Confederate Quotes
“as though you had set fire to a cane brake of a thousand acres”
A Georgia soldier describes the escalating volume of musketry coming from Lee’s left
From Burnside’s Bridge The Climactic Struggle of the 2nd and 20th Georgia at Antietam Creek by Phillip T. Tucker. Mechanicsburg: Stackpole, 2000.
“The sun seemed to go backwards and night was set aside.”
A North Carolina soldier describes the seemingly endless day
From For Honor, Flag, and Family Civil War Major General Samuel W. Crawford, 1827-1892 by Richard Wagner. Shippensburg: White Mane Books, 2005.
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“Men I cannot say fell-they were knocked out of ranks by the dozen.”
A rebel soldier describing the ferocity of the Cornfield
From Mr. Lincoln’s Army by Bruce Catton. New York: Anchor Books 1990.
“those corn acres of hell.”
A Virginian describing the Cornfield
From Cavalryman of the Lost Cause by Jeffry D. Wert. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2008.
“There was no halt made until we reached the northern boundary of the corn [Miller’s corn field], and there for the first time that day I saw the enemy. He had a battery on top of the hill and was shooting over us. Our line silenced the guns, but did not capture them. A quiet of a few minutes followed, then an infantry line appeared on the crest and engaged our line. The flag of the regiment opposing the 11th Miss. was shot down (or lowered) at least a half dozen times before it disappeared behind the hill. Our line did not advance any farther, but kept its same position. The next move in our immediate front was an attempt to get a gun in position to bear on us. It came up in a gallop but the horses were nearly all killed or wounded, the artillerymen disappeared and the effort failed.”
D. L. Lowe. From “Antietam Eyewitness Accounts.” by Scott D. Hartwig. [Online] Available http://www.historynet.com/antietam-eyewitness-accounts.htm
“it seemed the whole world was in arms against us….Their new bright flags were waving in every direction.”
E. Scott Carson of Hampton’s Legion remembers the Cornfield fight
From “First Texas in the Cornfield.” by George E. Otott. The Maryland Campaign of 1862 Civil War Regiments: A Journal of the American Civil War. Vol 5, No 3. Campbell CA: Savas Publishing Company, 1998.
“but few of our troops on the field, and these seemed to be in much confusion, but still opposing the advance of the enemy’s dense masses with determination.”
Evander M. Law describing the condition of the field when his brigade arrived.
From “First Texas in the Cornfield.” by George E. Otott. The Maryland Campaign of 1862 Civil War Regiments: A Journal of the American Civil War. Vol 5, No 3. Campbell CA: Savas Publishing Company, 1998.
“I thought Darling, that I heard at Malvern Hill heavy cannonading, but I was mistaken.”
G.P. Ring, a member of Hay’s Brigade describing the artillery fire at Antietam
From Lee’s Tigers – The Louisiana Infantry in the Army of Northern Virginia by Terry Jones. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1987.
“To the Texans in the ranks the sound of battle was deafening: the boom of artillery; the loud reports of dozens of nearby rifles and the steady popping of thousands more distant; the explosions of shells and the whine and hiss of lead balls and steel fragments. Men whooped and yelled; others screamed to be heard by their comrades. File closers and company commanders bellowed orders and encouragement until they were hoarse-or shot. Dead and dangerously wounded Texans lay among the living and unhurt. Walking wounded dribbled from the line. Like a funeral pall, thick clouds of smoke drifted over the corn and at times obscured the sun.”
George E. Otott, author of article describing the Cornfield in his own words.
From “First Texas in the Cornfield.” by George E. Otott. The Maryland Campaign of 1862 Civil War Regiments: A Journal of the American Civil War. Vol 5, No 3. Campbell CA: Savas Publishing Company, 1998.
“I never saw such pretty country or an old one in my life,…splendid crops have been raised in this part of Maryland and everything good to eat.”
H. Watters Berryman of Co I 1st Texas describes Maryland
From “First Texas in the Cornfield.” by George E. Otott. The Maryland Campaign of 1862 Civil War Regiments: A Journal of the American Civil War. Vol 5, No 3. Campbell CA: Savas Publishing Company, 1998.
“They always take the Texans to the hottest part of the field.”
H. Watters Berryman of Co I, 1st Tex in a letter to his mother speaks about the battle
From “First Texas in the Cornfield.” by George E. Otott. The Maryland Campaign of 1862 Civil War Regiments: A Journal of the American Civil War. Vol 5, No 3. Campbell CA: Savas Publishing Company, 1998.
“Just as fast as one man would pick it up, he would be shot down. Eight men were killed or wounded trying to bring it off the field. I can’t say we were whipped, but we were overwhelmed.”
H. Watters Berryman in a letter to his mother, Watters, a veteran of the 1st Texas describing his battle flag.
From Stonewall Jackson The Man, The Soldier, The Legend by James I. Robertson. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co, 1997.
“the air was full of shot and shell…it seemed almost impossible for a rat to live in such a place.”
J. M. Polk of the 4th Tex describes the Cornfield and pasture.
From “First Texas in the Cornfield.” by George E. Otott. The Maryland Campaign of 1862 Civil War Regiments: A Journal of the American Civil War. Vol 5, No 3. Campbell CA: Savas Publishing Company, 1998.
