Finally got into gear and contacted the United German and French Cemetery people last week. They looked through their records and gave me the precise location of the Pax family burial plot.  I used to help Gramp put flowers on the graves but I haven’t done that in over a decade now so my memory was a bit hazy.  So here’s the Union soldier’s resting place.

Pax Family Plot United German and French Cemetery, Cheektowaga, NY

John Pax's Grave Marker

At least at a superficial glance, most of the Christmas sources seem to agree that Christmas during the Civil War was just becoming what modern Americans consider Christmas. The holiday, I am happy to report, is heavily influenced by German culture (yea Germans!).  Thomas Nast’s illustrations of Santa Claus in 1862 and 1863 were based on German views of St. Nicholas.  Nast’s drawings became the collective image Americans hold of the jolly, fat Santa Claus.

The tradition of the Christmas tree had started to gain wide acceptance in America during the 1850′s.   The tree was small enough to fit on a table top and often was part of a display that included mistletoe, pine boughs, holly, etc.  The tree itself was decorated with cakes and other sweets.   It would seem that many Civil War soldiers continued the tradition of the tree in their camps, there are a few mentions of trees decorated with hardtack and salt pork.

Drinking, as always, seemed to be the most popular way to celebrate Christmas or anything else for that matter.  Egg nog was a common drink although it seemed most soldiers associated drinking egg nog in some kind of social context, most importantly with sharing an egg nog with a single lady who had caught the soldier’s eye.   Most soldiers would drink whatever would get them drunk, times were not that different.

There were religious observances, depending on the soldier’s faith.  As a Catholic I would guess if my great, great grandfather wasn’t drunk on leave, he would have attended Christmas service although I tend to lean towards the drunk on leave observance.   He was a young German far from home, it seems a natural course.  Christmas carols were popular and Americans in the Civil War seemed to have a greater love for communal music than modern Americans (a result no doubt that it was nearly impossible to have music without many people involved).  Some of the more popular carols were:  “Silent Night” (1818), “Oh Come All Ye Faithful” (1751), “Deck the Halls” (1700s), “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing” (1840), “It Came Upon the Midnight Clear” (1850), “Jingle Bells” (1857), “We Three Kings of Orient Are” (1857), and “Up on the Housetop” (1860).

German carols in particular greatly appeal to me, they’re very beautiful.  My favorite is Silent Night (Stille Nacht)

1. Stille Nacht! Heil’ge Nacht!
Alles schläft; einsam wacht
Nur das traute hoch heilige Paar.
Holder Knab’ im lockigen Haar,
Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh!

2. Stille Nacht! Heil’ge Nacht!
Gottes Sohn, o wie lacht
Lieb’ aus deinem göttlichen Mund,
Da uns schlägt die rettende Stund’.
Jesus in deiner Geburt!

3. Stille Nacht! Heil’ge Nacht!
Die der Welt Heil gebracht,
Aus des Himmels goldenen Höhn,
Uns der Gnaden Fülle läßt sehn,
Jesum in Menschengestalt!

4. Stille Nacht! Heil’ge Nacht!
Wo sich heut alle Macht
Väterlicher Liebe ergoß,
Und als Bruder huldvoll umschloß
Jesus die Völker der Welt!

5. Stille Nacht! Heil’ge Nacht!
Lange schon uns bedacht,
Als der Herr vom Grimme befreit
In der Väter urgrauer Zeit
Aller Welt Schonung verhieß!

6. Stille Nacht! Heil’ge Nacht!
Hirten erst kundgemacht
Durch der Engel Alleluja,
Tönt es laut bei Ferne und Nah:
“Jesus der Retter ist da!”

This has turned into an interesting exercise and once again proves that historical studies can not be done in a vacuum of any kind.

I can’t say with any certainty how my great, great Grandfather spent Christmas in 1861 and 1862.  My own family traditions are pretty common in a German Catholic family.  I would assume drinking was involved, my family generally couples drinking with celebrations.   Like many families that are separated by time and distance we play phone tag on Christmas morning to wish each other well and catch up.  Would my great great Gramp been so different?

He was a young, single German who barely spoke English, my Gramp said his grand father understood English far better than he could ever speak it.  I don’t think he understood modern American society very well and am leaning towards the notion he was taken advantage of by an unscrupulous lawyer who specialized in milking the U.S.veteran pension fund.  Great great gramp died before my own grandfather was born which is unfortunate on many levels.  As a historian I bemoan it because my Gramp was a wealth of information on the family.  He had some stories of his own grandfather but nothing about Christmas.  Since he wasn’t married there are no love letters home to the woman who would become his wife in 1865.  I know of no letters written by him that exist.  The only things I have are some old German language newspapers published in Buffalo, which at the time had a very large German population (the mid 19^th century saw a wave of German immigration toAmerica).

