Page:Southern Historical Society Papers volume 08.djvu/206

194 We captured several prisoners the evening: of the 14th. Our loss was four wounded.

We left Harper's Ferry on the 17th September, and after a very rapid and fatiguing march, recrossed the Potomac and reached Sharpsburg in time to participate in the fight. The entire brigade was ordered to the right, and on reaching the field the Twenty-eighth was detached by General A. P. Hill in person, and sent on the road to the left, leading to Sharpsburg, to repel the enemy's skirmishers who were advancing through a field of corn. The rest of the brigade moved nearly at right angles to our line on the enemy's flank. The Seventh, Thirty-third and Thirty-seventh were the regiments principally engaged. They fought well, and assisted in driving back three separate and distinct columns of the enemy. The Eighteenth was not actively engaged. I was ordered about sunset to rejoin the brigade, and on doing so ascertained that General Branch had been killed.

It was after sunset when I assumed command of the brigade. I found the Seventh, Thirty-seventh and Thirty-third posted behind a stone fence, and the Eighteenth sheltered in a hollow in rear. I ordered the Twenty-eight to the left of the line, but the order was delivered to the Eighteenth, which was posted on the left behind a rail fence, a portion of it being broken back to guard against a flank movement. The Twenty-eighth was posted to the left of the Seventh in the opening caused by the withdrawal of a few Georgia troops. Although annoyed by the enemy's sharpshooters, we held our position until ordered to fall back on the night of the 18th. We did not cross the river until the next day. General Gregg's, General Archer's and our brigade formed the rear guard of the army, and were kept in line of battle, facing the enemy, until infantry, artillery, cavalry, wagons and ambulances had all safely crossed.

Our loss in this engagement was our Brigadier-General L. O'B. Branch killed, twenty others killed, seventy-nine wounded and four missing.

On the morning of the 20th September, we were moved, with the balance of the division, back to the ferry, near Shepherdstown. Soon after we had taken our position in line in the field of