|
Captain E. A. Osborne of the 4th North Carolina Infantry: “About nine o’clock the enemy’s line of battle appeared, moving in magnificent style, with mounted officers in full uniform, swords gleaming, banners, plumes and sashes waving, and bayonets glistening in the sun. On they came with steady tramp and confident mien. They did not see our single line of hungry jaded and dusty men, who were lying down, until within good musket shot, when we rose and delivered our fire with terrible effect. Instantly the air was filled with the cries of wounded and dying and the shouts of brave officers, trying to hold and encourage their men, who recoiled at the awful and stunning shock so unexpectedly received.” -- from Osborne’s short history of the 4th North Carolina in Histories of the Several Regiments and Battalions from North Carolina in the Great War 1861-1865, edited by Walter Clark and commonly known as North Carolina Regiments, volume 1, page 247
Brigadier General Nathan Kimball, commanding the First Brigade, French’s Division: “Directly on my front, in a narrow road running parallel with my line, and, being washed by water, forming a natural rifle-pit between my line and a large corn-field, I found the enemy in great force, as also in the corn-field in rear of the ditch. As my line advanced to the crest of the hill, a murderous fire was opened upon it from the entire force in front. My advance farther was checked, and for three hours and thirty minutes the battle raged incessantly, without either party giving way.” -- from Kimball’s battle report, in War of the Rebellion: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, series I, volume 19, part 1, page 308
Sergeant Thomas Galwey of the 8th Ohio Infantry of Kimball’s brigade: “Our men are falling fast. General Kimball passes, muttering, ‘God save my poor boys.’ Well ought he to pray God in such a moment. The din is frightful. . . . The enemy continues to reinforce his line in the sunken road. Our ammunition is running low. The order is passed along the line for us to charge. There are no bugles to sound it, but we look at one another and, fixing our bayonets, we raise a cheer and go forward.” -- from Galwey’s memoirs The Valiant Hours, as quoted in Voices of the Civil War: Antietam, page 112
|
