Civil war military history is on lifesupport. Nobody cares about the civil war after the centennial. Push back. Olitely so in largeon i do part is because of the emerging civil war. And all that it is done in a remarkable space of five or six years. I hope this weekend can be a celebration of those efforts. The rugged spine of marylands South Mountain. Outnumbered soldiers saw to to stem the tide of federal offenses. If successful it would defeat and already divided confederate lee and finish off robert e s first invasion of the north. And three mountain passes almost unrivaled interest city. At least in this point of the war. Union and confederate troops struggled over difficult terrain and at close range. Veterans theyome aimed at flashes of anything. In the years after the war, writers eagerly portrayed South Mountain as a confederate monopoly. You can at least begin to apprehend the analogy. Anyone whouestion visits that field asks is how can anyone have battled these thely vertical slopes . Cincinnati gazette combed the fields of South Mountain for , marveledr the fight at the superior position held by the enemy. Predicted accurately that future visitors would be amazed to think how it is possible for our troops to dislodge the confederates from these strongholds. One embraced the narrative with greater delight than the confederate division gapsheld turners for much of the day on september 14. Heer one to be selfeffacing will prepare the confederate account of South Mountain for the enormously popular battle in the civil war series published by sentry magazine in the 1880s. He delightedly sees for himself the role of lee unitas. If the battle of South Mountain was thought to prevent the it was a failure on part of the confederates. It was a confederate success. From whatever standpoint the battle must be of interest to the military reader. Showing the effect of a hallucination and enabling 9000 confederates to hold off 30,000 federals at bay for so many hours. Routing victory of its fruits and inspiring victors with such turnon that a simple ruse them back in her career. And holding mcclellans armie a the confederates on South Mountain had salvaged lees offensive campaign. And then a skillful disposition of small numbers to oppose. Verwhelming odds the battle of South Mountain is without parallels during the war. General allison keepers was even more in modest. The army of Northern Virginias best achievement of the war. It might be easy to dismiss tose claims, predisposed their wartime exploits, if not for the remarkable disparity between their narration and the actual course of events. As it turned out after a hard day of fighting the army apparently notched a tactical victory. They did that rarest of things. They seized the Forward Momentum from robert e lee, who for the first who for the first time was forced to issue a full call for retreat. The army did so without numerical superiority for most of the day. Out athistorian pointed various intervals throughout the day would have a truly united front. The South Mountain and tails to great defenses by the confederates. Another far more successful one after the war. The civil war was 17 months old and arrives on South Mountain. In the east, loyal and patriotic northerners wringing their hands, rationalizing defeat. Defaults kly quickly devolves. 1862, it gave way to doubt. A luckless campaign against richmond with rumors of corruption rampant. President lincoln pleading with 300,000 more. Indeed the Union Victory in all the suffering and sacrifice is worth it after all. Rather than inspiring would be troops speakers found themselves instead reassuring and doubting audiences. The participation of so many men and great violence. Of course for emancipation. No one understood the politics of this particular moment. Maintaining a steady diet of andhern dutch of newspapers eagerly looks forward to democratic victories in the fall midterm elections. Victoryg a convincing lee was ready to roll the dice. And told Jefferson Davis this was the most particular is time. Moving on the operational offensive. Lee reached the conclusion notite his army was properly equipped for an invasion. The movement will attend with much risk. They do not consider success impossible. Harass if wevor to cannot destroy them. At the same moment lee apprehended a northern crisis of they cannot shake the intuition that the hourglass was running out of the stand. Window withited which to achieve southern independence. Federals were actively and band abandonedactively guided in the wars first year. He knew was only a short step from outright despair. Table everything on the in september of 1862. Should the results of the expedition justify it, from his headquarters in leesburg virginia, i proposed enter pennsylvania. Delusionsain no through philadelphia. He did not need to maintain. Long as they captain the northern resentment for the war and lent support to the burgeoning notion that league would defendincoln citizens back home, he would have already one. Robert a lee was fully aware that this invasion, if successful, would deliver him up to the congressional districts represented by the most vulnerable Republican Companies in those 1862 races. Among them the district of