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Just thought I would share this article, because it had a few details I found interesting in it. http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com...d-of-antietam/ A few quotes:
Seeing Strong fall, Captain Ring rushed to his side to try to recover some personal effects. Ring wrote home, “I was struck with a ball on the knee joint while I was kneeling by Col. Strong’s body, securing his valuables. I got another ball on my arm and two on my sword in my hand, so you see I have cause to thank God that he has protected me in this great battle.”
This quote helps illustrate the battlefield theft was very common, and often took place very quickly after death, especially to officers?
The Tigers held their position for a few minutes but were soon forced to retreat to the Dunker church. The Yankees shouted in triumph and rushed across the field in pursuit. When one soldier reached Strong’s body, he picked up one of the colonel’s gloves and waved it triumphantly over his head.
References to both butternut and gray uniforms seemingly mixed together:
“As we appeared at the edge of the corn, a long line of men in butternut and gray rose up from the ground. Simultaneously, the hostile battle lines opened a tremendous fire upon each other. Men, I can not say fell; they were knocked out of the ranks by dozens.”
Interesting description of posture of dead horses:
“The number of dead horses was high. They lay, like the men, in all attitudes. One beautiful milk-white animal had died in so graceful a position that I wished for its photograph. Its legs were doubled under and its arched neck gracefully turned to one side, as if looking back to the ball-hole in its side. Until you got to it, it was hard to believe the horse was dead.”
A hodgepodge, but I was fascinated by these descriptions.:)
Seeing Strong fall, Captain Ring rushed to his side to try to recover some personal effects. Ring wrote home, “I was struck with a ball on the knee joint while I was kneeling by Col. Strong’s body, securing his valuables. I got another ball on my arm and two on my sword in my hand, so you see I have cause to thank God that he has protected me in this great battle.”
This quote helps illustrate the battlefield theft was very common, and often took place very quickly after death, especially to officers?
The Tigers held their position for a few minutes but were soon forced to retreat to the Dunker church. The Yankees shouted in triumph and rushed across the field in pursuit. When one soldier reached Strong’s body, he picked up one of the colonel’s gloves and waved it triumphantly over his head.
References to both butternut and gray uniforms seemingly mixed together:
“As we appeared at the edge of the corn, a long line of men in butternut and gray rose up from the ground. Simultaneously, the hostile battle lines opened a tremendous fire upon each other. Men, I can not say fell; they were knocked out of the ranks by dozens.”
Interesting description of posture of dead horses:
“The number of dead horses was high. They lay, like the men, in all attitudes. One beautiful milk-white animal had died in so graceful a position that I wished for its photograph. Its legs were doubled under and its arched neck gracefully turned to one side, as if looking back to the ball-hole in its side. Until you got to it, it was hard to believe the horse was dead.”
A hodgepodge, but I was fascinated by these descriptions.:)