On September 17, 1862, the men and boys of the 132nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry marched off to battle in what would become the bloodiest single day in American history: the Battle of Antietam.
The unit, made up of citizen-soldiers from across Northeastern Pennsylvania, had been created only a month earlier in Harrisburg, PA as a nine-month regiment.
In the hellish day that followed on the high ground west of Antietam Creek, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, the 132nd Pennsylvania was cut to pieces in its effort to dislodge Confederate soldiers from a wagon lane that would become known, appropriately, as “Bloody Lane.” The 132nd lost 30 men killed, 114 wounded, and 8 missing during the Battle of Antietam.
One of the more vivid descriptions of the action was written to the Scranton Republican newspaper by Captain James Archbald, Jr., leader of Company I, 132nd Pennsylvania. He described his unit’s part in that bloody day and the carnage he witnessed, including the death of the regiment’s leader, Colonel Richard Oakford.
Here’s the letter that Archbald wrote home to Scranton in the wake of the battle, republished in the Pittston Gazette in October 1862.
FROM CAPT. ARCHBALD’S COMPANY.—
Captain Archbald, of the “Rail Road Guards,” also publishes a letter in the [Scranton] Republican relative to [the Battle of Antietam.]
He says:
“Poor young [John B.] West sat on the crest of the hill and fired 40 rounds when he fell wounded through the bowels. He was brave even to rashness. He lived about 15 hours. Moses H. Ames was shot through the breast during the latter part of the action and was killed almost instantly. There were none braver than he, he fell in the front ranks.
Corporal [Daniel] Gardner fought nobly and was retiring with honors from the front, when he fell pierced through the head with a rifle ball.
He had 5 cartridges left, having shot at least 55, as all had 60 before we went into the fight.
The loss of our young friends leaves a gloom over us, and as we and the 42d [13th Pennsylvania Reserves] met after the action, we shook hands and felt as if a brotherly love bound us still closer together. I could mention many incidents worthy of notice.
Many of my men I did not recognize they were so covered with dust and smoke. One of the men, as we were falling to the rear, picked up a tin cup and put it in his haversack.
A moment after a rifle ball struck the haversack, tearing the bottom of the cup off, and passing through his coat, flew on its way. The cup probably saved his life.
Our brave and respected Colonel fell during the early part of the engagement. He was encouraging us on to the front when he fell pierced through the breast by a ball.
Capt. Chase, with assistance, bore the Colonel from the field to a place of safety behind a haystack. He only lived 20 minutes.
I did not know until near the close of the engagement that we had met with such a heavy The Col. told me one evening at Camp Whipple that he knew he never should return alive – that it was patriotism which actuated him in going.
My wounded are: Geo. H. Cator wounded in thigh – he will probably lose his right leg; Richard Smith wounded in breast, quite severely; Jas. J. Maycock wounded in jaw; Roderick Jones has lost right arm; John Owens right arm broken; Wm. Hazlet wounded in right arm.
These are in Hospital and the Doctor reports them tonight as doing well. H.A. Deans, in hand; Richard Hall, nose grazed; B. A. Bass, in hand, very slight; Laton Slocum, in hand, very slight; John Fern, in hand, very slight; Henry Vusler, in ear, very slight; John Kilmer, in hand very slight; Wm. Hosteter, in arm, slightly; Jas. L. Randolph had the thumb of the right hand accidently shot off this A.M. by some unknown hand.
These are all with us again and most of them are now on duty,
Co. I, 132d Reg’t. P. V. I.”
Want to read more about the 132nd Pennsylvania at Antietam?
More stories from the Battle of Antietam
“Killed by a bomb” – Casualty of the Battle of Antietam buried in Schuylkill County
In April 1917, a loose floorboard revealed a letter written in the days after the Battle of Antietam
Amid chaos surrounding the Battle of Antietam, Schuylkill County prepared for war
A racist conspiracy theory found root in Schuylkill County in 1862
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