Page:Civil War The 42nd Infantry Division of Bedford County Virginia.djvu/19

 the Federal forces on the east side and his on the west he could defend his positions easier as they had to cross the three bridges or fords to get to his army. The battle stage was all set on September 15 and troops lay nervous all night waiting for the coming of dawn. The 16th was a very foggy morning and as it lifted artillery opened up with powerful batteries on both sides. About mid-afternoon General Hooker's 1st corps charged down Hagerstown Pike across Farmer Miller's 40 acre cornfield into General Jackson's forces just back of Dunkard Church. This was a seesaw battle across the cornfield and as dark came each drew back to their former position.

With the coming of dawn on September 17th the battle was renewed on all fronts, the cornfield, scene of the action on the 16th, the battle at the Sunken Road or Bloody Lane, this was General Longstreet's troops opposing the forces of Generals French and Richardson and the battle at the Lower Bridge, General Burnside making a crossing and being opposed by General A. P. Hill's forces.

This was the bloodiest day of the Civil War, 23,000 men lost their lives here, one 20 minute period 2,500 men was slaughtered in the cornfield. There were 12,410 Federal troops killed, wounded or captured and another 13,613 captured at Harper's Ferry. The Confederacy lost 10,700 and another 2,685 at Harper's Ferry.

Antietam was a draw, but both sides claimed victory, the Union forces had halted Lee's invasion and General Lee had gotten the Union forces out of Virginia–a constant threat to Richmond and fought a battle on Federal soil.

The 42nd was at Antietam in General Jackson's division; they were in General J. R. Jones' brigade and commanded by Captain R. W. Withers. They were a part of General Jones' men, fighting from the cover of projecting rocks that helped turn back General Samuel Crawford's division who bore down the Hagerstown Pike toward the Confederates in the west woods.

The battle did not resume the 18th and as night fell General Lee crossed the Potomac at White's Ford back into Virginia with his weary army.