In 1903, Louis N. Chapin, former lieutenant in the New York 34th Regiment (“The Herkimer Regiment”) published A Brief History of the Thirty-Forth Regiment, a narrative that documented all the men of that volunteer regiment and their military service, from mustering in in Albany in 1961 to mustering out in June 1863. Included is a detail account of the 34th’s participation in the Battle of Antietam in September, 1862 in which, out of 311 men, 46 were killed and nearly 100 were wounded. In the following excerpt, the 34th hikes from Washington, D.C. across the state of Maryland and arrives at Keedysville on the day before the battle, the single bloodiest day in American history.
This brings us to September 7th. As nobody knew exactly where the rebels were, we really expected a big fight right here, and were in line awaiting it. General Gorman rides along the line, and tells his men they have got to fight ; but the real hard fight is ten days off. At Tenallytown the men received their knapsacks, which had been shipped from Harrison s Landing. Major Beverly, who had been absent for some time, was now with the regiment again, and in command, for Colonel Suiter was on the sick list. This heavy marching, continued for so many days, was about as bad as a battle, judging by the way it worsted the men. Forward we go, up through Maryland ; on the 10th near Clarksburg; on the 11th to Hyattstown. Here a small body of rebel cavalry was dispersed by Kirby s Battery. On the 12th we were at Urbana, and on the 13th at Frederick City; thence to South Mountain where we came in contact with the enemy, but suffered no loss. A fine thing happened at Middletown on the 14th, the day of the South Mountain fight. The men had been marching all day, and were badly whipped, although they had not been in a fight. Toward evening we halted on a beautiful farm. The country around Middletown is very much like western New York: open, with rolling hills and meadows. We expected to remain here for the night; and no sooner had we stacked arms than nine-tenths of the men made a dash for a cornfield a mile away. Green corn in those days was a great luxury; but we had barely reached the field, and began to pluck the ripened ears, when the bugle sounded to fall in, and we had to make a lively return dash. This extra effort, coming on top of the heavy day s march, didn’t rest the men very much ; but we fell in, and never halted again until midnight. We were then on South Mountain, and very softly crept up to a stone wall, believing that the rebels were just on the other side. Not a man was allowed to speak, or hardly breathe. The morning broke, but the rebels were not on the other side of the wall, nor anywhere in sight.
Hitherto Simmer’s Corps had consisted of Sedgwick’s and Richardson s Divisions; but on the 16th of September, a third division was added to the corps, which was under the command of General Wm. H. French. We arrived at Keedysville on the 15th, having passed through Turner’s Gap, in the South Mountain Range. At Keedysville, which was only a little hamlet, there was a most remarkable spring of water. It was near a small farmhouse and barn. It gushed out from under a shelving rock, formed a deep reservoir, and then flowed off down the hillside in a beautiful river of sparkling water, enough for each, enough for all, enough for evermore. The thirsty men came to drink as men never drank before; hundreds of horses and mules came to take long deep refreshing draughts, and to shake their bridled heads in the crystal flood. How many times since have we heard old soldiers speak of that wonderful spring. We have taken a little pains to give a good picture of it as it appears at the present day ; but regret that the picture is not more satisfactory. The shape of the ground is such that it cannot be made to take in the little old farmhouse and barn ; but still it shows the great reservoir, which is now filled with growing watercress.
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