So how to attack this as a historical problem?  I have really only two thoughts: look for regimental accounts to learn how the regiment observed Christmas and to study how American society, especially German immigrants, celebrated Christmas in 1861 and 1862. Mills wrote a few things about the regiment’s Christmas celebrations.   “Christmas was duly observed in camp.  Men were excused from all drills for the day, and passes granted to all who asked.  A privilege used by so many that the camp was nearly deserted”.

Mills was not present for the Christmas of 1862 (as a result of wounds suffered at Second Bull Run) but he relayed an entry from Chaplain Robbie’s journal.  “The day has been charming, conforming in this respect, most beautifully which the character of the scenery here.  Christmas, the birthday of our Lord and Savior, the world’s Redeemer.  With us, it has been attended with nothing unusual.  The boys have worked in logging up their tents on the hill side.  I ade my Christmas dinner of bean soup, with hard-tack crumbled into it, and a piece of quite home-made pie.  This was good enough, and was partaken with relish.  Colonel Rogers and myself, after our repast, walked out and took a view of the rebel force not far from our camp, and the beautiful prospect of the landscape and river.  Such a sight is seldom seen in our country.  The evening was spent with the boys in their tents and in pleasant conversation with them.  Thus end another Christmas in the army”.

Based on what little evidence I can find it would seem Christmas for the Twenty-Onesters was a day off from war, what better gift could a soldier on the front line get?

Sources

Mills, John Harrison. Chronicles of the Twenty-first regiment N.Y.S.V., embracing a full history of the Regiment, from the enrolling of the first volunteer in Buffalo, April 15th, 1861, to the final mustering out, on the 18th day of May, 1863. Buffalo: J. M. Johnson press, 1863.

Finally received a copy of Terry Reimer’s “One Vast Hospital: The Civil War Hospital Sites in Frederick, Maryland after Antietam”.  The book is well researched and organized.  It contains full rosters of patients admitted to the various army hospitals that popped up after the battles of South Mountain and Antietam.

Private John Pax is listed in the roster.   He was sent to the hospital at the U.S. Hotel on September 27, 1862, he was originally sent to a convalescent hospital. I would also guess he was in the various field hospitals set up on the Antietam battle field.  He was patient #189 and listed as a gunshot wound patient which is consistent with his pension and military records.

The U.S. Hotel building is still standing today.   You can see it on Google Maps’ street view at the following link:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=101+South+Market+Street,+Frederick,+Maryland&hl=en&ll=39.411905,-77.411246&spn=0.000002,0.000752&sll=39.406729,-77.411908&sspn=0.028086,0.066047&vpsrc=6&gl=us&hnear=101+S+Market+St,+Frederick,+Maryland+21701&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=39.411905,-77.411247&panoid=2oMT9n7MiDuW0XJtmWG7LQ&cbp=12,204.34,,0,0.38

It’s the brick building with the red awnings.  At the time of the war it was across the street from the B&O railroad station.  It’s exact address is 101-107 S. Market St.

Another interesting feature of the patient lists is the number of confederate wounded who were taken to the federal hospitals.  Some took the oath of allegiance, some were sent along to other hospitals and I would assume prisons and POW camps.

Reimer, Terry.  One Vast Hospital: The Civil War Hospital Sites in Frederick, Maryland after Antietam.  National Museum of Civil War Hospitals: 2001.

The entry for the U.S. Hotel is on pages 43-44.  My great great gramp is on the patient roster, it’s alphabetical by last name.  No page numbers are given.

I’m continuing with the mapping project, I’ll post the link to the map once I’m done with the revisions.  It’s a bit of a mess at the moment as I tend to slap notes on it all the time.

I’m well into the mapping project. I’ve probably put in about twenty hours already and have gone the grand total of three months!  The research task is fairly immense and a bit daunting at times.  Obviously modern maps are only of use to give a general sense of geographical locations.  Even Buffalo, NY has change a good deal since 1861.  Tracing railroad routes, depot locations and place names can be an interesting and at times frustrating exercise.  Much of the 21st’s activity in 1861 revolved around Fort Runyon and other locations that have not been preserved beyond a historic maker or a footnote in modern histories.   Historical societies are a great help as they often publish local history and most importantly the evolution of street and place names.

This morning I was digging around the Library of Congress’ site and I found a great map of Northern Virginia titled “The Seat of War” which shows railroads, places, etc.  Fantastic resource.

Map of the seat of war showing the battles of July 18th & 21st 1861 Lith. by A. Hoen & Co., Baltimore.

Sources

“Map of the seat of war showing the battles of July 18th and 21st”.  A. Hoen & Co., Baltimore Maryland. Library of Congress, 22 September 2011.  <http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g3884m.cw0563200>.

