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BATTLE OF SECOND MANASSAS

Although they took some casualties from artillery fire, Phillip’s Legion saw little action during the battle. Their brigade helped in turning the Federal flank and initiating the rout but due to confusion by the commander, General Thomas Drayton, they were late to the field.

On the other hand, the 18^th Georgia was front and center to one of the most successful charges of the war. The hard hitting Texas Brigade, of which they were a part of, were part of the devastating flank attack by Longstreet’s corp. As the Texas Brigade advanced, they first struck the 5^th and 10^th New York which wore zouave uniforms. Within minutes the 500 men of the 5^th New York lost 300 killed or mortally wounded. This was the largest amount of casualties sustained by a unit in one action for the duration of the war. Continuing on, the 18^th Georgia captured the battle flag of the 10^th New York and went on to capture Claude Hazlett’s battery of artillery.

--Click here to see a video describing the Texas Brigade’s charge--

The 18^th Georgia is part of Hood’s brigade in the left center of the map in the division also commanded by General J.B. Hood.

LEE’S FIRST INVASION OF THE NORTH

Following Lee’s rout of the Federal army at 2^nd Manassas, Lee felt it time to take the war into Northern territory. In order to pursue the Confederate army, the Federals needed to control the gaps in South Mountain. There are three gaps in the mountain that were vital to Federal movement: Crampton’s, Turner’s, and Fox’s Gaps. Battles were fought at all three and are combined to be called the Battle of South Mountain.

BATTLE OF CRAMPTON’S GAP

Having procured a copy of Lee’s movement orders, McClellan moved to attack the Confederate army through South Mountain. Lee quickly adjusted and sent reinforcements to the gaps. Phillip’s Legion was sent into Fox’s gap but was overran by a Federal attack. The Legion lost 40% of its strength through casualties and capture. Further south the 16^th Georgia, 24^th Georgia, and Cobb’s Legion defended Crampton’s Gap against overwhelming odds. They delayed the Federal advance for almost a day until finally being broken and pushed through the gap. Casualty counts were very high for the regiments in this battle.

In the middle of the Confederate line is the 16^th Georgia, 24^th Georgia, and Cobb’s Legion

Captain Augustus C. Thompson of Co. G was wounded in the hip, disabled, and captured at Crampton’s Gap.

He was the company commander of 5 of my ancestors.

BATTLE OF ANTIETAM

Regrouping his army and consolidating into a defensive line, Lee received the Federal attacks starting on his left and rolling across toward his right. Though vastly outnumbering the Confederates, the Federals were unable to coordinate attacks. Through sheer force, the Federals were nearly able to break the Confederate line and in some places actually did, but without support the gaps were held. One of the biggest breakthroughs happened in the now well-known Corn Field. It was here that the Federal Iron Brigade pushed through the Corn Field which was already strewn with mostly Confederate dead and wounded from the “Louisiana Tiger” Brigade. To counter this threat General Hood’s division was sent in. Angry at the fact that their first hot breakfast in three days was being disturbed, the Texas Brigade (with the 18^th Ga. and Hampton’s S.C. Legion) counterattacked into the Corn Field and plugged the gap. The brigade suffered 60% casualties causing General Hood to reply “Dead on the field” when asked by another officer where his division was.

Painting of the 1^st Texas storming through the Corn Field.

The 18^th Georgia can be seen in the Corn Field spearheading the Confederate counterattack.

The fighting drew to a close in the Corn Field around late morning and moved to the right along the Sunken Road.

Cobb’s Brigade, which featured the 16^th and 24^th Georgia, Cobb’s Legion, and the 15^th North Carolina moved up and joined the left flank of Robert Rodes Brigade. Rodes and G.B. Anderson’s brigade, further to the right occupied the Sunken Road on the Antietam Battlefield. Though not attacked directly they assisted in throwing back the repeated Federal assaults which would break the Confederate line but not being supported, accomplished little.

Cobb’s Brigade can be seen just left of the center of the map mixed with Garland’s Brigade. Phillip’s Legion, under Drayton can be seen at the very bottom.

Phillip’s Legion took up a position just to the southeast of the town of Sharpsburg. Toward the end of the day they would be attacked by overwhelming numbers. At this point of the field there were only approximately 800 Confederates guarding all of Lee’s right flank and would soon be attacked by as many as 9000 Federals. Luckily for the Legion, the ground in their front provided excellent fields of fire and they inflicted close to 50% casualties on the approaching New York brigade under Colonel Harrison Fairchild. The weight of the Federals enabled them to come into close combat with bayonets and clubbed rifles with the Legion. As the Confederates fell back into town, Lee was saved by General A.P. Hill’s corp who had been diverted to Harper’s Ferry. They could not have arrived at a better time for Lee as they went right into action pushing the Federals back off his right flank. Phillip’s Legion suffered 35 casualties at the Battle of Antietam.

Following the Battle of Antietam, the Army of Northern Virginia was reorganized. General Drayton, who had commanded the brigade containing Phillip’s Legion, was relieved and the Legion was reassigned to General T.R.R. Cobb’s brigade which contained the 16^th and 24^th Georgia and Cobb’s Legion. By order of the Confederate war department, the 18^th Georgia was removed from the Texas Brigade and also assigned to Cobb’s new all Georgian brigade.

General Drayton

General T.R.R. Cobb

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