Spotlighton History Antietam

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Spotlight on History

ANTIETAM
September 17, 1862

In keeping with the mission of raising the public's awareness through education, this spotlight on Antietam is offered to inform and hopefully spark some curiosity. The story of the 11th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry will be emphasized in this and future spotlights. The soldiers of the 11th were ordinary people called upon to do extraordinary things. It is our hope that our meager efforts will help bring to light a story of the common man.

Modern view of the "upper bridge" This three arch bridge was built over a ford in the Antietam Creek used by Braddock's Army in 1755. Also known as the "Hitt Bridge," it, and the ford were used by Hooker's First Corps to cross the Antietam Creek on September 16, 1862		Organization on Sept 16,1862 1st Army Corps: Major General Joseph Hooker 2nd Division: Brigadier General James Ricketts 3rd Brigade: Brigadier General George Hartsuff Regiments of 3rd Brigade: 12th & 13th Mass, 83rd New York, & 11th PA

Plaque on Smoketown Road At this point, on the right and left of the road, Rickett's Division bivouaked on the night of September 16, 1862		During the night of September 16, 1862, the 11th Pennsylvania, found itself trying to rest along Smoketown Road along with the rest of the division. At 3 o'oclock in the afternoon the division had broken camp near Keedysville, crossed the Antietam, moved towards Sharpsburg, and at dusk, had taken position under artillery fire.

Looking northeast toward the bivouak area of Ricket's Division on Sept, 16 Line of direction of Hartsuff's Brigade as seen from modern day Cornfield Avenue		Trying to rest in a cornfield, (not the cornfield), the men were kept under arms all night, with enemy artillery fire through the early part of the night and infanrty fire almost all of the night. It was raining. The Union 1st Corps had been ordered to cross the Antietam placing it on the extreme right of its own army and on the extreme left of the Confederate Army, with the intention of flanking and attacking the enemy left. The early warning given the rebels, allowed them to positon their troops to receive the attack the next day.. At daylight of the 17th, the brigade moved forward. General Hartsuff, who had gone forward, was severely wounded. Colonel Coulter took command of the Brigade and Captain Cook, command of the 11th Regiment.

The wounding of Hartsuff and resulting shift of command slowed the Brigade for a time. The brigade was heavily engaged in the Cornfield and the East Woods. The 12th Massachusetts was on the right of the 11th PA and suffered heavily in the area between the Poffenberger Ridge and the D.R. Miller Cornfield. They suffered the hightest loss of any Union regiment at the battle, about two-thirds became casualties. The Eleventh Regiment sustained about 50% casualties.

From the Official Report of General Ricketts; ‘The Division gained the outer edge of the woods and kept up a fearful fire for a few hours, until the ammunition being exhausted, and the supports coming up, was compelled to retire to re-fill boxes, after which the division joined the rest of the Corps on the right, near the turnpike."

Going into action about 5 AM and retiring at about 9AM, the Brigade had undergone hours of destructive fire.