brigades to
that point, take possession of Hagerstown, and to hold it until further orders. I asked
permission to accompany this brigade, which was granted by Major-General Longstreet. I
took with me, for the execution of this order, my own brigade, then under the command of
Colonel Benning, of the Seventeenth Georgia Volunteers, leaving Brigadier-General
Drayton's and Colonel Anderson's brigades with the main body of the army.
On Saturday night, September 13, while in
command at Hagerstown, I received orders to hold my command in readiness to march at
daylight the next morning. I received no further orders until about 10 o'clock on Sunday
night, September 14. I then received orders to march immediately to Sharpsburg, which I
did, and reached there before daylight on Monday morning. On that day I received orders
from you to detail two regiments from my own brigade (the only one then with me), and to
order them to Williamsport for the protection of the wagon-train, which left me with but
two regiments only, and one of those (the Second Georgia) was very small, having less than
120 muskets present for duty. With these two regiments I was ordered by you to occupy the
most eligible position I could find on the Antietam River, near the bridge on the road to
Harper's Ferry, in order to prevent the enemy from crossing the river. From this position
I was ordered to fall back when it should become necessary, by my right flank, and to hold
a hill about 400 yards below the bridge and immediately on the river, as long as it might
be practicable, and then to fall back and take position on your right in line of battle,
with four other brigades of your command, about 600 or 800 yards in rear of the bridge.
With these orders I took possession of the ground indicated in your orders on Monday,
September 15, with the Twentieth Georgia Volunteers, commanded by Col. John B. Cumming,
and the Second Georgia Volunteers, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Holmes (about
400 muskets strong), and both under the immediate command of Col. Henry L. Benning,
commanding the brigade.
At this time, no notice having been given me of
what disposition was intended to be made of the rest of the division which had been
assigned to me, I subsequently understood from you that Anderson's brigade had been
attached to Brigadier-General Hood's command, and Brigadier-General Drayton's brigade was
retained by you in your line of battle on the heights in my rear, except one regiment (the
Fiftieth Georgia Volunteers, Lieutenant-Colonel [F.] Kearse), hereafter referred to.
The Antietam River runs comparatively straight
from a point about 100 paces above the bridge to a point about 300 paces below the bridge,
and then curves suddenly around a hill to a ford on a neighborhood road. About 600 yards
to my right and rear the road from Sharpsburg to Harper's Ferry from the foot of the
bridge over the Antietam turns suddenly down the river, and runs nearly upon its margin
for about 300 paces; then leaves the river nearly at right angles. Upon examining the
position, I found a narrow wood upon the margin of the river just above the bridge (an
important and commanding position) occupied by a company of Texans from Brigadier-General
Hood's command. I then ordered the Twentieth to take position, with its left near the foot
of the bridge, on the Sharpsburg side, extending down the river near its margin, and the
Second Georgia on its right, prolonging the line down to the point where the road on the
other side from the mountain approached the river. This required a more open order than
was desirable, on account of the smallness of the regiments, both together numbering but a
little over 400 muskets.
On Tuesday you placed under my command the
Fiftieth Georgia (Lieutenant-Colonel Kearse), numbering, I should suppose, scarcely 100
muskets. I ordered this regiment on the right of the Second Georgia, extending it in open
order, so as to guard a blind plantation road leading to a ford between the lower ford
before referred to and the right of the Second Georgia Volunteers.
On Tuesday evening I received notice of the
withdrawal of the company belonging to Brigadier General Hood's brigade from the position
on Colonel Cumming's left, above the bridge, and was compelled to detail a company from
the Twentieth to take its place.
On Wednesday morning I ordered a company from
General Jenkins' brigade (whom you had placed under my command) to relieve this company
from the Twentieth and occupy its position, that it might resume its position below the
bridge. This order was not obeyed, and subsequently I placed the captain and one-half of
this company between the Second Georgia and Fiftieth Georgia, and the other half, under a
lieutenant, near the lower ford, to prevent or retard the passage of the enemy at this
point. This command held its position with fidelity and firmness until withdrawn by my
order. This position was important, and had been guarded by a cavalry regiment, with an
infantry brigade in its rear, up to Tuesday evening, when both were removed to another
position on the field of battle, and left the crossing unprotected, except by the small
force I was thus enabled to place there. Finding that the battery belonging to my brigade
(Captain Richardson) was placed too far in my rear to render me efficient service in
defending the passage at the bridge, I applied to General Longstreet for another battery.
