Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 5.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[459] and by that to gain my rear, and succeeded in gaining a corn-field directly on my right. To repulse them a change of front was made by the Fourteenth Indiana and Eighth Ohio volunteers, which resulted in driving the enemy from my right and restored the line, which was afterward occupied by Smith's division of Gen. Franklin's corps. For four hours and a half my command was under most galling fire, and not a man faltered or left the ranks until the field was left by the rebels in our possession; those who were sent with wounded to the rear quickly returning to their places in line. For three and a half hours of this time we were upon the field, and maintained our position without any support whatever. My men having exhausted all their ammunition, the fight was maintained for some time with the supplies stripped from the bodies of their dead and wounded comrades. Every man of my command behaved in the most exemplary manner, and as men who had determined to save their country or die. The Fourteenth Indiana and Eighth Ohio volunteers, in the change of front, which saved our right, executed it as veterans, and as only brave men could. The battle was fought under your own eye, General, and I need not tell you how terrible was the conflict. The loss in my command is a lasting testimony of the sanguinary nature of the conflict and a glance at the position held by the rebels tells how terrible was the punishment inflicted on them. The corn-fields on the front are strewn with their dead and wounded, and in the ditch first occupied by them the bodies are so numerous that they seem to have fallen dead in line of battle, for there there is a battalion of dead rebels. We maintained our ground and drove the enemy from his.

After the firing had ceased on my front, the enemy seemed to have concentrated his force on the force of Gen. Richardson's command. Col. Brooks, commanding a brigade, sent to me for assistance. You having previously ordered Col. Morris, commanding Second brigade, to take orders from me, I ordered him to Col. Brooks's assistance.

The loss in my command is as follows:

	Killed.	Wounded.	Missing.
14th Regt. Ind. Vols.,	30	151
8th Regt. Ohio Vols.,	32	129
7th Regt. Va. Vols.,	29	116
132d Regt. Pa. Vols.,	30	114	8
	121	510	8

This number embraces officers and men. Lists from the several regiments, with name and rank, together with the reports of Col. Harrow, Col. Snyder, Lieut.-Col. Sawyer, and Lieut.-Col. Wilcox are forwarded herewith. Among the killed and wounded are many brave and gallant officers. Col. R. A. Oakford, One Hundred and Thirty-second Pennsylvania volunteers, was killed while leading his regiment. He was a brave officer, and died like a hero. Capt. Coons, Acting Lieut.-Colonel, and Capt. Cavins, Acting Major, Four-teenth Indiana volunteers, were wounded while gallantly leading their commands. Where every officer and man behaved with such signal bravery and coolness, it would be invidious to make distinction by mentioning names of a part only.

I cannot speak in too high praise of the officers of my staff, to whom I am indebted for valuable services rendered to me on the field. My Adjutant-General, Capt. E. D. Mason, behaved with great coolness, and received a very painful wound during the engagement. The conduct of Lieuts. Swigart, Marshall, and Burrell, throughout the entire fight, was highly commendable, and exhibited a high degree of gallantry, efficiency, and personal bravery. They were proved by a test such as it is seldom the lot even of veterans to encounter, and the result has been highly honorable to them. I recommend them to the consideration of the Commanding General.

I am, General, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

sir: I have the honor to submit the following report of the killed and wounded of the Eighth regiment Ohio volunteers, and of the part taken by the regiment in the battle on this field of yesterday:

We left our bivouac, on the east side of the creek, with your brigade, early on the morning of the seventeenth, and moving in our proper position in line, forded Antietam Creek, and deployed in line of battle on the hills, our position being to the left of the Fourteenth Indiana. So soon as the line was formed, by your order we moved directly to the front and upon the enemy, who appeared to be masked behind fences, cornfields, and in ditches on the crests of a series of ridges. We gained the position assigned us under a perfect storm of the enemy's ball and shell, where, in connection with the other regiments of your brigade and French's division, we maintained, from nine o'clock A. M. until near one P. M., our position, under a most sanguinary fire of musketry and shell. The enemy were within twenty rods of our position in strong force, and were repeatedly reinforced during the action, and had, besides, the advantage of considerable cover at points very near us. The position of the Fourteenth Indiana and Eighth Ohio was greatly exposed, and the battle raged along our lines with such fury as almost to threaten our annihilation, but not a man faltered or fell back. Our ammunition being exhausted, the cartridge-boxes of the dead and wounded were rifled to supply our arms. The enemy were finally driven from our front, but the lines to the right of the Fourteenth Indiana giving way, the enemy attempted to turn that flank; but the Fourteenth Indiana and Eighth Ohio rapidly and gallantly changed their front, and drove the enemy back with great slaughter. At this time, other troops coming to the front, I brought off the Eighth to replenish