Today I started two projects I’ve been meaning to get to for awhile: a comprehensive timeline of the movements of the 21st NY and a map of said movements.  For the map I’m using Google maps which is a useful rough draft tool at worst.  The timeline is just a simple spreadsheet for now.  I’ll most likely have to break it down by year or month.  One thing I’m learning is just the sheer volume of things to research.  For instance what railroad did the 21st ride? What was its exact route in 1861?  How many times did the regiment meet Lincoln and did the great man ever write about it? So far the count is up to one by June of 1861 when the regiment arrived in D.C. they marched along “The Avenue” and were reviewed in front of the White House by Lincoln.  ”The Avenue” is mentioned by Mills often which is annoying as there are quite a few avenues in D.C. but in this case a smart guess might be Pennsylvania, but history isn’t guessing, it’s facts.  So right now I’m buried hip deep in maps.   Another tangent is the camp that was built to house the 21st and 25th NY in Elmira, which was described in pastoral beautiful terms by Mills were later re-purposed in 1864 to a POW camp for rebel prisoners.  It was nicknamed “Hellmira” and rebel troops asserted it was far worse than Andersonville.

Reports of Brig. Gen. Marsena R. Patrick, U. S. Army,
Commanding Third Brigade, of the Battles of South Mountain and Antietam.
SEPTEMBER 3-20, 1862.-The Maryland Campaign.
O.R.– SERIES I–VOLUME XIX/1 [S# 27]

HEADQUARTERS PATRICK’S BRIGADE,
September 20, 1862

Capt. E. P. HALSTEAD,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Division Headquarters.

CAPTAIN: In obedience to the call from division headquarters, I have the honor to transmit the following report of the operations of this brigade on the 14th of September, in the affair on South Mountain:
The brigade marched with the division from the Monocacy at 6 o’clock a.m., and arrived at the Catoctin about 12.30 p.m., where the men made coffee, and about 2.30 p.m. resumed the march, under the orders of General Hatch, who had just relieved General King in command of the division. Striking off on a by-road to the right of the turnpike to avoid the fire of the enemy’s batteries, we reached the stone church at the foot of the mountain at about 3.30 p.m., near which General Hooker and staff had halted. Under his direction, a regiment was ordered to ascend the ravine that partially divided the eastern slope of the mountain, throwing out skirmishers to the right and left.
Colonel Rogers, Twenty-first New York Volunteers, was assigned to this position, and went immediately forward. Subsequently General Hatch directed the other regiments forward to ascend the mountain in a line with the Twenty-first. Colonel Lord, commanding Thirty-fifth New York Volunteers, deployed his entire regiment to the left, which eventually overlooked the pike at the foot of the southern and western slopes. This regiment breasted the mountain with a rapid step, and without unslinging knapsacks; but, in consequence of the previous advance of the Twenty-first, its left flank was lost sight of, and the right of the Thirty-fifth failed to connect with it. Just before reaching the top of the mountain, the Twentieth New York State Militia (Eightieth New York Volunteers), Lieutenant-Colonel Gates commanding (Col. G W. Pratt having died of wounds received at Groveton), was thrown in to cover this opening until its extent could be ascertained by examination. The Twenty-third Regiment New York Volunteers, Colonel Hoffman commanding, supported the Thirty-fifth on its left and center. The point of direction for the left wing was now changed farther to the right, and, while this was in progress, I went to the right and front to reconnoiter, for the purpose of connecting the skirmishers of the Thirty-fifth with the left of the Twenty-first, and while thus engaged drew the fire of the enemy, which revealed their position and enabled me to make the necessary preparations to meet them. A few minutes only were occupied in connecting the line of skirmishers, when Lieutenant-Colonel Gates with the Twentieth (Eightieth New York Volunteers) was ordered to join Colonel Rogers on the right and support him.
At this moment the head of General Hatch’s brigade, Colonel Phelps commanding, arrived in support of my line, and the whole moved forward. The firing commenced within a few rods of this point, and appeared to be concentrated near the top of the mountain in front and on our right. The skirmishers of the Thirty-fifth and their supports of the Twenty-third were drawn in from the left, and merged in the general line of battle that was now moving steadily toward the summit of the mountain, under a most galling fire from the enemy above us, posted behind the trees and among the rocks. Before reaching the top of the hill, we were joined by Doubleday’s brigade, and pushed to the summit, where the enemy were posted in force behind the fences, in the cornfield, and behind the rocky ledge.
On the right of my line Colonel Rogers, with the Twentieth (Eightieth New York Volunteers) and Twenty-first, had advanced cautiously until the enemy’s position in the corn-field was discovered and a battery still higher up and farther to the right. Arrived within 30 paces of the top eastern slope) of the mountain, Colonel Rogers pushed his command, in double-quick, up to the fence of the corn-field just in time to seize and hold it against a strong force of the enemy advancing to take possession of it. From this point the cannoneers of the battery were picked off so effectually as to silence it, and these two regiments participated in the general engagement that ensued all along the lines of Hatch, Meade, and Ricketts, resulting in a complete victory over the rebels and the possession of the open fields upon the mountain-top.
Darkness came on long before the firing had ceased, and it was impossible to rally, as a brigade, a line which had extended nearly 2 miles over an exceedingly rough and rocky mountain side and crest, covered sparsely in some places with oak and in others densely wooded with young pines. The Twentieth (Eightieth New York Volunteers) and Twenty-first remained during the night by the corn-field on the mountain, while the Twenty-third and Thirty-fifth, after the firing had ceased, retired to an open wood on the mountain side, where the Twenty-third had thrown off their knapsacks when ascending the heights.
On the morning of the 15th the brigade was reunited, and scarcely one man had failed to find and join his regiment during the night. The officers and men, although fatigued, pushed rapidly up the mountain, went into the engagement with spirit, and their conduct was such as to meet my entire approbation.
The casualties were as follows: (Nominal list omitted. Show 3 killed, 19 wounded, and 1 missing)

