Friday, September 12.—Left Hyattstown at nine o’clock A. M., marched only five miles and went to camp. Eight thousand men, cavalry and horse artillery, passed by this afternoon. Signal lights can be seen on Sugar Loaf Mountain.
Saturday, September 13.—Early in the morning, we marched through Urbana. General McClellan passed by at ten o’clock, crossing the Monocacy river. Triumphant entrance into Frederick City. The houses and inhabitants of the city presented a good appearance. Flags were floating all over. General McClellan was surrounded by all of his corps and division commanders, on the roadside. The troops cheered while marching by. Our cavalry and horse artillery drove the rebel rear-guard out of the city, and are chasing them up the South Mountain Pass, the smoke of the artillery is plainly to be seen. The engine house in Frederick City is full of prisoners.
Sunday, September 14.—Battle of South Mountain. General Burnside, marching all of last night, attacked the enemy, near Berkley, early this morning. Our corps left Frederick by eight o’clock A. M., marching towards the mountain. Considerable time was lost by getting on the wrong road. We arrived on the top of the first range of mountains by three o’clock P. M., and witnessed one of the grandest scenes ever seen during the war,—the contest for the possession of South Mountain Pass. At five o’clock P. M. the pass was forced on the point of the bayonet, by the troops under General Reno, who fell during the charge. We arrived at Berkley by ten o’clock at night.
Monday, September 15.—March through South Mountain Pass. The battle-field gives evidence of the desperate fighting of yesterday. Our advance guard is pressing the rear of the enemy through Boonesboro, where we passed through at eleven o’clock A. M. The church and barns are full of wounded and rebel prisoners. The inhabitants seem to be elated at our entrance. After going two miles further, we halted four hours. Skirmishing was going on near Kettysville. After dark we marched through the town.
Tuesday, September 16.—Battle of Antietam. The battle commenced about eight o’clock, opening with heavy cannonading. Our division changed position during the afternoon, going from the centre to the right, passing through Kettysville, and crossed Antietam Creek before dark. We were not engaged to-day.
Wednesday, September 17.—Battle of Antietam and Sharpsburg. Since four o’clock A. M., the battle is raging furiously. Joe Hooker gained some ground early in the morning, but was wounded soon after the beginning. Our battery was ordered to take position close to Hooker’s line. The battle-field wore a terrific aspect, at our arrival. Before reaching the designated position, we had to pass through the enemy’s artillery fire for nearly a mile. Two men of our battery, Fred. Phillips and Patrick Larkins, were wounded, before getting in position. Marching through a cornfield, we saw one of our batteries, entirely demolished, and hundreds of dead and wounded lying around. Crossing the fields, we were heartily cheered by our famous old Sedgwick’s division, which was advancing on the enemy like veterans. We took our position near a cemetery and in front of a burning farm-house, a place already fought for all the morning, as could be seen by the dead and wounded strewn around. We relieved a battery of Hooker’s command, and were supported by but two companies of the Twenty-eighth Pennsylvania infantry, commanded by a sergeant. Here we fought, repeatedly against artillery and infantry, for four hours and a half. At one time our situation was very critical. The enemy, after driving Gorman’s brigade, on our right, came charging from that direction. We used double charges of canister. There was a time when half of the battery was compelled to cease firing. The order, “limber to the rear,” was given; but, fortunately, not heard, as it would have resulted in the certain capture of the battery. At that critical turn, Captain Tompkins called on our infantry support to advance and do their duty, which they did, enabling us to load again. The enemy, after failing to take the battery, retreated slowly, leaving his battle-flag behind, which, by right, should have been given to the battery, as it fell before the infantry support advanced. Our ammunition giving away, Captain Tompkins sent word to be relieved. John Leech deserves due mentioning here, for carrying notice through the hottest fire, regardless of his personal safety, to bring rescue to his comrades. Shortly afterwards, Battery G, Rhode Island, came to relieve us. We left the field under a heavy fire of the enemy’s batteries, leaving our dead and wounded behind. Battery G fired only a few rounds, and left the position we held for four hours and a half. The ground was taken by the enemy. We returned to our former rendezvous, near Hoffman’s farm, and received a written compliment from General Sumner for our good behavior. Our loss was: Killed—Sergeant Reed, John Lawrence, Joe Bosworth, Stone. Wounded—Budlong, John Church, Robert Raynor, F. C. Preston, Sherman Larkin, Zimmerli, Corporal Childs, Fred. Phillips, Francis Phillips, Cargill, Abner Wilder, and Theodore Reichardt. We lost nine horses. During the afternoon, we loaded ammunition. The battle raged till night set in, principally near Sharpsburg. Colonel Miles surrendered Harper’s Ferry, with eleven thousand five hundred men, to Stonewall Jackson.
Thursday, September 18.—Antietam. Both armies are skirmishing briskly since daylight. Our battery left Hoffman’s farm in the morning, and went a little nearer to the battle-field. Lieutenant Jeffrey Hassard started, with eight selected men, to obtain the bodies of our dead, but was not able to accomplish it, the enemy’s sharpshooters firing on our approach. During the afternoon a truce was concluded between the two armies, for the purpose of burying the fallen. The remains of Sergeant Reed, John Lawrence, Joe Bosworth and Ed. Stone, were recovered in a mutilated state, and interred in the evening in the presence of the battery.
Friday, September 19.—The enemy has fallen back to the Potomac. Thousands of dead are covering the field yet. We remained quiet all day.
Saturday, September 20.—Antietam. We exchanged three guns with Pettit’s New York battery. Our battery marched back to Boonsboro, close to McClellan’s headquarters, in the afternoon. Having settled down for the night, we were suddenly aroused and ordered to march immediately to Sharpsburg. An engagement was going on at Shepardstown, close to the Potomac, ending to our disadvantage. We passed through Sharpsburg at two o’clock in the night, and went into park outside of the town.
Sunday, September 21.—Sharpsburg, McClellan’s headquarters. Cannonading still sounding from the Potomac. There is scarcely a house in Sharpsburg, which shows no marks of our artillery fire. The inhabitants admit that General Burnside gave them a right smart shelling.