He ordered Captain Eubank to report to me, who was placed in my rear, about half-way
between the river and Captain Richardson's battery and rendered efficient service as long
as he remained in that position.
The enemy opened on my position with his
artillery on Tuesday evening, and continued it until dark. The damage was but slight. My
own skirmishers and the company from General Hood's brigade crossed the river, and were
actively engaged with the enemy's skirmishers the most of this day.
On Tuesday night the enemy advanced his
artillery and infantry much nearer my position, and on Wednesday morning threw forward his
skirmishers and light infantry in greatly increased numbers, and before 8 o'clock drove in
my pickets and advanced with heavy columns to the attack of my position on the bridge.
This position was not strong. The ground descended gently to the margin of the river,
covered with a narrow strip of woods, affording slight protection to the troops. Its chief
strength lay in the fact that, from the nature of the ground on the other side, the enemy
were compelled to approach mainly by the road which led up the river for near 300 paces,
parallel with my line of battle, and distant therefrom from 50 to 150 feet, thus exposing
his flank to a destructive fire the most of that distance.
At between 9 and 10 o'clock the enemy made his
first attempt to carry the bridge by a rapid assault, and was repulsed with great
slaughter, and at irregular intervals, up to about 1 o'clock, made four other attempts of
the same kind, all of which were gallantly met and successfully repulsed by the Twentieth
and Second Georgia. The Fiftieth Georgia and the half company from General Jenkins'
brigade, before referred to, were on the right of the Second Georgia, rather below the
main point of attack, and rendered little or no service in this fierce and bloody
struggle. After these repeated disastrous repulses, the enemy, despairing of wresting the
bridge from the grasp of its heroic defenders, and thus forcing his passage across the
river at this point, turned his attention to the fords before referred to, and commenced
moving fresh troops in that direction by his left flank. The old road, by the upper of the
two fords referred to, led over a hill on my right and in my rear, which completely
commanded my position and all ingress and egress to and from it below the bridge. My
communications with the rear above the bridge were beset with other, but scarcely less,
difficulties. This approach could have been very successfully defended by a comparatively
small force, and it was for this purpose that I so often and urgently asked the aid of a
regiment on the day of the battle, not having another man available for that purpose. Not
being able to get any re-enforcements for the defense of these two fords, and seeing that
the enemy was moving upon them to cross, thus enabling him to attack my small force in
front, right flank, and rear, and my two regiments having been constantly engaged from
early in the morning up to 1 o'clock with a vastly superior force of the enemy, aided by
three heavy batteries, the commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Holmes, of the Second,
having been killed in the action, and the only remaining field officer, Major [Skidmore]
Harris, being painfully wounded, and fully one half of this regiment being killed or
wounded, and the Twentieth having also suffered severely in killed and wounded, and the
ammunition of both regiments being nearly exhausted, and Eubank's battery having been
withdrawn to the rear nearly two hours before, I deemed it my duty, in pursuance of your
original order, to withdraw my command and place it in the position designated by you
opposite the two lower fords, some half a mile to the right and front of your line of
battle. In pursuance of this order, Colonel Benning, who had commanded the remnant of the
brigade during the action with distinguished gallantry and skill, withdrew these gallant
regiments to their new position, ready again to confront and battle with the enemy. The
Fiftieth Georgia and the company from General Jenkins' brigade were at the same time
ordered to the same position, and were led back by their respective officers. This change
of position was made to my entire satisfaction, and with but small loss, in the face of
greatly superior numbers. Before these troops had reached their new position, the
Fifteenth Georgia Volunteers, under the command of Colonel Millican; the Seventeenth,
under the command of Captain [John A.] McGregor, of my brigade, and Major Little, with
five companies of the Eleventh Georgia (Colonel Anderson's brigade), all of whom had been
detached several days before to guard ammunition and other trains, arrived on the field
and were also placed in the new position before designated. The Twentieth end Second were
then ordered to the ammunition train to replenish their cartridge-boxes.
