Meeting the Flower of the Southern Army: The 2nd Delaware at Antietam

Second Lieutenant H. Charles Lynch of the 2nd Delaware took understandable pride in recounting to his parents how his regiment fought at the Battle of Antietam. 

    "Our division met the flower of the Southern army and we whipped them badly," he noted. "The Irish brigade and our brigade were fighting against General Jackson’s best men. "I came through safe (thanks be to God) but not so with our company. We went into the fight with 23 men and came off with 17. None were killed, however, that I know of but we had five wounded and one missing. I have hopes that the missing one will turn up yet. My men fought well and I feel proud of them. I thought that I would never be able to stand fire, but I soon found out differently for I was as cool and could be through the whole engagement and never thought once of being shot or backing off the field." 

    Lieutenant Lynch's account, written just three days after the battle, first saw publication in the October 1, 1862, edition of Blue Hen's Chicken & Commonwealth, a newspaper published in Wilmington, Delaware. 

A view from the Sunken Lane looking out into the fields over which Lieutenant Charles Lynch and his comrades in the 2nd Delaware charged on September 17, 1862. The 2nd Delaware, part of Colonel John R. Brooke's Third Brigade of General Israel Richardson's division of the 2nd Corps, advanced in the wake of the Irish Brigade's attack between 11 am and noon, eventually crossing over the Sunken Road into the Piper cornfield south of the road, helping to fend off a Confederate counterattack. 

Near Sharpsburg, Maryland

September 20, 1862

My dear parents,

          I take this opportunity to inform you of my whereabouts and welfare. I am well and sound, thank God. The last four days have been eventful ones to me. I have been into the fight and come out of it. Our division met the flower of the Southern army and we whipped them badly. The Irish brigade and our brigade were fighting against General Jackson’s best men. I will give you the particulars as near as I can.

          On last Saturday afternoon we marched into Frederick, Maryland and on Sunday morning started in pursuit of the enemy. We came up with them on Monday afternoon and engaged them with artillery. Tuesday was taken up principally with planning and maneuvering troops on both sides. On Tuesday, we supported a battery of 20-lb Parrott guns all day under a very heavy fire. On Tuesday night our regiment was thrown in front on picket duty.

          Wednesday morning, we were drawn up in line of battle in a common field. The engagement was going on at this time pretty briskly. The Irish Brigade [see “Uncoffined and Unsung: An Irish Brigade Schoolteacher Survives the Hell of Antietam.”] was drawn up in line of battle just in front of our brigade and as a matter of course went into action first. They were not in the fight for over 20 minutes before they were broken by the concentrated fire of the enemy and their colors were left lying on the field. General Edwin Sumner’s aide came to General Richardson with the following message: “General, the Irish Brigade is broken and their colors were left lying on the field.”

General Israel B. Richardson
Died of wounds from Antietam

          This was ominous intelligence for our brigade and we were ordered forward. We went out on the field and charged on it, taking some 160 prisoners, and driving the enemy clear off the field. From the time our regiment fired the first volley, they kept up an incessant firing which caused us to march straight through the ranks of the famous “Irish Battalion” of the South which had not 15 minutes before broken the Irish Brigade. Our regiment went in advance of the rest of the brigade and kept the lead all the time. The men fought like tigers and not one was shot in the back. We had no cowards with us and taking everything into consideration, our loss was very trifling as 83 will cover the whole list of killed, wounded, and missing.

          I came through safe (thanks be to God) but not so with our company. We went into the fight with 23 men and came off with 17. None were killed, however, that I know of but we had five wounded and one missing. I have hopes that the missing one will turn up yet. My men fought well and I feel proud of them. I thought that I would never be able to stand fire, but I soon found out differently for I was as cool and could be through the whole engagement and never thought once of being shot or backing off the field.

          All the officers that were on the field conducted themselves most gallantly and the men think there is nobody like them. Our general gave us great praise and altogether, we are quite lionized by those who saw the action of the regiment. At one time we were so far in advance of the regular line that we came near being outflanked by the enemy and for a short time we sustained quite a severe crossfire. Fortunately for us there was another regiment in the rear of us and they fired into the Rebels and saved us considerably.

          After staying on the field for nearly 90 minutes, we were brought to a right face and marched off in good order. We marched to the rear and filled our cartridge boxes with cartridges and were sent to the front again and kept there the rest of the day. There was no more musketry firing during the day and we were put to support a battery and laid their the balance of the day under a galling fire of musketry. On Wednesday night we were put on picket duty and on Thursday were sent to the front again, staying there till the enemy skedaddled in great disorder.

 

“Our regiment being more bloodthirsty than the other regiments of our line let out a yell, driving the Rebels pell-mell through the cornfield before them and dropping the skedaddling varmints as they flew. They had the advantage of us in every respect as they had stone fences and deep gullies to hide in. As we got them on the run, we kept them going until there was very few to be seen.” ~Captain Charles J. Smyth, Co. C, 2nd Delaware

 

          While the battle raged, it was most terrific as the dead and wounded strewed the ground very thickly, indeed. Our brigadier general had just been to our camp to see the colors. He said they went crazy on the day of the fight and he does not want them to get so wild again, but added, “I know where they were. They were in the thickest of the fight. They have covered themselves with glory.” Delaware may be proud of her regiments. The 1st Delaware was pretty badly cut up with three of their captains killed.

          We had only two officers wounded and they only slightly. All the field officers’ horses were shot from under them at the first fire. We found all the bodies of the killed of our regiment on the field except Orderly Sergeant Fox. He went on the field with the regiment and conducted himself nobly, but he did not come off with us. A great many men of the regiment say they have seen him since the fight and perhaps he may yet turn up. He may be a prisoner, but at all events, I hope he may yet turn up.

          Our brigade took 11 Rebel flags. I cannot find words to express my gratitude for my deliverance and must leave you to imagine my feelings. I do not wish to get into another engagement, but if it should be my misfortune to meet the enemy again in pitched battle, my conduct shall be as it has been. I did my duty and I am satisfied and you have assurances that I am no coward. I am tired of writing and will tell you all the particulars when I get home.

 To learn more about the Battle of Antietam, check out the Battle of Antietam page which includes all of the posts I've written on the subject. 

Sources:

Letter from Second Lieutenant H. Charles Lynch, Co. K, 2nd Delaware Volunteer Infantry, Blue Hen’s Chicken & Commonwealth (Delaware), October 1, 1862, pg. 2

Letter from Captain Charles J. Smyth, Co. C, 2nd Delaware Volunteer Infantry, Cecil Whig (Maryland), October 4, 1862, pg. 1

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