History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5; prepared in compliance with acts of the legislature, by Samuel P. Bates.

1862 STORMING OF THE BRIDGE AT ANTIETAM. 5
and drove back the foe. It was nightfall, and a terrible thunder storm
prevailed; but Kearney and Stevens and Reno, three impetuous leaders, immediately forming, moved upon the foe, and fought in the darkness. They
knew nothing of his strength and little of the ground, and contended to a great
disadvantage; but the enemy was beaten back, which was the principal point,
though Kearney and Stevens both yielded up their lives.
At his own request Pope was now relieved of the command of the Army
of the Potomac and MIClellan was restored. On the 3d of September, the
Ninth Corps moved through Washington, and on the 11th reached New Market, on the Maryland campaign. The passage of the Monocacy was not disputed. On the 12th, the command entered Frederick, and had a brisk skirmish with the cavalry, which was covering the withdrawal of the rebel army,
now concentrating in the passes of the South Mountain, which it was determinea
to hold. Before reaching the mountain, Ferrero's Brigade moved by a country
road leading up to the summit on the left of the SharDsburg pike. Upon encountering the enemy's lines, the Seventeenth Michigan, a new regiment, full
of enthusiasm, but little schooled in those cardinal virtues of the soldier imparted by veteran discipline, made a most gallant charge diagonally across
the road from left to right, in the face of a murderous fire, which swept
the ranks at every step, and soon disappeared in the woods beyond. General
Reno, coming up soon after, and supposing that this regiment had established
a line in the woods, and was holding the ground it had so gallantly won, ordered Colonel Hartranft to lead his regiment across the open field in rear of
the supposed line, and close up to the edge of the woods. While the regiment
was thus moving, and was stretched out upon the march unsuspicious of danger, the enemy suddenly opened upon it from the wood a most withering fire.
The Seventeenth Michigan had advanced and driven the enemy, but had neglected to hold its advantage, and the rebels returning, had awaited until the
Fifty-first was upon their bayonet ends, when they deliberately opened fire.
The column was instantly drawn under cover of the wall that flanks the road,
and soon after was deployed to the left of the road, under a fence that
stretches at right angles to it. Fire was immediately opened upon the enemy,
which was kept up until the ammunition was spent, when it was relieved by
the Fifty-first New York, Colonel Potter, lying in close supporting distance.
Returning again to the contest, fire was continued until the enemy, finding himself hard pressed on all sides, and his position rendered insecure, fled under
cover of darkness, and in the morning the columns advanced without opposition.
General Reno was killed early in the contest.
The battle of Antietam opened on the afternoon of the 16th of September,
General Hooker, crossing Antietam Creek and attacking the enemy's left with
great impetuosity and the most triumphant success, and was followed up on
the morning of the 17th with even greater impetuosity by the commands of
Mansfield and Sumner. In the meantime the left and centre of the Union line,
stretching away towards the Potomac on the left bank of the creek, remained
quiet spectators of the desperate encounter on the right. At nine o'clock on
the morning of the 17th, when the struggle upon the right had been four hours
in progress, General Cox, in command of the Ninth Army Corps since the fall
of Reno, was ordered to advance and carry the stone bridge on the extreme
left of the line, firmly held by the enemy. The bridge itself is a stone structure of three arches, with stone parapet above, this parapet to some extent