Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Massachusetts in the Army and Navy during the war of 1861-1865, vol. 1: prelminary narrative

---

[72] each, and the 35th Mass. lost five, including one officer, Lieut. Charles F. Williams of Salem. An injury to it, even more serious, was the loss of an arm by its commander, Colonel (afterwards general) Wild, his other arm being also partially disabled,—this permanently withdrawing him from his regiment, though he became afterwards a general officer.

The Massachusetts regiments engaged at Antietam September 16-17 were (actively) the 2d, 12th, 13th, 15th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 28th, 29th and 35th, and in reserve or as supports, the 9th, 18th, 22d and 32d. The 3d and 8th batteries were also engaged, but with no loss of life. All the actively engaged suffered losses, varying from the nine killed, thirty-one wounded of the 29th to the seventy-four killed, one hundred and sixty-five wounded out of the three hundred and thirty-four of the 12th and the one hundred and eight killed of the 15th.

In the important series of events which took place around Burnside's bridge at Antietam, Massachusetts regiments took a foremost place. The 35th and 21st were assigned to Ferrero's brigade, upon which fell largely the charge of carrying the bridge under great difficulties and charging the Confederate rifle pits above. On September 17, when they charged across the bridge and ascended the heights, Lieutenant-Colonel (afterwards brevet brigadier-general) Carruth of the 35th was shot through the neck and had to be carried from the field, as was the case with Captain King (afterwards colonel, 4th Mass. Heavy Artillery), who was wounded in seven places. Capts. A. W. Bartlett of Newburyport, and Horace Niles of Randolph, both of the 35th, were killed or mortally wounded, and when they were withdrawn, only three hundred were left uninjured of a regiment which had quitted home, less than a month previous, with more than one thousand men. Nearly three hours were occupied in successive efforts to carry the bridge; the ammunition of those taking part was nearly exhausted, and the general in command reports that ‘the proportion of casualties to the number engaged was much greater than common.’¹

The 21st shared the fortunes of the 35th on that day, but with a loss of only ten killed, including Second Lieut. Henry C. Holbrook of Barre, and thirty-five wounded.