Though the bridge and upper ford were thus left
open to the enemy, he moved with such extreme caution and slowness that he lost nearly two
hours in crossing and getting into action on our side of the river, about which time
General A. P. Hill's division arrived from Harper's Ferry. I then received your order
that, as soon as General Gregg (of General A. P. Hill's division)arrived and relieved me,
to move my command and take position immediately on your right, on the heights then
occupied by the rest of your command. Before I was relieved by General Gregg, I received
from you another order to move up my command immediately to meet the enemy, who had
already commenced his attack on your position. I immediately put my command in motion,
then consisting of the Fifteenth and Seventeenth Georgia (lessened by one company from
each, sent out as skirmishers), Major Little's battalion, of the Eleventh, a small number
of Kearse's regiment, and on the way I found Colonel Cumming and a part of the Twentieth,
who had returned from supplying themselves with ammunition and joined me, and hastened
with all speed to your position. On my arrival, I found the enemy in possession of the
ground I was ordered by you to occupy on your right. He had driven off our troops,
captured McIntosh's battery (attached to General Drayton's brigade), and held possession
of all the ground from the cornfield on your right down to the Antietam Bridge road,
including the eastern suburbs of the town of Sharpsburg, all the troops defending it
having been driven back and retired to the rear or through the town.
Under this state of facts, I had instantly to
determine either to retreat or fight. A retreat would have left the town of Sharpsburg and
General Longstreet's rear open to the enemy, and was inadmissible. I, therefore, with less
than one-fifth of the enemy's numbers, determined to give him battle, and immediately and
rapidly formed my line of battle in the road within 100 paces of the enemy's lines. While
forming in the road, Captain Troup, my aide, on my extreme left rallied a portion of
General Kemper's brigade, who were retiring from the field, attached it to my line of
battle, and led them into action with conspicuous gallantry and skill.
As soon as possible, I opened fire upon the
enemy's columns, who immediately advanced in good order upon me until he approached within
60 or 80 paces, when the effectiveness of the fire threw his column in considerable
disorder, upon perceiving which I immediately ordered a charge, which, being brilliantly
and energetically executed by my whole line, the enemy broke in confusion and fled.
McIntosh's battery was recaptured and our position retaken within less than thirty minutes
after the commencement of this attack upon him. The enemy fled in confusion toward the
river and bridge, making two or three efforts to rally, which were soon defeated by the
vigorous charges of our troops, aided by Captain Richardson's battery, which I ordered up
immediately upon the recovery of the heights, and which, with its accustomed promptness
and courage, was rapidly placed in position and action. The enemy, to cover his retreating
columns, brought over the bridge a battery and placed it in position. I ordered
Richardson's battery to open upon it, and at the same time ordered the Fifteenth and
Twentieth Georgia forward, who pursued the enemy so close to his guns as to bring them
within range of musketry, which compelled his battery, after a few shots, to join his
fleeing infantry and retreat across the bridge. I desired to pursue the enemy across the
river, but being deficient in artillery to meet his heavy batteries on the other side, I
sent my aide, Captain Troup, to General Lee for the purpose of supplying myself, who
ordered Captain Squires to report to me immediately, which he was unable to do, from not
receiving the order in time, until nearly night, when it was too late to risk the
movement, and, therefore, I ordered him to hold himself in readiness for the movement in
the morning, if the action should be renewed. I then determined to move my troops upon and
occupy the position held by me on the river at the beginning of the action, but before the
execution of this purpose I received your order to change my position and to occupy the
heights on the opposite side of the road leading to the bridge from Sharpsburg, on the
left of your command, which order was immediately executed and the troops bivouacked for
the night.
I am happy to report that our loss in this last
attack was unexpectedly small. Such was the heroic vigor and rapidity of the assault upon
the enemy, he was panic-stricken; his fire was wild and comparatively harmless. Having
been compelled to leave my command before official returns could be brought in, I am
unable to state it accurately. Colonel Benning has, doubtless, before this time furnished
you with them.