Very respectfully, yours, &c.,
M. R. PATRICK,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS PATRICK’S BRIGADE,
Camp near Sharpsburg, Md., September 21, 1862.

Capt. E. P. HALSTEAD,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Division Headquarters.

CAPTAIN: In obedience to the call from division headquarters for a report of the operations of the brigade under my command on the 17th instant, I have the honor to report the following statement:
The brigade, composed of the Twentieth New York State Militia, twenty-first, Twenty-third, and Thirty-fifth New York Volunteers, leaving its position with the main body of the army near Keedysville toward evening on the 16th, crossed the ford of the Antietam, and marched nearly parallel with the other columns, my brigade leading the division commanded by General Doubleday. Arrived within three-quarters of a mile of the road from Sharpsburg to Williamsport, the Pennsylvania Reserves, General Meade commanding, became engaged on our left and in the woods with the enemy, whom they drove about half a mile. Meantime, and just as darkness was coming on, I was directed by a staff officer of General Hooker to place my brigade in and hold an open wood, skirting the Sharpsburg road. Although taking no part in the action, several of my men were wounded by the enemy’s fire before and while taking position in the wood. I was then directed to connect my pickets with those of General Meade on my left, but owing to the darkness it was some time before this could be accomplished.
At this time Lieutenant-Colonel Hofmann, of Doubleday’s brigade, coming up with his command, was placed in the interval between the Reserves and my brigade. As Colonel Hofmann was directly exposed to the action of a battery in his front, he brought up in the night some guns, and placed them in position to meet the fire of the enemy. The whole command lay on arms during the night, and at daybreak next morning (17th) the enemy opened fire upon us with round-shot, shell, and canister, by which a few of our men were wounded. My brigade, having led the day before, was now ordered to follow and support Gibbon’s brigade, which had remained over night at some distance on my left and rear.
Putting my brigade in motion, we marched across the open field and into the wood beyond, through the plowed field and orchard into a corn-field, where Gibbon’s brigade lay, and where my own was placed in its support. We could not have remained here more than from five to seven minutes, when I received an order from General Doubleday to march my brigade rapidly across the road, and hold the woods at a little distance on the right of the road. This movement was rapidly executed, but while in progress an order from General Doubleday directed me to send a regiment to protect a battery in the corn-field near the straw-stack. The Twentieth Regiment New York State Militia, Lieutenant-Colonel Gates commanding, was instantly countermarched, and reported to General Gibbon, at Battery B, Fourth U. S. Artillery, where it remained until the battery was withdrawn, some hours after. The Seventh Wisconsin Regiment crossed the road at the same time with my brigade, and took position in the wood parallel with and in advance of the lines, on the other side of the road beyond the battery, where it joined the Nineteenth Indiana, which had preceded it by only a very few minutes.
Scarcely had my three regiments reached the woods when a body of the enemy was discovered filing off to our right and rear into a cornfield, where a small battery had already been placed, and, on reporting the fact to General Hooker, he directed that one of my regiments should be detached to watch and check the movement. Colonel Hoffman, with the Twenty-third Regiment, was dispatched to the right to head off the enemy in that direction, and the Twenty-first and Thirty-fifth moved forward into the wood, closing upon the two regiments of Gibbon’s brigade, whose skirmishers were now at the brow of the little eminence above the low grounds, in front of which was a corn-field, from which came the enemy’s fire.
