Joe Owen - Texans at Antietam: A Terrible Clash of Arms, September 16-17, 1862

Front cover: Heart of Texas by Mark Maritato. (www.maritato.com)

Back Cover: Bloody but Unbeaten. The Battle for Dunkard Church, Antietam, September 17, 1862. (Chris Collinwood. collingwoodhistoricart.com)

Fonthill Media Language Policy

Fonthill Media publishes in the international English language market. One language edition is published worldwide. As there are minor differences in spelling and presentation, especially with regard to American English and British English, a policy is necessary to define which form of English to use. The Fonthill Policy is to use the form of English native to the author. Joe Owen, Philip McBride and Joe Allport were born and educated in the United States; therefore American English has been adopted in this publication.

Fonthill Media Limited

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First published in the United Kingdom and the United States of America 2017

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data:

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Copyright Joe Owen, Philip McBride and Joe Allport 2017

ISBN 978-1-62545-022-7

The right of Joe Owen, Philip McBride and Joe Allport to be identified as the authors of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission in writing from Fonthill Media Limited

Typeset in 10pt on 13pt Sabon

Printed and bound in England

CONTENTS

Reviews for Texans at Antietam

This encyclopedic compilation of primary sources on the renowned Texas Brigade at Antietam belongs in every Civil War enthusiasts library.

- John Michael Priest, author of Before Antietam: The Battle For South Mountain and Antietam: The Soldiers Battle.

Joe Owen, Phil McBride and Joe Allports, Texans at Antietam is a remarkable accounting of the fabled Hoods Texas Brigade at Antietam. Volumes have been written regarding the actual combat that bloody September 17th. However, the authors have performed a remarkable task transcribing the heroic exploits of Hoods Texas Brigade that fateful day. This spellbinding narrative is not accomplished through a scholarly discussion of the strategy involved in those breathtaking hours whereupon the Texas Brigade held the left against overwhelming odds, but through the accounts of individual soldier-participants on the ground. The narrative is coupled with commentary of mainly local newspapers attempting to make sense of the carnage that befell their citizen-soldiers so far from home, as well as the reports of those in command of the units involved.

While a profusion of accounts exists on that battle per se, as well as Hoods Texas Brigades involvement therein, nothing thus far brings home the actual fighting experienced by the common soldier that day as well as the authors superb narrative. I highly recommend this work to anyone who has an interest in the involvement of Hoods Texas Brigade and its fateful, yet glorious encounter at Antietam, where it enhanced its fame as Lees Grenadier Guard. My sincere congratulations to the authors on a riveting and extremely well-presented work.

- John F. Schmutz, author of The Bloody Fifth: The 5th Texas Infantry Regiment, Hoods Texas Brigade, Army of Northern Virginia: Vol.1: Secession to the Suffolk Campaign.

Such havoc is awful, wrote a Texas newsman about the horrific losses of the 1st Texas at Sharpsburg while awaiting further information from the far-off battlefield. Over the course of the next few decades, recollections of the savage fighting near Antietam Creek poured in to Lone Star papers. Authors Joe Owen, Phil McBride, and Joe Allport have compiled many of these old accounts as a testament and enduring record of the Texans who fought so hard during Americas Bloodiest Day. - Scott L. Mingus, Sr., co-author of The Second Day at Gettysburg: The Attack and Defense of Cemetery Ridge, July 2, 1863.

At Gaines Mill, Sharpsburg, Gettysburg, Chickamauga, and the Wilderness, Hoods Texas Brigade earned, with their sacrifice and blood, the nickname of Gen. Robert E. Lees Grenadier Guards. Joe Owen, Philip A. McBride, and Joe Allport have written fascinating selected biographies of the soldiers, and collected an amazing array of reports, letters, memoirs, and newspaper articles detailing the privations and heroics of the Texans fight near the Dunker Church and Millers cornfield. Highly recommended!

- Zack C. Waters, co-author of A Small but Spartan Band: The Florida Brigade in Lees Army of Northern Virginia

Acknowledgements

Many people, organizations, and academic institutions were instrumental in the successful completion of Texans at Antietam: A Terrible Clash of Arms, September, 1617 1862.

