Phil Andrade
London
UK
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Posts: 5837
Joined: 2004
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September 27, 1862
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Larry,
Thanks for this contribution.
Isn’t it interesting to behold the different experiences of the 35th Massachusetts in terms of its casualties in the separate battles ?
At South Mountain, only three killed but 37 wounded : two of those wounded died, however, and its Colonel Wild was to have his arm amputated.
Three days later, at Antietam, a horrific 48 killed, along with another 160 wounded and 6 missing, the latter not mentioned in the newspaper tabulation. The final Antietam death toll for the regiment was to be 75, allowing for mortally wounded and perhaps the fate of some of those half dozen missing.
If they were in the assault on that bridge, I can well understand why so many of the men who were hit were killed outright. When I visited the battlefield I was trying to imagine what it must have been like advancing across the bridge, packed together under heavy and sustained fire. The numbers tell the story.
Editing : a brief survey of some of my books tells me that at Antietam the 35th Massachusetts took its punishment after it had crossed that bridge, when it was exposed to confederate counter attack.
Regards, Phil
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"Egad, sir, I do not know whether you will die on the gallows or of the pox!"
"That will depend, my Lord, on whether I embrace your principles or your mistress."
Earl of Sandwich and John Wilkes
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