EXPLANATION OF THE MAP.
The following map is based upon one issued November, 1894, by the “Antietam Board.” This in turn was based upon the so-called “Michler” map from the office of the U. S. Engineers, which, while correct in the main, has many errors of detail, and it is not likely that all of them have yet been discovered by the Board. Indeed, one object of the Board in issuing the map, was to invite criticism and corrections from the soldiers and others.
The positions of the troops cannot be shown with anything like accuracy and clearness on so small a map, and are omitted excepting a few needed to illustrate the narrative, but it may be said in a general way, that just before Gen. Mansfield was wounded, the Union forces, under Hooker, were pushed out of “the great cornfield” and the East Woods. The 12th Corps, (Mansfield’s), with some help from the remnants of the 1st Corps (Hooker’s), stopped the advance of the Confederates under Hood, and in turn drove them back to West Woods.
At the time Mansfield was wounded, Major Robbins’ command in East Woods was the extreme right of the troops of the Confederate left wing (Jackson’s) actually engaged. Their line ran, with many turns and several intervals, from the woods through the great cornfield to the northern part of West Woods. Not many men in either army were firing their muskets at the moment Mansfield was shot, but the two or three thousand on each side, who were engaged, were very fiercely contending for their positions.
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Footnotes:
[1] Sept. 17, 1891.
[2] The brigade [Crawford’s] had reached a point close to the Hagerstown pike, with the left almost touching the Dunker Church. The brigade was within 50 yards of the turnpike, ready to cross over and into the woods lining the road on the opposite side. These woods were filled with Stonewall Jackson’s troops; and their sharpshooters in the foliage were picking off officers. * * Notwithstanding the hazard, Gen. Mansfield, instead of sending a staff officer to direct the movement of the troops toward the point intended by him, rode forward himself and gave personal directions, wholly in a matter of detail (the alignment of a single regiment that was making an effort to dress on its colors), and when engaged in that unimportant duty of detail for a corps commander, was shot from the woods and almost instantly killed.
[National Tribune, Washington, D. C., Nov. 16, 1893.
[3] These three organizations were virtually one. The 1st Regiment, after serving three months in 1861, re-organized as the 10th, to serve till May, 1863, when it was again recruited and re-organized as the 29th, to serve three years more. The 10th Battalion was that portion of the 10th Regiment which was not discharged in 1863. Excepting eight weeks in the fall of 1861, the regiment or battalion was in “the field” during the entire war, and for more than a year afterward.
[4] The map does not show this new or “Keedysville road.” It now runs directly past Michael Miller’s gate to Sam Poffenberger’s, thence up Sam’s old lane to the woods, there turning west enters the Smoketown road, where the right of the 10th Maine fought—near M on the map. The lane from M. Miller’s to Morrison’s has been closed, and also that part of Sam’s lane which was in East Woods.
[5] Samuel Poffenberger’s. Erroneously marked Dunbar’s Mills on the old maps.
[6] Crawford’s brigade, 46th Penn., Col. Knipe; 10th Maine, Col. Beal; 28th N. Y., fragment, Capt. Mapes; 124th Penn., Col. Hawley; 125th Penn., Col. Higgins; 128th Penn., Col. Samuel Croasdale (killed.)
[7] That is, to bring the men “into line”—the position they should be in for fighting; since while in mass, only Companies I and G could fire their muskets, while a fairly well aimed bullet from the enemy would be almost sure to hit one or more of us.
[8] The 10th Maine went into battle with 21 officers, and 276 men with muskets.
Loss. 3 officers and 28 men killed and mortally wounded.
5 officers and 35 men wounded.
0 prisoners.
Total killed and wounded 71, or 24 per cent. of number engaged.
[9] A regimental division is two companies; C and F in the present case.
[10] He named an officer and regiment of Hooker’s Corps, both of which I forgot before the day was ended.
[11] Sergt. Joe Merrill, Co. F; Private Storer S. Knight, Co. B; Private James Sheridan, Co. C.
[12] Doctor Francis B. Davidson, of the 125th Penn., met the ambulance near Line’s house and turned it in there, and there the General was treated and died, as everybody knows.
[13] An out-cropping spur of limestone ledge, common all over the field.
[14] These were, as we understand, the 128th Penn., a new, large regiment, and the fragments of the 28th N. Y. and 46th Penn. I have not definitely learned exactly where the last two were while the 10th Maine was fighting, but we saw very plainly the 128th Penn. upon the Croasdale Knoll.
[15] Law’s brigade and Wofford’s or “The Texas” brigade.
[16] Garland’s brigade was in the woods a short time, and a few men from some Confederate command were in the extreme northern edge when Tyndale approached it.
[17] Dear old “Jim” has long since “passed over to the other side,” and I cannot tell why he made such a strange report, nor why he didn’t let me, his Adjutant, know about it and have a copy to file away.
[18] History 1st-10th-29th Maine regiment, May 3, 1861, to June 21, 1866. Stephen Berry, Publisher, Portland, Me.
[19] Memorial of Gen. Mansfield, United States Army, Boston, T. R. Marvin & Son, 1862.
[20] Now Lt.-Col. of Engineers, U. S. A.
[21] Quotation from Major Robbins.