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

The pioneer corps, under Corporal Vanduzer, behaved well, indeed.

There are many non-commissioned officers and privates to whose names I would individually be pleased to call your attention, did space permit, but suffice it to say that all behaved gallantly, and are entitled to credit for good conduct on the field.

Enclosed is a list of the killed, wounded and missing; the regiment went into action with eight companies, comprising an aggregate force of four hundred and sixty-nine, and lost, in killed, wounded and missing, two hundred and twenty-two, or nearly one half the entire number. Company F being detached on service at Plymouth, N. C., and company K as artillery in another part of the field.

In conclusion, my thanks are due to the Eighty-ninth New-York volunteers, Major Jardine, and the One Hundred and Third New-York volunteers, Major Ringold, for the efficient and united support rendered us during the entire engagement.

It is proper to add that on the nineteenth I made a detail from my regiment under Lieut. Powell, who buried our entire dead and marked the bodies for identification.

Thanking you in behalf of my regiment for the gallantry and coolness with which you led us, and the confidence placed in us, I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

On the afternoon of the sixteenth, Harland's brigade, consisting of the Eighth, Eleventh, Six-teenth Connecticut, and Fourth Rhode Island, left the bivouac it had occupied on the left of the Sharpsburgh road, and proceeded in a south-westerly direction, following the general course of the Antietam Creek for three or four miles, and took up a position behind a range of hills covering a stone bridge, which crossed the creek. The regiment lay upon its arms all night, having its front covered by its own pickets.

The Fourth had the left of the brigade line, and upon its left lay Fairchilds's brigade, of Rodman's division. About an hour after light, on the morning of the seventeenth, the enemy's pickets commenced firing upon those of the regiments upon our left, and shortly after they began shelling the whole division line, their range being very accurate. As soon as the firing commenced the ranks were dressed and the men directed to lie down in their places — the three left companies being in a more exposed position, were brought in rear of the rest of the battalion.

Orders were received from Col. Harland to follow the other brigade to the left, but before that brigade could move the enemy opened another battery on our right, enfilading our position with a fire of round shot, and completely commanding a little rise of ground on our left, which we should have been obliged to cross to reach the ground occupied by the other brigade. The fact was reported to Col. Harland by an officer who returned with orders for the regiment to move to the left and rear, through the same woods, in a direction to be indicated by Lieut. Ives, of Gen. Rodman's staff, who came back with him. The order was executed, the regiment moving by the left flank to the rear through a wooded gully, but partially concealed from the enemy who continued their heavy fire of shell and solid shot. The regiment was then drawn up in a farm-lane well protected by a hill. As the brigade filed through the wooded gully a battery placed in rear of our original position commenced replying to the enemy, too late, however, to cover our retrograde movement, which was almost completed. Our loss in this affair was two killed, eight wounded--among the latter the color-bearer and two color-corporals.

After about an hour the brigade advanced in line of battle to the top of the hill in front, making a right half-wheel, and after crossing several fields, finally took a position on the top of the hills, at the foot of which ran the Antietam Creek, on the opposite side of which was the enemy. The action on our right was now very sharp, both artillery and infantry being engaged. Our division constituted the extreme left of the line. After a halt of some duration the division moved by the left flank to the creek, and crossed at a ford under fire from the enemy's skirmishers who were sheltered behind a stone wall. The Fourth, after crossing the ford, filed to the left, (the other brigade going to the right, and the rest of Harland's brigade not yet having crossed,) and after throwing out company H as skirmishers to cover the front, and company K to the left, advanced in line toward the stone wall, the enemy retiring, but shortly after opening a fire of musketry on our left, which was soon silenced by the fire from our battery covering the ford. The enemy then commenced a fire of grape and shell upon us, and the Sixteenth Connecticut, which had,just crossed the ford and was taking a position to support our left, retired, passing along our rear. After it had passed, this regiment, by Col. Harland's orders, took a more sheltered position at right angles to our original one. From here we moved to the right in the direction taken by Col. Fairchilds's brigade, through a wooded ravine, through which ran the creek. The steepness of the hill-side, the thickness of the wood, and the accurate range of the enemy's batteries made the passage through this defile a matter of considerable difficulty. Upon clearing the woods we lay waiting orders