The fire of the enemy up to this time was brisk, not heavy, but on reaching this point a most galling fire was poured in from the enemy, strongly posted behind the rocks on our left, and my two regiments, Twenty-first and Thirty-fifth, were thrown forward into the first line to meet it. The troops on the opposite side of the road and fields and along the edge of the woods were now being rapidly driven back, and to check this advantage of the enemy, as well as to protect Battery B, on my left, I threw my whole command, including the Seventh Wisconsin and Nineteenth Indiana, across the open space and under the rocky ledge, perpendicular to my former position and parallel to the road, when I was joined at double-quick by the Twenty-third, now relieved on the right by General Meade. We remained but a few minutes here before we had checked the enemy’s advance sufficiently to push our lines up to the road, which we held firmly for some time, the Thirty-fifth Regiment capturing the colors of the rebel regiment advancing on our battery.
Rallying once more, the enemy drove us back to the rocky ledge, which we held until our ammunition being almost exhausted and the line attacked in flank and rear on the right, I directed my command to fall back to a line of rock at right angles to the road and about 15 rods from the woods, to hold there until ammunition and re-enforcements could be obtained. We remained here between the fires of our own and the enemy’s batteries long enough for the men to make coffee, they having moved so early as to fail of breakfast. Meanwhile, re-enforcements having arrived, although without getting ammunition except by equalization. The brigade (except the Twentieth Regiment, which had retired with the battery) again moved into the wood, in support of the new troops that were coming in. These troops, which I understood belonged to General Williams’ command, came in in succession and at considerable intervals. The first line (composed, I think, of the Sixtieth and Seventy-eighth New York) being first in, were informed of the nature of the ground and position of the enemy before advancing, which was done cautiously, but not without loss, Colonel Goodrich, commanding (brigade, I understood), being killed on the spot. The other regiments of General Williams filed in obliquely and in front of Colonel Goodrich’s line with a rapid step, and under the impression that the enemy were being driven.
The whole force now in the wood moved forward, when its advance was suddenly checked by a terrific fire on the left and front. As before, the lines of our troops were broken and thrown into confusion. All were retiring rapidly before the enemy along the same line as in the preceding engagement, and I once more threw my brigade under the ledge, partly to rally the retiring troops and partly to hold with our remaining cartridges until order could be restored. But few of the troops rallied, however, and after holding my command here until the enemy were close upon our right flank, the brigade was withdrawn in an unbroken line to the wood on the other side of the road, and took position to arrest the flight of stragglers. From this wood, after about three-quarters of an hour, we retired to a position near to and supporting the batteries in the open field, where we were joined by Lieutenant-Colonel Gates, of the Twentieth who had been serving with Cambell’s battery and had captured the battle-flag of one of the rebel regiments.
The troops under my command behaved in the most satisfactory manner, being perfectly cool and obedient to every word of command. Here, as at South Mountain and Groveton, Captain Kimball and Lieutenant Beckwith, of my staff, were invaluable, making up by their activity and energy the loss of my aide, Lieutenant Bouvier, seriously wounded at Groveton.
The casualties are as follows: Killed, 20; wounded, 180; missing, 17. A list of names is hereto appended.

