A Convergence of Men: The Second Battle of Sharpsburg
Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 1:56 pm
Official Records of the War of Rebellion
Official Records--Series XXVII/2
Operations in North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Department of the East.
June 27 - June 28, 1863
Part 2
Gettysburg Campaign
[b]Summary of Principle Events[/b]
Reports
Army of Northern Virginia
No. 1.--General Robert E. Lee, commanding Army of Northern Virginia
No. 2.--Lieutenant General Ambrose P. Hill, commanding Third Army Corps
No. 1.--Report of General Robert E. Lee, commanding Army of Northern Virginia
Headquarters Army of Northern Virginia
-------- ---, 1863
Mr. President:
On the 26th of last month, I recieved word from a scout that a large body of troops would be marching behind me, from Hagerstown to Harpers Ferry. I endevored to destroy this column of troops before fighting the main Federal Army elsewhere.[*] (At the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1-3) To combat the pressure of the enemy at the South Mountain passes, I detached Longstreet's entire corps, along with elements of Ewell, Hill, and Stuart. These troops ensured the success of our operation at Sharpsburg the next day.
I soon learned that the Federal First and Eleventh Corps were rapidly marching for Harpers Ferry, looking to link up with the Eighth Corps there. It is my belief that the Union Army attempted to catch us moving, and destroy us between their units converging on Harpers Ferry. I immediately marched with Ewell and Hill towards Sharpsburg, which we camped nearby the night of the 27th.
At daybreak of the 28th, I ordered A. P. Hill to block the enemy's line of advance on Harpers Ferry. He did this promptly. As Ewell's Corps was marching towards Sharpsburg, the battle was joined. As Ewell's divisions rose from the creek, they found themselves on the flank of the enemy's line of advance. They promptly moved forward up the line and converged with Hill's troops attacking from the south and west sides of town.
The enemy retreated in considerable confusion back up the turnpike, and our lack of cavalry was severely felt as the Eleventh Corps countermarched for Hagerstown.
The gallant Colonel Gordon was lost in this fight.
General R. E. Lee,
His Excellency President Davis, Richmond.
No. 2.--Report of Lieutenant General Ambrose P. Hill, commanding Third Army Corps
Headquarters Third Army Corps, Army of Northern Virginia
-------- ---, 1863
General:
At daybreak on the 28th of last month, I roused the two remaining divisions of my corps. General Heth took the vanguard of the detachment of the army and led the way towards Sharpsburg, crossing a small stream at a bridge, following the road which rose towards the south side of Sharpsburg. Pender's Division followed. I immediately ordered the lead brigade to march through town and scout north to locate the supposed enemy. At 8:15, scouts reported a large body of troops on the march south. I immediately formed Heth's division to the south of Sharpsburg with a two brigade front (Brockenbrough in reserve). Pender was directed to march to the left flank of Heth and form along the heights to the south and west of town. He was still marching through Sharpsburg when the lead brigade of the Yankee's collided with Archer, just a half mile from town. I ordered General Archer to delay the enemy for as along as he could so I could get Pender into position.
When Pender was finally out of Sharpsburg, I rode forward to Archer. He had been driven back to the north side of town by a Yankee division. I remarked that he had his hands full and that he should retire before he was overwhelmed. His men managed to fall back through town without too much difficulty. Having reduced his command sufficiently, I ordered him to the rear.
At 9:00, I found Pender with his division deployed far to the rear of the location I suggested he defend. Supposively, my staff officer was not clear enough with my instructions, for I realized that moving the entire division forward a quarter mile would put the enemy squarely on their right flank. I ordered the division forward en echelon, with Colonel Perrin on the far left, General Thomas in the center, and General Lane on the right.
As I expected, the enemy corps advanced through town. Three divisions attacked my line, one on the right, one in the center, and one on the left. Throughout the fight I remained with General Pender, overseeing the rest of the line from a vantage point nearby. The eastern-most enemy division assaulted the brigade of Pettigrew, who was holding the right flank. I noticed just as the enemy advanced, the division of General Early advanced from the bridge, causing the attack on Pettigrew to weaken. Pettigrew valiantly held his position against a considerable number of enemy troops, and his casualty rate attains to the severity of fighting. The center division attacked General Davis' Brigade, who successfully halted the enemy, then drove forward at the correct time.
In my front, Pender's division met the third enemy division before either could form a line. General Thomas' brigade engaged first (being farther forward). He managed to halt the drive until General Lane could come up. General Lane advanced in fine style, driving units towards town until the enemy rallied at a mill. His subsequent attacks cost him half of his brigade, yet the enemy was driven back.