Among the casualties of the day I have to
deplore the loss of two commanders of regiments. Colonel Millican, of the Fifteenth
Georgia, who greatly distinguished himself both at Manassas and in this action for
personal gallantry and efficiency as a soldier and field officer, fell while gallantly
leading his regiment in the final charge (and nearly its close), which swept the enemy
from this part of the field of battle. Lieutenant Colonel Holmes, who commanded the Second
Georgia Volunteer Regiment, fell near the close of his heroic defense of the passage of
the Antietam, and it is due to him to say that, in my judgment, he has not left in the
armies of the republic a truer or braver soldier, and I have never known a cooler, more
efficient, or more skillful field officer.
The conduct of the officers and men generally
under my command in the battle of Sharpsburg was so strongly marked with the noble virtues
of the patriot soldier that a narrative of this day's deeds performed by them, however
simple and unadorned, if truthful, would seem like the language of extravagant and
unmerited eulogy.
The reports of the regimental commanders will
bring to your attention the meritorious conduct of officers and men which it may not have
been my good fortune to witness, and, as I have not the benefit of their reports before
me, I shall have to content myself with bringing to your attention the most conspicuous
cases of individual merit which fell under my personal observation. Every opportunity for
conspicuous gallantry and valuable services which presented itself seemed to be eagerly
embraced by those whose good fortune it was to fall in with it.
Colonel Benning stood by his brigade on the
Antietam, guiding, directing, and animating his officers and men with distinguished
coolness, courage, and skill; withdrew them from that perilous condition; again led them,
with equal skill and courage, in the final conflict with the enemy. He deserves the
special consideration of the Government.
Colonel Cumming, with marked gallantry and
skill, led his regiment throughout the day, and, after the long and bloody conflict at the
bridge, brought up one of its fragments to the last charge, and was among the foremost in
it.
Major Harris, of the Second, after the fall of
Colonel Holmes, though suffering from a painful wound, stood firmly and gallantly by his
command during the whole day.
Colonel Benning being in command of the
brigade, and Lieutenant-Colonel [Wesley C.] Hodges and Major [J. H.] Pickett both being
absent, from severe wounds received by them in former battles, Captain McGregor led the
Seventeenth Regiment with ability, courage, and skill.
Major Little led his battalion of the Eleventh
Georgia with a dashing courage and success which won the admiration of his comrades. The
officers and men of his battalion deserve especial mention for their gallantry and good
conduct.
Captain [J. B.] Richardson and his officers and
men, of the company of the Washington Artillery attached to my own brigade, were
conspicuous throughout the day for courage and good conduct. Captain Richardson clung to
the infantry amid every danger, and, being nobly seconded on every occasion by his
officers and men, largely contributed to every success. During the whole connection of
this battery with my command, its officers and men have so conducted themselves
everywhere---on the march, in the camp, and in the battle-field--as to merit and receive
my special approbation.
The duties of my staff, from the nature and
extent of the operations of my command and its distance from the main body, were
peculiarly arduous and dangerous, and I am much indebted to them for their extraordinary
efforts on that occasion. Every difficulty was met by increased energy and exertion, and
every increased danger with a higher courage and devotion to duty. During the combat on
the river they were all constantly engaged in arduous and dangerous duties.
In the final conflict Captain Troup was on the
left of my line ; Captain [D. M.] DuBose on my right Cadet [W. T.] Lamar accompanied
me personally, and Captain [A. A. F.] Hill, of First Georgia Regulars, assigned to me for
special duty, and Lieutenant Grant were actively executing my orders in carrying orders
and bringing up troops.
It happened to my aide, Capt. J. R. Troup, on
three occasions during the day, while in the performance of his ordinary duties, to pass
troops which had broken and left their positions, on all of which occasions he rallied
them with great skill and energy, succeeding on one occasion in leading them back into
position, and on another inspired them with his own courage and enthusiasm, and led them
successfully in the charge on the enemy's columns. Captain Troup's conduct throughout the
day was conspicuous for ability and courage, and is entitled to marked and special
approbation.
The conduct of one of my couriers, Mr. Thomas
Paschal, of Cobb's Legion, deserves special mention for courage and fidelity to duty under
circumstances of peculiar difficulties and dangers.
I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
R. TOOMBS.