“Whole ranks of brave men…were mowed down in heaps to the right and left. Never before was I so consciously troubled with fear that my horse would further injure some wounded fellow soldier, lying helpless on the ground. This most deadly combat raged until our last round of ammunition was expended.”
John B. Hood describing the attack of his division at Antietam
From The Warrior Generals Combat Leadership in the Civil War by Thomas B. Buell. New York: Crown Publishers, 1997.
“dead on the field”
John B. Hood when asked where his division was after the attack into the Cornfield
From Cavalryman of the Lost Cause by Jeffry D. Wert. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2008.
“Tell General Jackson unless I get reinforcements I must be forced back”
John B. Hood. In a letter to his mother on Sept 21, Sandie Pendleton reports this conversation. Hood to Sandie Pendleton whom Jackson had sent forward to “see how it goes” around 8:30 AM on Sep 17 1862
From Taken at the Flood Robert E. Lee & Confederate Strategy in the Maryland Campaign of 1862 by Joseph L. Harsh. Kent: The Kent State University Press, 1999.
“Lee: “Great God General Hood, where is your splendid division?” Hood: “They are lying on the field where you sent them.”
John B. Hood in response to Lee’s question “Great God General Hood, where is your splendid division?”
From Taken at the Flood Robert E. Lee & Confederate Strategy in the Maryland Campaign of 1862 by Joseph L. Harsh. Kent: The Kent State University Press, 1999.
“It was here that I witnessed the most terrible clash of arms, by far, that occurred during the war. The two little giant brigades of this division wrestled with this might force, losing hundreds of their gallant officers and men but driving the enemy…from 400-500 yards.”
John B. Hood describing the attack of his division. OR, 10: Pt 1, 923
From Stonewall Jackson The Man, The Soldier, The Legend by James I. Robertson. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co, 1997.
“The flags, the flags! Where are the flags? The bearers are shot down.”
John R. Woodard, Co G, 1st Tex to Col Work as the 1st Tex retreats out of the Cornfield.
From “First Texas in the Cornfield.” by George E. Otott. The Maryland Campaign of 1862 Civil War Regiments: A Journal of the American Civil War. Vol 5, No 3. Campbell CA: Savas Publishing Company, 1998.
“I had a good gun and drew directly at his breast. I thought to myself, If we whip I am going to see if I killed you.’ I did not get to investigate. Just [as] I was raising my gun to my face to fire again, a bullet…struck me in the left side, close up under the arm, coming out under my shoulder blade near my back bone.”
Cpl O.T. Hanks of Co K 1st Tex describes the charge into the Cornfield
From “First Texas in the Cornfield.” by George E. Otott. The Maryland Campaign of 1862 Civil War Regiments: A Journal of the American Civil War. Vol 5, No 3. Campbell CA: Savas Publishing Company, 1998.
“They were too strong for us, cutting us down like grain before a cradle”
Cpl O.T. Hanks of Co K 1st Tex describes the charge into the Cornfield
From “First Texas in the Cornfield.” by George E. Otott. The Maryland Campaign of 1862 Civil War Regiments: A Journal of the American Civil War. Vol 5, No 3. Campbell CA: Savas Publishing Company, 1998.
“the hottest place I ever saw on this earth or want to see hereafter. There were shot, shells, and Minie balls sweeping the face of the earth; legs, arms, and other parts of human bodies were flying in the air like straw in a whirlwind. The dogs of war were loose, and ‘havoc’ was their cry
One of Hood’s 4th Texans describing their attacks through the Cornfield.
From “First Texas in the Cornfield.” by George E. Otott. The Maryland Campaign of 1862 Civil War Regiments: A Journal of the American Civil War. Vol 5, No 3. Campbell CA: Savas Publishing Company, 1998.
“The roar all about us of nearby small arms and artillery more distant was so deafening that the major, in making his report, had to place his mouth to my ear. Just as he concluded and whilst we still were standing breast to breast, he with his right side and I withy left towards the front, he was stricken by a bullet, straightened, stiffened and fell backwards prone upon the ground, dead.”
Philip A. Work of the 1st Texas describes the death of Maj. Dale in the Cornfield
From “First Texas in the Cornfield.” by George E. Otott. The Maryland Campaign of 1862 Civil War Regiments: A Journal of the American Civil War. Vol 5, No 3. Campbell CA: Savas Publishing Company, 1998.
“Their bullets when striking the hillside ground raised puffs of dust just as in the beginning of a shower do large drops of rain on a dusty road. Strange to say, and Providentially, not a man of us received a wound.”
Philip A. Work describes the retreat from the Cornfield and the musket fire of the pursuing 9th Pennsylvania
From “First Texas in the Cornfield.” by George E. Otott. The Maryland Campaign of 1862 Civil War Regiments: A Journal of the American Civil War. Vol 5, No 3. Campbell CA: Savas Publishing Company, 1998.