Around 9:45, I recieved a note from General Early:
General Heth wisely held General Pettigrew's brigade back, for it had suffered severely from enemy artillery and musket fire in its defense. General Early continued to press forward on the right, and General Thomas drove forward on the left (General Lane's brigade having been fought to pieces by this point). With General Davis continuing forward in the center, the opposing Federal Corps disintigrated. We captured the majority of the enemy in town, yet chased him about a half mile north from that point before the second enemy corps' lines were visibly blocking the way. Not having Rodes' division up yet, and the majority of my fresh brigades collecting prisoners in town or protecting our left flank, I decided to halt the advance.
In this battle, I can say that we destroyed a Federal Corps of 10,000 men at a cost of 2000, of which 1300 were in my corps. Prisoners say they are from the First Corps, Army of the Potomac, and that the Germans of the Eleventh Corps failed to support their advance properly.
My victory goes to my division and brigade commanders: Generals Heth and Pender, Pettigrew, Archer, Davis, Lane, Thomas, and Scales, as well as Colonel Brockenbrough and Perrin. The artillery did a fine job bombarding the town and I must congratulate Lieutenant Colonel Garnett and Major Poague of the artillery. And the battle would not have been as completely successful without the aid of the indefeatible Generals Ewell and Early. The troops of the Second Corps won a battle which would make their old commander proud.
Finally, I must thank my hardworking staff: Lieutenant-Colonel Norb Timpko, Assistant Adjutant-General, as well as Chief of Ordnance J. C. Edwards, who kept the batteries well supplied throughout the battle. My dearest regards go to my aide Little Powell (my protege) and my personal bugler, RebBugler. The rest of my staff did their excellent work as usual, yet my pen would run out of ink to write all of their deeds of daring.
Another great victory to add to our laurals, General!
Lieutenant General Ambrose P. Hill.
General Lee, Headquarters Army of Northern Virginia.
Official Records--Series XXVII/2
Operations in North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Department of the East.
June 27 - June 28, 1863
Part 2
Gettysburg Campaign
| June 27 | General Longstreet moves to South Mountain with Hood's, McLaws', Pickett's, Johnson's, Anderson's, and Stuart's divisions |
| General Lee consolidates forces near Sharpsburg, Maryland | |
| The First and Eleventh Army Corps march towards Harpers Ferry via Sharpsburg | |
| The Eighth Army Corps marches to Harpers Ferry via Martinsburg | |
| The Army of the Potomac marches from Frederick towards Sharpsburg via South Mountain | |
| June 28 | 2nd Battle of Sharpsburg |
Army of Northern Virginia
No. 1.--General Robert E. Lee, commanding Army of Northern Virginia
No. 2.--Lieutenant General Ambrose P. Hill, commanding Third Army Corps
No. 1.--Report of General Robert E. Lee, commanding Army of Northern Virginia
Headquarters Army of Northern Virginia
-------- ---, 1863
Mr. President:
On the 26th of last month, I recieved word from a scout that a large body of troops would be marching behind me, from Hagerstown to Harpers Ferry. I endevored to destroy this column of troops before fighting the main Federal Army elsewhere.[*] (At the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1-3) To combat the pressure of the enemy at the South Mountain passes, I detached Longstreet's entire corps, along with elements of Ewell, Hill, and Stuart. These troops ensured the success of our operation at Sharpsburg the next day.
I soon learned that the Federal First and Eleventh Corps were rapidly marching for Harpers Ferry, looking to link up with the Eighth Corps there. It is my belief that the Union Army attempted to catch us moving, and destroy us between their units converging on Harpers Ferry. I immediately marched with Ewell and Hill towards Sharpsburg, which we camped nearby the night of the 27th.
At daybreak of the 28th, I ordered A. P. Hill to block the enemy's line of advance on Harpers Ferry. He did this promptly. As Ewell's Corps was marching towards Sharpsburg, the battle was joined. As Ewell's divisions rose from the creek, they found themselves on the flank of the enemy's line of advance. They promptly moved forward up the line and converged with Hill's troops attacking from the south and west sides of town.
The enemy retreated in considerable confusion back up the turnpike, and our lack of cavalry was severely felt as the Eleventh Corps countermarched for Hagerstown.
The gallant Colonel Gordon was lost in this fight.
General R. E. Lee,
His Excellency President Davis, Richmond.