I am, captain, very respectfully, yours,
M. R. PATRICK,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Reports of Brig. Gen. Marsena R. Patrick, U. S. Army,
Commanding Third Brigade, of the Battles of South Mountain and Antietam.
SEPTEMBER 3-20, 1862.-The Maryland Campaign.
O.R.– SERIES I–VOLUME XIX/1 [S# 27]

HEADQUARTERS PATRICK’S BRIGADE,
September 20, 1862

Capt. E. P. HALSTEAD,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Division Headquarters.

       CAPTAIN: In obedience to the call from division headquarters, I have the honor to transmit the following report of the operations of this brigade on the 14th of September, in the affair on South Mountain:
The brigade marched with the division from the Monocacy at 6 o’clock a.m., and arrived at the Catoctin about 12.30 p.m., where the men made coffee, and about 2.30 p.m. resumed the march, under the orders of General Hatch, who had just relieved General King in command of the division. Striking off on a by-road to the right of the turnpike to avoid the fire of the enemy’s batteries, we reached the stone church at the foot of the mountain at about 3.30 p.m., near which General Hooker and staff had halted. Under his direction, a regiment was ordered to ascend the ravine that partially divided the eastern slope of the mountain, throwing out skirmishers to the right and left.
Colonel Rogers, Twenty-first New York Volunteers, was assigned to this position, and went immediately forward. Subsequently General Hatch directed the other regiments forward to ascend the mountain in a line with the Twenty-first. Colonel Lord, commanding Thirty-fifth New York Volunteers, deployed his entire regiment to the left, which eventually overlooked the pike at the foot of the southern and western slopes. This regiment breasted the mountain with a rapid step, and without unslinging knapsacks; but, in consequence of the previous advance of the Twenty-first, its left flank was lost sight of, and the right of the Thirty-fifth failed to connect with it. Just before reaching the top of the mountain, the Twentieth New York State Militia (Eightieth New York Volunteers), Lieutenant-Colonel Gates commanding (Col. G W. Pratt having died of wounds received at Groveton), was thrown in to cover this opening until its extent could be ascertained by examination. The Twenty-third Regiment New York Volunteers, Colonel Hoffman commanding, supported the Thirty-fifth on its left and center. The point of direction for the left wing was now changed farther to the right, and, while this was in progress, I went to the right and front to reconnoiter, for the purpose of connecting the skirmishers of the Thirty-fifth with the left of the Twenty-first, and while thus engaged drew the fire of the enemy, which revealed their position and enabled me to make the necessary preparations to meet them. A few minutes only were occupied in connecting the line of skirmishers, when Lieutenant-Colonel Gates with the Twentieth (Eightieth New York Volunteers) was ordered to join Colonel Rogers on the right and support him.
At this moment the head of General Hatch’s brigade, Colonel Phelps commanding, arrived in support of my line, and the whole moved forward. The firing commenced within a few rods of this point, and appeared to be concentrated near the top of the mountain in front and on our right. The skirmishers of the Thirty-fifth and their supports of the Twenty-third were drawn in from the left, and merged in the general line of battle that was now moving steadily toward the summit of the mountain, under a most galling fire from the enemy above us, posted behind the trees and among the rocks. Before reaching the top of the hill, we were joined by Doubleday’s brigade, and pushed to the summit, where the enemy were posted in force behind the fences, in the cornfield, and behind the rocky ledge.
On the right of my line Colonel Rogers, with the Twentieth (Eightieth New York Volunteers) and Twenty-first, had advanced cautiously until the enemy’s position in the corn-field was discovered and a battery still higher up and farther to the right. Arrived within 30 paces of the top eastern slope) of the mountain, Colonel Rogers pushed his command, in double-quick, up to the fence of the corn-field just in time to seize and hold it against a strong force of the enemy advancing to take possession of it. From this point the cannoneers of the battery were picked off so effectually as to silence it, and these two regiments participated in the general engagement that ensued all along the lines of Hatch, Meade, and Ricketts, resulting in a complete victory over the rebels and the possession of the open fields upon the mountain-top.
Darkness came on long before the firing had ceased, and it was impossible to rally, as a brigade, a line which had extended nearly 2 miles over an exceedingly rough and rocky mountain side and crest, covered sparsely in some places with oak and in others densely wooded with young pines. The Twentieth (Eightieth New York Volunteers) and Twenty-first remained during the night by the corn-field on the mountain, while the Twenty-third and Thirty-fifth, after the firing had ceased, retired to an open wood on the mountain side, where the Twenty-third had thrown off their knapsacks when ascending the heights.
On the morning of the 15th the brigade was reunited, and scarcely one man had failed to find and join his regiment during the night. The officers and men, although fatigued, pushed rapidly up the mountain, went into the engagement with spirit, and their conduct was such as to meet my entire approbation.
The casualties were as follows: (Nominal list omitted. Show 3 killed, 19 wounded, and 1 missing)

Very respectfully, yours, &c.,
M. R. PATRICK,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.

HEADQUARTERS PATRICK’S BRIGADE,
Camp near Sharpsburg, Md., September 21, 1862.

Capt. E. P. HALSTEAD,
Assistant Adjutant-General, Division Headquarters.