The authors would like to thank American Historical Artist Mark Maritato for providing the outstanding painting Heart of Texas, which graces the front cover of the book. Artist Chris Collingwood for providing the outstanding painting Bloody but Unbeaten, The Battle for Dunkard Church, Antietam, September 17, 1862, which graces the back cover of the book.

The authors would like to thank the outstanding publishing and editing team at Fonthill MediaAlan Sutton, Jay Slater, and Joshua Greenland. Alan, Jay, and Joshuas enthusiasm, profound patience, editing, and wise advice was greatly appreciated. Also, a special thank you to all the people at Casemate.

Antietam National Battlefield Historian (Retired) Ted Alexander, whose enthusiasm, support, and knowledge was crucial in the completion of Texans at Antietam: A Terrible Clash of Arms, September 16-17, 1862; author and historian John Schmutz, who graciously provided much of the information on the 5th Texas Infantry at the Battle of Antietam; noted Civil War author and historian John M. Priest, who allowed us to use the letters written by Stephen Elliot Welch in Stephen Elliot Welch of the Hampton Legion, as well as his great editorial advice was extremely helpful and appreciated; and John Wiley, one of the leading historians of author Margaret Mitchell and her famous book and movie, Gone With the WindJohn provided great information and history of Margaret Mitchells grandfather, 1st Sergeant Russell Crawford Mitchell of the 1st Texas Infantry Regiment. Our thanks also go to Mark Lemon, great-great-grandson of Captain James Lile Lemon of the 18th Georgia Infantry Regiment. Mark graciously allowed us to publish Captain Lemons letter about the Battle of Antietam.

Much admiration and appreciation to Civil War historians Scott Mingus Sr., Chris Mackowski, Randy Drais, and Jim Schmick, who is the owner of the outstanding bookstore Civil War and More in Mechanicsburg, PA. Jims great knowledge of Hoods Texas Brigade in the Antietam and Gettysburg Campaigns was very useful and appreciated in the research of the campaigns. Thanks to Zack Waters and Cooper Wingerttheir knowledge, professionalism, and support is valued and appreciated; cartographer Natalie Wolchover, who designed and drew the outstanding map of Hoods Texas Brigade at the Battle of Antietam; a special thank you to Leah Krause of Brunk Auctions; a heartfelt thank you to Patty Branard Gambino, the great-granddaughter of the 1st Texas Infantrys Color Sergeant George A. BranardPatty and her husband, Sal, provided the photograph and biography of Sergeant Branard; Cindy Harriman and Glenda Mounger of the Texas Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy; Amy Bowman and Aryn Glazier of the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History; and Anne Peterson of DeGolyer Library at SMU. Appreciation to photographers Diane Kirkendall and Brian Duckworth; and to the Texas Heritage MuseumHistorical Research Center Director and Curator John Versluis and his outstanding staff, Rica Acevedo and Mary Ann Schneidertheir knowledge, kindness, and professionalism is unsurpassed. Thanks also to author Robert Reichardt for his advice and editing skills; Elsa Vorwerk, who graciously provided the letters and history of Adjutant Campbell Wood and 2nd Sergeant William L. (Bose) Campbell of the 5th Texas Infantry; John Hoopes, who allowed us to use the memoirs of his great-great-grandfather Private William Abernathy of the 17th Mississippi Infantry; Michele Lambing of the Texas State Preservation Board, Texas Historical Baptist Museum; Jerry Nelson, who provided much of the fascinating history of the 5th Texas Infantry at Sharpsburg; author and historian Steve Chicoine; Cynthia Dorminey for creating the image of the Hamptons Legion flag flown at Sharpsburg; Nancy Tilden and Stuart Smith; Keith Snyder of Antietam National Battlefield; Kenny Dee, who graciously provided the image of Sergeant D. H. Hamilton; Finney Clay; and Tom Stevens. Thanks to the State of Texas Archives; Library of Congress; Larry Terlecki; Alexander Shane; Patrick Pelarski; Brian Perry; and Brian Vickers.