General Hood, in his official report, says: "Here I witnessed the most terrible clash of arms by far that has occurred during the war."[65]
"A little world of artillery was turned loose upon us," says the chaplain of the Fourth Texas.[66]
Sedgwick's Attack.
The diagram gives the position of the troops on this part of the field at the time of Sedgwick's attack.
| 1 Dana's Brigade. 2 Gorman's Brigade. 3 Howard's, after change of front. 4 Green's and Williams's Divisions. 5 Ricketts's Division. | 6 Meade's Division. 7 Doubleday's Division. 8 Position reached by Green and Williams. 9 Union batteries in Miller's cornfield. |
| J Jackson's head-quarters. L Ledges with breastworks. M Miller's. | P Poffenberger's. T Toll House. R Rebels attacking Sedgwick's flank. |
The road running north from the church in the Hagerstown turnpike. That running northeast from the church leads to Hoffman's farm. The narrow way in the woods where Jackson established his head-quarters, is a farm-road.
In Dana's line is the Nineteenth Massachusetts. It fought at Fair Oaks, Savage Station, White-Oak Swamp, Glendale, and Malvern. Its ranks have been sadly thinned. A great many brave men have fallen, but those who survive emulate the deeds of their comrades. They remember one who fell in front of Richmond,—a descendant of a glorious Revolutionary sire, the patriot Putnam, relative of the young officer,—Lieutenant Putnam, who fell mortally wounded at Ball's Bluff. He was born where the old General played in his childhood, before he became a rifle-ranger fighting the Indians in the dark forest bordering Lake Champlain. They could not forget Robert Winthrop Putnam, the frail and feeble boy. He was but sixteen years old when the flag was insulted at Sumter. His whole soul was on fire. He resolved to enlist. The surgeons would not accept him, he was so weak and slender. Again and again he tried to become a soldier, but was as often rejected.
The fire of patriotism burned within his breast. He slept in the room which his great ancestor had occupied in his youth. He sat by the window through the moonlit nights, and carved a wooden sword, thus feeding the consuming flame. On one side he cut this motto:—