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Antietam Battlefield Historical Tablet No. 63

Christ's Brigade, Willcox's Division

7 AM 17 September to 5 PM 18 September

U.S.A.
NINTH ARMY CORPS.
CHRIST'S BRIGADE, WILLCOX'S DIVISION.
Col. B. C. Christ, 50th Pennsylvania Infantry, Commanding.
Organization.
50th Pennsylvania Infantry,
79th New York Infantry,
28th Massachusetts Infantry,
17th Michigan Infantry

(September 17, 1862.)
   On the morning of the 17th Christ's Brigade was in reserve on the eastern slope of the ridge on the left bank of the Antietam, nearly opposite the Burnside Bridge.

About 2 P.M., after Sturgis' Division had carried the bridge, the Brigade crossed and, following the stream and road to Sharpsburg, filed to the right where the course of the former diverged to the east and formed line on the narrow plateau at the foot of the bluff southeast of this point. After the formation of the Corps line, the Brigade advanced, under a heavy fire from Cemetery Hill and the high ground west of the road, to within a few yards of this point where it was checked. After a short delay the 79th New York advanced as skirmishers and compelled the Confederate Artillery to retire. The Brigade was about to move forward, when the attack of A.P. Hill on the left of the Corps obliged it to fall back to the Antietam, where it remained until the evening of the 18th, when it was relieved by Morell's Division of the Fifth Corps.

Location: east side of Rodman Avenue (Map 4)

 

Units described and/or located by this Tablet:

    1st Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Corps
        28th Massachusetts Infantry
        17th Michigan Infantry
        79th New York Infantry
        50th Pennsylvania 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 16863]

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