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

[461] Capt. Redington, of the Sixtieth New-York, and First Lieutenant McGregor, of the Seventy-eighth New-York, the two last having charge of the skirmishers.

Respectfully submitted.

Colonel: I beg to report that in accordance with your orders I left Frederick with my regiment on the morning of the thirteenth, and took position about three miles on the Jefferson road. I here received orders from Colonel Rush, of the United States Lancers, to reconnoitre the enemy, who was reported in front in position with artillery and cavalry. I did so by throwing forward company B, Lieut. Bartholomew, on the left, who soon reported the enemy as having left the position he occupied the night before, with three guns and a small cavalry force, and the road in front clear. Meanwhile, I detached companies C and H, Capt. Parisen and Lieut. McKechnie, to the right, in the woods, who soon discovered, engaged and drove a large picket force of the enemy's cavalry across the fields toward Middletown. While the operations were going on, I advanced the main body of my regiment, consisting of five infantry and one battery company, with five howitzers, on the main road as far as Jefferson, as support to the Lancers. It was my intention to cut off the retreat of the enemy's cavalry at the junction of the roads between Middletown and Jefferson, but the pursuit and fire of Capt. Parisen was too vigorous, and the enemy's horses too fleet, for the accomplishment of this purpose. I then received your order to return and bivouac at Frederick, which I accomplished at about eleven o'clock at night, after a hard day's work of sixteen hours and a march of eighteen miles. Although meeting no large force of the enemy, I may properly say that this was the commencement of the series of successes which for the next six days crowned the efforts of our army, and resulted in driving the rebel troops from Maryland soil.

After returning to Frederick an alarm of fire was given, and it was discovered that the jail was in flames. By your order I detailed companies B, G and K to assist the Provost-Guard on the occasion, which duty they performed with alacrity, assisting to work the engines and guarding the prisoners till two o'clock on the morning of the fourteenth. The utmost praise is due to officers and men for their patience and determination during the entire day and night, to be ready for any emergency that might offer. In an hour after we took up our line of march on the Middletown road, and proceeding about ten miles at a quick pace, we found the enemy in a very strong position, high up in what is called the South-Mountain, where we arrived at about four o'clock in the afternoon. Our troops had already engaged the enemy's right wing, and were forcing him back with great slaughter, when your brigade was ordered to take position at the left of the road and support a battery of four pieces, which it did successfully, the Eighty-ninth regiment resisting, at the point of the bayonet, a charge of the enemy in the most gallant and admirable manner. Being upon the extreme right of the brigade, the Ninth did not receive the main attack of the enemy which was so furiously made on the left, although in position to take advantage of any circumstance that might offer. In this battle we lost one man wounded, who was at a little distance detached from the regiment.

The slaughter of the rebels during the afternoon had been most awful. The Ohio troops being the principal ones engaged on our side, and pitted against the enemy, consisting mostly of North-Carolina troops. Upon seeing the arrival of fresh troops, the rebels broke and fled in disorder. This ended the second day's campaign from Frederick. Again, I have to thank all officers and men of the regiment for the discipline exhibited on this occasion, and cheerful obedience to every order, although nearly exhausted with fatigue, hunger and want of sleep.

After bivouacking on the field, we again marched on the fifteenth, and on the evening of the sixteenth, after dark, took position in front of the enemy's right wing, your brigade being on the extreme left of our own forces, and a small creek (the Antietam) between us and the enemy.

In accordance with your orders, I immediately threw forward company C, Captain Parisen, to act as picket-guard and skirmishers, which duty was most admirably performed, our pickets frequently engaging the enemy's sharp — shooters during the night, and keeping them at bay.

At daylight in the morning of the seventeenth, six of the rebel guns commenced shelling us, with such effect as to compel us to change our position. The Ninth lost here, in wounded, twelve men.

After changing our position still further to the left, I directed, in accordance with orders from the General commanding, the battery, company K, Captain Whiting, to open fire on the enemy's battery, across the creek, which he did, soon silencing it. Immediately after this we were ordered to ford the creek and form in line of battle on the bluff opposite, directly in front of the enemy, which order was promptly executed, pushing his entire line of skirmishers back from the creek, and compelling him to retire to his main force on his left, we proceeding by the right flank along the bluff of the creek for about three fourths of a mile to the brow of a hill, till within about eight hundred yards of the enemy's main body of artillery and infantry. Here we halted for rest, when the rebel batteries opened an unmerciful fire of shot and shell upon us, killing and wounding a number of my regiment, and shooting my horse from under me by the explosion of a shrapnel.

We were soon ordered to advance, which was promptly done, the different battalions moving in line of battle, and dressing on their colors, with