       CAPTAIN: In obedience to the call from division headquarters for a report of the operations of the brigade under my command on the 17th instant, I have the honor to report the following statement:
The brigade, composed of the Twentieth New York State Militia, twenty-first, Twenty-third, and Thirty-fifth New York Volunteers, leaving its position with the main body of the army near Keedysville toward evening on the 16th, crossed the ford of the Antietam, and marched nearly parallel with the other columns, my brigade leading the division commanded by General Doubleday. Arrived within three-quarters of a mile of the road from Sharpsburg to Williamsport, the Pennsylvania Reserves, General Meade commanding, became engaged on our left and in the woods with the enemy, whom they drove about half a mile. Meantime, and just as darkness was coming on, I was directed by a staff officer of General Hooker to place my brigade in and hold an open wood, skirting the Sharpsburg road. Although taking no part in the action, several of my men were wounded by the enemy’s fire before and while taking position in the wood. I was then directed to connect my pickets with those of General Meade on my left, but owing to the darkness it was some time before this could be accomplished.
At this time Lieutenant-Colonel Hofmann, of Doubleday’s brigade, coming up with his command, was placed in the interval between the Reserves and my brigade. As Colonel Hofmann was directly exposed to the action of a battery in his front, he brought up in the night some guns, and placed them in position to meet the fire of the enemy. The whole command lay on arms during the night, and at daybreak next morning (17th) the enemy opened fire upon us with round-shot, shell, and canister, by which a few of our men were wounded. My brigade, having led the day before, was now ordered to follow and support Gibbon’s brigade, which had remained over night at some distance on my left and rear.
Putting my brigade in motion, we marched across the open field and into the wood beyond, through the plowed field and orchard into a corn-field, where Gibbon’s brigade lay, and where my own was placed in its support. We could not have remained here more than from five to seven minutes, when I received an order from General Doubleday to march my brigade rapidly across the road, and hold the woods at a little distance on the right of the road. This movement was rapidly executed, but while in progress an order from General Doubleday directed me to send a regiment to protect a battery in the corn-field near the straw-stack. The Twentieth Regiment New York State Militia, Lieutenant-Colonel Gates commanding, was instantly countermarched, and reported to General Gibbon, at Battery B, Fourth U. S. Artillery, where it remained until the battery was withdrawn, some hours after. The Seventh Wisconsin Regiment crossed the road at the same time with my brigade, and took position in the wood parallel with and in advance of the lines, on the other side of the road beyond the battery, where it joined the Nineteenth Indiana, which had preceded it by only a very few minutes.
Scarcely had my three regiments reached the woods when a body of the enemy was discovered filing off to our right and rear into a cornfield, where a small battery had already been placed, and, on reporting the fact to General Hooker, he directed that one of my regiments should be detached to watch and check the movement. Colonel Hoffman, with the Twenty-third Regiment, was dispatched to the right to head off the enemy in that direction, and the Twenty-first and Thirty-fifth moved forward into the wood, closing upon the two regiments of Gibbon’s brigade, whose skirmishers were now at the brow of the little eminence above the low grounds, in front of which was a corn-field, from which came the enemy’s fire.
The fire of the enemy up to this time was brisk, not heavy, but on reaching this point a most galling fire was poured in from the enemy, strongly posted behind the rocks on our left, and my two regiments, Twenty-first and Thirty-fifth, were thrown forward into the first line to meet it. The troops on the opposite side of the road and fields and along the edge of the woods were now being rapidly driven back, and to check this advantage of the enemy, as well as to protect Battery B, on my left, I threw my whole command, including the Seventh Wisconsin and Nineteenth Indiana, across the open space and under the rocky ledge, perpendicular to my former position and parallel to the road, when I was joined at double-quick by the Twenty-third, now relieved on the right by General Meade. We remained but a few minutes here before we had checked the enemy’s advance sufficiently to push our lines up to the road, which we held firmly for some time, the Thirty-fifth Regiment capturing the colors of the rebel regiment advancing on our battery.
Rallying once more, the enemy drove us back to the rocky ledge, which we held until our ammunition being almost exhausted and the line attacked in flank and rear on the right, I directed my command to fall back to a line of rock at right angles to the road and about 15 rods from the woods, to hold there until ammunition and re-enforcements could be obtained. We remained here between the fires of our own and the enemy’s batteries long enough for the men to make coffee, they having moved so early as to fail of breakfast. Meanwhile, re-enforcements having arrived, although without getting ammunition except by equalization. The brigade (except the Twentieth Regiment, which had retired with the battery) again moved into the wood, in support of the new troops that were coming in. These troops, which I understood belonged to General Williams’ command, came in in succession and at considerable intervals. The first line (composed, I think, of the Sixtieth and Seventy-eighth New York) being first in, were informed of the nature of the ground and position of the enemy before advancing, which was done cautiously, but not without loss, Colonel Goodrich, commanding (brigade, I understood), being killed on the spot. The other regiments of General Williams filed in obliquely and in front of Colonel Goodrich’s line with a rapid step, and under the impression that the enemy were being driven.
The whole force now in the wood moved forward, when its advance was suddenly checked by a terrific fire on the left and front. As before, the lines of our troops were broken and thrown into confusion. All were retiring rapidly before the enemy along the same line as in the preceding engagement, and I once more threw my brigade under the ledge, partly to rally the retiring troops and partly to hold with our remaining cartridges until order could be restored. But few of the troops rallied, however, and after holding my command here until the enemy were close upon our right flank, the brigade was withdrawn in an unbroken line to the wood on the other side of the road, and took position to arrest the flight of stragglers. From this wood, after about three-quarters of an hour, we retired to a position near to and supporting the batteries in the open field, where we were joined by Lieutenant-Colonel Gates, of the Twentieth who had been serving with Cambell’s battery and had captured the battle-flag of one of the rebel regiments.
The troops under my command behaved in the most satisfactory manner, being perfectly cool and obedient to every word of command. Here, as at South Mountain and Groveton, Captain Kimball and Lieutenant Beckwith, of my staff, were invaluable, making up by their activity and energy the loss of my aide, Lieutenant Bouvier, seriously wounded at Groveton.
The casualties are as follows: Killed, 20; wounded, 180; missing, 17. A list of names is hereto appended.

