a companion to Antietam on the Web
Here’s young Private Albert George of Cadiz, OH.
He enlisted in the 30th Ohio Infantry in October 1861 at age 18 and probably had his picture taken (hand-colored tintype) in uniform soon afterward.
I’d guess he was about 16 in that earlier carte-de-vistite (CDV).
Sadly his young life ended at Antietam on 17 September 1862.
Both of his pictures are online from the Ohio History Connection (formerly Ohio Historical Society).
Washington, DC-born William J.H. White was 35 years old in September 1862 and had been an Army doctor since he graduated from the Columbian College Medical School (now George Washington University) in 1849. At least 10 of his 13 years service had been in the frontier West, with the 2nd US Cavalry in Texas and New Mexico. His had not been soft duty.
Earlier in 1862 he had seen considerable action with the 6th Corps and gained experience with large numbers of casualties, notably at Gaines’ Mill in June and Bull Run in August.
He arrived with his Corps at the battlefield of Antietam about 10am on Wednesday, 17 September and his job as Medical Director was to set up and staff the Corps field hospital; the battle had been underway for some 5 hours when he arrived, which made his work both important and urgent. He established a hospital on the Michael Miller farm, known later as the Brick House Hospital, and nearby at Dunbar’s Mills, both at the north end of the East Woods. He probably didn’t treat any soldiers himself, but would have been closely involved with their care.
The troops of his 6th Army Corps were placed largely in holding and supporting positions on the field at Antietam, but one Brigade, Irwin’s of Smith’s 2nd Division, made an attack toward the West Woods about mid-day.
That afternoon something went terribly wrong with Dr. William White.
During the whole of the terrible battle of Wednesday Dr. WHITE was superintending the care and removal of the wounded from the battle; and it is supposed the excitement consequent to the occasion produced a species of temporary insanity, for after the battle had lulled somewhat, he rode up to Gen. FRANKLIN and said, “General, if you will give me a regiment of men I will clear those woods of rebels,” pointing to a piece of woods on his right in which was stationed a very large force of rebels.
Gen. FRANKLIN replied, that fifty regiments would be unable to dislodge the enemy from the position, and that it would be useless to attempt the experiment. Dr. WHITE rejoined, “If you will not give me the men to take those woods, I will go and take them myself,” at the same time proceeding in the direction of the place where the rebels were concealed, at a rapid gait. When within about twenty or thirty rods of the edge of the wood, he was fired upon by several rebel sharpshooters, two balls taking effect, one in the forehead and another in the breast, killing him instantly.
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Edwin Forbes’ engraving of Irwin’s attack is from the Century Magazine of June 1886.
The extraordinary narrative of his death quoted here is from a Memorial of 20 September issued by US Army Surgeon-General William A. Hammond and published in the New York Times of 12 October 1862.
This story also cross-posted to CivilWar Talk.
By September 1862 Brigadier General Julius White was in command of the garrison at Martinsburg, VA. On the approach of General Jackson’s Confederates, he took his troops to Harpers Ferry and, although senior, deferred to Colonel Miles in command. He was the officer who surrendered Harpers Ferry to General Jackson after Miles was wounded on 15 September 1862. His photograph is at the Library of Congress.
Seen here is a part of the medical history of 18 year old Private George H. Bowes, 8th Illinois Cavalry. It’s a page in the Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion (1870).
Bowes was shot through the stomach in a skirmish at the Quebec Schoolhouse near Middletown, MD on 13 September 1862. Although he survived his wound, he was still suffering from it at least 10 years later.
I was looking into German-born George Knoll who enlisted in Giles Courthouse, VA as a Private in the 7th Virginia Infantry in May 1861. He was wounded and captured in action on South Mountain in September 1862, wounded again at Bermuda Hundred, VA in November 1864 and eventually surrendered at Appomattox Court House, VA.
In the process I found this beautiful map of Giles and nearby Virginia counties drawn by the Confederate States of America Army, Dept. of Northern Virginia, Chief Engineer’s Office; Jeremy Francis Gilmer, Chief Engineer (1864). It’s online and zoomable, in full color, from the Library of Congress.