No. 2.--Report of Lieutenant General Ambrose P. Hill, commanding Third Army Corps
Headquarters Third Army Corps, Army of Northern Virginia
-------- ---, 1863
General:
At daybreak on the 28th of last month, I roused the two remaining divisions of my corps. General Heth took the vanguard of the detachment of the army and led the way towards Sharpsburg, crossing a small stream at a bridge, following the road which rose towards the south side of Sharpsburg. Pender's Division followed. I immediately ordered the lead brigade to march through town and scout north to locate the supposed enemy. At 8:15, scouts reported a large body of troops on the march south. I immediately formed Heth's division to the south of Sharpsburg with a two brigade front (Brockenbrough in reserve). Pender was directed to march to the left flank of Heth and form along the heights to the south and west of town. He was still marching through Sharpsburg when the lead brigade of the Yankee's collided with Archer, just a half mile from town. I ordered General Archer to delay the enemy for as along as he could so I could get Pender into position.
When Pender was finally out of Sharpsburg, I rode forward to Archer. He had been driven back to the north side of town by a Yankee division. I remarked that he had his hands full and that he should retire before he was overwhelmed. His men managed to fall back through town without too much difficulty. Having reduced his command sufficiently, I ordered him to the rear.
At 9:00, I found Pender with his division deployed far to the rear of the location I suggested he defend. Supposively, my staff officer was not clear enough with my instructions, for I realized that moving the entire division forward a quarter mile would put the enemy squarely on their right flank. I ordered the division forward en echelon, with Colonel Perrin on the far left, General Thomas in the center, and General Lane on the right.
As I expected, the enemy corps advanced through town. Three divisions attacked my line, one on the right, one in the center, and one on the left. Throughout the fight I remained with General Pender, overseeing the rest of the line from a vantage point nearby. The eastern-most enemy division assaulted the brigade of Pettigrew, who was holding the right flank. I noticed just as the enemy advanced, the division of General Early advanced from the bridge, causing the attack on Pettigrew to weaken. Pettigrew valiantly held his position against a considerable number of enemy troops, and his casualty rate attains to the severity of fighting. The center division attacked General Davis' Brigade, who successfully halted the enemy, then drove forward at the correct time.
In my front, Pender's division met the third enemy division before either could form a line. General Thomas' brigade engaged first (being farther forward). He managed to halt the drive until General Lane could come up. General Lane advanced in fine style, driving units towards town until the enemy rallied at a mill. His subsequent attacks cost him half of his brigade, yet the enemy was driven back.
Around 9:45, I recieved a note from General Early:
I then recieved word from Colonel Perrin on our left flank, reporting that he sighted a column of troops marching towards his front. I quickly detached General Scales to march to our flank as support, then ordered General Pender forward into town. The gallant General Davis saw our troops advancing and moved forward at the appropriate time, cutting through the enemy line until the enemy in town was not only surrounded on three sides, but cut in two as well!General:
We surround the enemy on three sides. I am pushing forward towards town. Let us capture all those who are opposing us.
General Heth wisely held General Pettigrew's brigade back, for it had suffered severely from enemy artillery and musket fire in its defense. General Early continued to press forward on the right, and General Thomas drove forward on the left (General Lane's brigade having been fought to pieces by this point). With General Davis continuing forward in the center, the opposing Federal Corps disintigrated. We captured the majority of the enemy in town, yet chased him about a half mile north from that point before the second enemy corps' lines were visibly blocking the way. Not having Rodes' division up yet, and the majority of my fresh brigades collecting prisoners in town or protecting our left flank, I decided to halt the advance.
In this battle, I can say that we destroyed a Federal Corps of 10,000 men at a cost of 2000, of which 1300 were in my corps. Prisoners say they are from the First Corps, Army of the Potomac, and that the Germans of the Eleventh Corps failed to support their advance properly.
My victory goes to my division and brigade commanders: Generals Heth and Pender, Pettigrew, Archer, Davis, Lane, Thomas, and Scales, as well as Colonel Brockenbrough and Perrin. The artillery did a fine job bombarding the town and I must congratulate Lieutenant Colonel Garnett and Major Poague of the artillery. And the battle would not have been as completely successful without the aid of the indefeatible Generals Ewell and Early. The troops of the Second Corps won a battle which would make their old commander proud.
Finally, I must thank my hardworking staff: Lieutenant-Colonel Norb Timpko, Assistant Adjutant-General, as well as Chief of Ordnance J. C. Edwards, who kept the batteries well supplied throughout the battle. My dearest regards go to my aide Little Powell (my protege) and my personal bugler, RebBugler. The rest of my staff did their excellent work as usual, yet my pen would run out of ink to write all of their deeds of daring.
Another great victory to add to our laurals, General!
Lieutenant General Ambrose P. Hill.
General Lee, Headquarters Army of Northern Virginia.