I am, captain, very respectfully, yours,
M. R. PATRICK,
Brigadier-General, Commanding.

Today I went out sailing with my Mom and her friends Sandy, Alice and Elizabeth.  They own equal shares in a 1974 25′ CNC, pretty common lake boat in WNY and Southern Ontario.  The winds were very light, very variable so it was tough sailing.  Sandy was the captain, she gave me a ton of tiller time.  In fact I got so much that my neck got cramped up and I finally had to switch off it.  We pretty much left the jib and main in place, not much sheet trimming but lots and lots and lots of correcting for the wind. I think I’m finally getting the hang of it and the tell tales.   It was a far more enjoyable experience than my “official” lessons earlier this week but I worked less.  So the downside is I didn’t learn too much about trimming but I did learn more about tiller control and steering.    I think overall  I did a decent job.  I was more confident this time out.  I have learned how to rig a boat for sail.  Every now and then Sandy would quiz me on what types of boats were on the water with us and I was the only one able to define the differences between sloops, ketches, yawls and schooners.  So score one for Captain Chuck’s teaching!  On the way home Mom and I saw the beaver that lives in the marina, cute little guy.  Beth would have loved the party on the boat after the sail because about a half dozen ducks came right up to us.  I guess the guy in the next slip feeds them often so they’re very friendly ducks.  Lots of boats for sail down there, could probably buy one cheap if I wanted.

Tomorrow is the 149th anniversary of the Battle of Antietam.  So what did the 21st do leading up to that battle? On September 14th they spent the night on South Mountain.  Lee retreated at midnight and Little Mac thought he was beaten enough to pursue.  This was a good idea as Lee was beaten and worse for Lee, his strength was still dispersed.  South Mountain, however, bought the rebels time to start concentrating their forces.   On the 15th Jackson accepted the surrender of the surrounded garrison at Harper’s Ferry.  He almost immediately began to move his forces to meet up with Lee at Sharpsburg.   If the Union had been able to punch through the rebel lines at South Mountain it’s doubtful Jackson would have been able to be present at the start of the battle and A.P. Hill would likely not have had the time to arrive in the nick of time to prevent the collapse of the rebel right in the third phase of the battle.

The 21st woke on the 15th to the news of the rebel retreat, they were in high spirits over their victory.  Keep in mind until South Mountain the news for Union troops in the Eastern theater was almost exclusively of loss after loss.  So South Mountain was an important morale builder for the Army of the Potomac in particular.  The 21st and their division were ordered to Boonsboro.   The 21st and the column they marched in arrived at Boonsboro early in the afternoon of the 15th and camped “six miles” from Keadysville.  Colonel Rogers wrote that the 21st was ordered to the banks of the Antietam on the morning of the 16th and arrived a few hours later, so I would estimate their arrival time to be late-morning or very early afternoon.   The 21st and the Union troops who arrived had a fairly clear view of the rebel lines based around Sharpsburg.    Rogers reported that there was sporadic artillery firing  “about an hour before dark” and it was very apparent that “battle was imminent”.   Shells fell behind the 21st and wounded troops positioned behind them but Rogers wrote that the men in the 21st weren’t very concerned with the shelling “we had become accustomed to their music and they did not disturb us much”.

On the night of the 16th the 21st filed into the Woods and made camp, pickets were sent out.  At this point the 21st would have been just north of the toll on the Hagerstown Pike, in position to move south and fight in the West Woods, the Pike and the Cornfield.  Fighting between Union and Rebel pickets was fairly steady throughout the night and very early in the morning before the battle proper got underway.

149 years ago my great, great gramp was one of hundreds of Buffalo boys waiting to be fed into the Antietam meat grinder.

Tonight was windy, gusts of 20 mph or so, steady winds of 15.  There were nine of us tonight.  Jim and Michelle were there which was nice.  Lynne and Barb were there too, I met them last night.  So we had a pretty energetic, ready to go crew.  Problem was there were no instructors.  Chuck finally showed up around quarter to seven but that’s far too late to go out.  To say I’m annoyed is an understatement.    Bad customer service.  I’ll stick it out and graduate because I paid for it but this is becoming kind of a common thing and I don’t like it.  I think I’ll take my advanced course somewhere else.

So we went pirate a bit.  We opened two boats and rigged them for sailing.  One boat had a motor so we motored out a couple times, the first time the boat was crashed into the dock.  Too many chiefs at the helm.  I was in the bow and did what I could to fend off but frankly I’m not risking injury for a boat that already has a bashed up bow.  I was more concerned about us hitting the boat next to us.

So that was about it.  Boiled down to a dock lesson which is better than nothing.  No more classes during the week, Saturday and Sunday only.  Don’t think I’ll go this weekend, maybe next week.