Evan Morrison Woodward

Known by Morrison, by 1850 and to at least 1860, by then 32 years old, he was a clerk, probably for his wealthy merchant father, and he lived with his parents, siblings, and servants in Philadelphia, PA. He enlisted and mustered into service as a Private in Company H, 2nd Pennsylvania Reserves on 27 May 1861. He was appointed Sergeant Major of the regiment on 3 April 1862.

He was in action with his regiment near Turner's Gap on South Mountain on 14 September 1862, where:

one of the most exciting and spirited fights took place we ever witnessed. The ground was of the most difficult character for the movement of troops, the mountain side being very steep and rocky, and obstructed by stone walls, rocks and timber; from behind which the enemy, in lines and squads kept up an incessant fire, as also from their guns posted upon the mountain tops. All order and regularity of the lines were soon destroyed, and the battle partook of the nature of a free-fight, every one going in "on his own hook," as it suited his fancy

our regiment numbered one hundred and seventy-one, rank and file, and four commissioned officers present for duty ... Companies C and K, jointly, were under the command of Sergeant-major Woodward.

It was near three o'clock in the afternoon, when our division ... crossed the Antietam at a ford and the upper bridge, and advanced to attack and, if possible, to turn the enemy's left. Some cavalry and Cooper's battery accompanied us, and after moving about a mile, we turned off into the fields to the left of the road, near the house of D. Miller, advancing slowly ... Soon the enemy opened, sending their round shot and shell singing in among us, to which Cooper briskly replied, while the infantry advanced, and a severe contest commenced, in which we drove the enemy from the first strip of woods over the fields to the second, the battle lasting until eight o'clock ...

Through the night, shots were continually exchanged between ours and the enemy's pickets, who laid within a short distance of each other ...

we were sent to relieve them [the Bucktails, 13th Reserves], arriving there just at the grey of the morning. Deploying, we crept on our bellies to our position, and opened a heavy fire upon the enemy, both parties keeping the ground and maintaining their position.

Upon the repulse of Sedgwick, on our right, the battle in our front became more desperate ... the enemy were pressing us hard, forcing back our right flank and curving us into a semi-circle ... but notwithstanding the gallant efforts of the officers and heroically brave conduct of the men, we were over powered by superior numbers and forced back.

When we broke and were driven across the field, a chicken was scared up, which displayed equal alacrity with the men in its flight to the rear, and a most animated race for life or death took place between them, but the Sergeant-major seizing a favorable opportunity threw himself upon the ground and captured the prize, which furnished a most sumptuous repast.

The Reserves had not yet been defeated ...and again the Reserves charged with loud cheers over the ploughed field into the cornfield and the woods beyond ... Some times pressed hard, we were forced back, and at others the foe yielded to our charge. But as the battle wore on, out of the woods came sudden heavy and terrible volleys from fresh troops, that with their weight of fire bent and bore down to the ground the front, forcing back our shattered lines, that slowly and sullenly retired to the woods where our lines were formed to meet the foe, whom we again hurled back.

During the afternoon the Reserves were withdrawn from the woods and put in position behind the first line in an open field, giving place to fresh troops. This was necessary, as their ammunition was entirely expended and they had been upon the field for nearly twenty-four hours, and suffered severely.

He was commissioned First Lieutenant and Regimental Adjutant on 18 September 1862, vice Augustus Cross, who was killed at Antietam and had also been his predecessor as Sergeant-Major. He was later awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at Fredericksburg, VA on 13 December 1862. He was discharged for disability on 22 September 1863.

He married and moved to New Jersey after the war, and in 1870 was in trucking (?) and lived with his father-in-law, a prosperous retired physician, in Freehold, NJ. By 1880 he was a farmer there. In 1900 he had retired and boarded with the Rudderow family in Mercer County near Trenton.

His service basics from Sypher1 and the Card File.2 His presence on the Maryland Campaign and the quotes above are from his history of the 2nd Reserves: Our Campaigns or, The Marches, Bivouacs, Battles, Incidents of Camp Life and History of our Regiment during its Three Years Term of Service (1865), based on his diary. Personal details from family genealogists and the US Census of 1850-1880. His gravesite is on Findagrave; his bronze grave marker has his birth in 1838, an apparent error. His picture from a photograph sold by the Union Drummer Boy in Gettysburg, PA.

He married Cornelia Laura Canfield (1835-1924) in December 1866 and they had 2 sons.

03/11/1828; Philadelphia, PA

08/15/1904; Trenton, NJ; burial in Riverview Cemetery, Trenton, NJ