“It is a source of mortification that, upon retiring from the engagement, our colors were not brought off. I can but feel that some degree of odium must attach under the most favorable circumstances, and although such are the circumstances surrounding the conduct of this regiment, the loss of our flag will always remain a matter of sore and deep regret….No blame, I feel, should attach to the men of officers, all of whom fought heroically and well. There was no such conduct upon their part as abandoning or deserting their colors. They fought bravely, and unflinchingly faced a terrible hail of bullets and artillery until ordered by me to retire. the colors started back with them, and when the were lost no man knew save him who had fallen with them.”
Philip A. Work’s battle report, the loss of the flags
From “First Texas in the Cornfield.” by George E. Otott. The Maryland Campaign of 1862 Civil War Regiments: A Journal of the American Civil War. Vol 5, No 3. Campbell CA: Savas Publishing Company, 1998.
“Don’t get excited about it Colonel; go tell General Hood to hold his ground, reinforcements are now rapidly approaching between Sharpsburg and the ford”
Robert E. Lee to Stephen Lee. Lee quoted in White, H.A. Robert E. Lee and the Southern Confederacy
From R.E. Lee A Biography by Douglas Southall Freeman. New York Scribners, 1934.
“with a few more such regiments as those which Hood now has, as an example of daring and bravery, I could feel much more confidence of the result of the campaign.”
Robert E. Lee wrote to General Louis T. Wigfall at San Antonio, Texas in. September 1862 asking for more Texas troops. He said he needed them very much and relied on those he had, in all tight places, and feared he had to call on them too often. He wrote that they fought grandly and nobly
From “General John Bell Hood.”by M.L. Crimmins. Frontier Times Magazine Vol 10 No 6 (March 1933).
“The Federals in apparent double battle line were moving toward us at charge bayonets, common time, and the sunbeams falling from their well-polished guns and bayonets gave a glamour and a show at once fearful and entrancing.”
A staff officer of the Stonewall Brigade noting the Union advance through the Cornfield. Confederate Veteran, 22 (1914) From Stonewall Jackson The Man, The Soldier, The Legend by James I. Robertson. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co, 1997.
“a terrific storm of shell, canister, and musketry.”
Thomas Jackson
Jackson describing the attack of Hood’s Div
From Stonewall Jackson The Man, The Soldier, The Legend by James I. Robertson. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co, 1997.
“…this is the time that tries the souls of men. Standing inactive, conscious of unseen danger, with bullets whistling over and around them, the increasing rattle of musketry in front, with now and then the ominous shriek of a shell as it tears through the ranks, taking out perhaps a file of men….The strain upon the men is terrible. It takes more than brute courage to make him stand. There must be some higher, nobler feeling to prompt him or he will run in this moment of his great trial.”
W. D. Pritchard of Co I, 1st Tex describes the tension of waiting under fire
From “First Texas in the Cornfield.” by George E. Otott. The Maryland Campaign of 1862 Civil War Regiments: A Journal of the American Civil War. Vol 5, No 3. Campbell CA: Savas Publishing Company, 1998.
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“The command to forward dispels all fear, and from the first volley all traces of that fear and dread are gone, all is lost in the excitement. Men who five minutes before were trembling and praying are now cool, collected and more than apt to be cursing….The din and confusion of battle seems to drown all thoughts.”
W. D. Pritchard of Co I, 1st Tex describes the advance of the Texans
From “First Texas in the Cornfield.” by George E. Otott. The Maryland Campaign of 1862 Civil War Regiments: A Journal of the American Civil War. Vol 5, No 3. Campbell CA: Savas Publishing Company, 1998.
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“The fall of a comrade near (us) produces no perceptible effect. One, two, even three may fall in touch but on (we) go conscious of one thing and that is to conquer or die.”
W. D. Pritchard of Co I, 1st Tex describes the advance of the Texans into the Cornfield
From “First Texas in the Cornfield.” by George E. Otott. The Maryland Campaign of 1862 Civil War Regiments: A Journal of the American Civil War. Vol 5, No 3. Campbell CA: Savas Publishing Company, 1998.
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“These brave men were mowed down like the corn surrounding them.”
W.E. Barry of the 4th Texas describes the Cornfield
From “First Texas in the Cornfield.” by George E. Otott. The Maryland Campaign of 1862 Civil War Regiments: A Journal of the American Civil War. Vol 5, No 3. Campbell CA: Savas Publishing Company, 1998.
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“While standing there I saw coming up the road from the battlefield some colors, with an escort. When they arrived the Major asked the Yankee with the colors where they got them. He said in the cornfield. He turned to me and inquired if I knew the colors. I told them they belonged to the First Texas Regiment, remarking at the time that where he got the flag there was many a dead Texans there. He said there were thirteen dead men lying on and around it when he found it. I asked him to hand it to me a moment, which he did. I took it in my hand, kissed it, and handed it back to him, tears blinding my eyes.”
W.E. Barry of the 4th Texas captured at Antietam recounts the story of seeing the captured Texas flags
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From “First Texas in the Cornfield.” by George E. Otott. The Maryland Campaign of 1862 Civil War Regiments: A Journal of the American Civil War. Vol 5, No 3. Campbell CA: Savas Publishing Company, 1998.