farmylvania, whose tenant on Chambersburg Pike would host armies. Mcpherson had been one of the earliest and most outspoken of the immediate emancipation. Lose his race for reelection and fall of 1862. At minimum, we relieve wartorn virginia. Lee then believes this to be the opportune moment. A conclusion that seemed more logical when his counterpart would once again be george for cleland george mcclellan. And only after he was absolutely certain washington dc and baltimore were secure, after all lee had driven him into a sulking selfimposed exile and general wasd the always annexed by the illusion he was greatly outnumbered. A threat that was neither grave nor immediate. It would be his greatest miscalculation of his campaign. On september 4, 1862, the elements of the army in Northern Virginia splashed across the. Otomac in the space of 72 hours they into frederick. It was at the headquarters he 9, thished on september was the first snag in his plans. The rebel commander had anticipated as soon as he entered maryland the garrisons would fool. As the dean of Maryland Campaign scholars has noted, this was a reasonable assumption, given invasion would separate 14,000 garrison soldiers from the union army and quell around washington. When minding the orders lee was forced to modify his plans. He could have continued the northern gambit, the pennsylvania gambit without first dislodging those garrisons. Robert e lee issued special orders 191, which restrict his army across a wide hunt in the hills of western maryland. In addition to the Stonewall Division he ordered up those six divisions to move on the two federal garrisons. In the space of 48 hours, capturing enemy there, scuba of any troops and retreat. They would form the rear guard of the army on lees words. Telling the artillery, all the supply wagons, as far north as greensboro. Somewhere between greensboro and hagerstown poised south of the masondixon line. Reunited with the commands to be dispatched. According to lees ambitious energetic timetable, this on theous would occur morning of friday, september 12. And then they would continue their northward frost. Northward thrust. The chief objective of the campaign then was not the reduction of harpers ferry, sometimes portrayed in the literature. After all he believed that martinsburg would fold without the pulling of a single trigger. The objective of the campaign and the objective of special order 191 was to preserve the fly lines and keep alive the possibility of an extended campaign north of the potomac. The rebel set out on september 10. Woefully behind schedule. They would fall even further behind when they approach. Obediently the troops under the criminal dixon mile stood their ground. None of this would have mattered. Your hearing is just fine. Having secured washington mcclellan pushed in the oldline state. Encouraged on september 12, a mere two days behind robert e lee and the confederates. Feather off wishfulk sneered, lees overture. Spiritally too lofty a to present to abraham lincoln. At the site of blue coded troops. The young napoleon. He wouldnt exhale. And he wouldnt rest upon his laurels. Josephok harsh harsh first pointed out. West asn drove them they fully develop the confederate position. Of the discovery of special orders 191. Mcclellan was on the move. Was the next day, saturday, september 13 that became fabled on the history of the campaign. In the 27th indiana volunteer infantry, discovering that stray 191 around three cigars. Allowing for the quick authentication for those orders. Notwithstanding all of that a growing number of historians really did little to materially change the course of the campaign. 191 only the vaguest information about their positions and the notion that mcclellan swiftly changed course eally his faces and giving and getting the army of the potomac. Short period of time. Even something that even robert e lee was willing to concede. George mcclellan had advanced more rapidly than was convenient. More rapidly than was convenient indeed. George mcclellan was poised and ready to search through South Mountain gaps. Lee. Uld defeat the evening of september 13 is often portrayed as a day that is important on the federal side of things. Really a game that is important for the confederate side of things. Evening of september 13, cognizant that they are teaming with federal soldiers, cognizant that the union army has come up with unexpected energy. Lee got to work. There,ubordinates out getting the work done. Bring that work to a close. Reluctantdered up a james long street. Just just north of bloomsbury. Daysition which the next comes to the aid of dh hill and holding turners gap. Should a federal offense of be launched, which was still a foregone conclusion in lees mind. It was becoming a foregone conclusion for Daniel Harvey his past of holding turner was made even lonelier by the most criminal play of jet stewart. When his building informant supplied the news that mcclellan was in possession of what stewart assumed to be the lost orders. Wouldt determined that he release all of his energy, but only two brigades. Daniel harvey hill, dont worry about it. Infantry single brigade. Befores that before spurring away into the night. But he appeared into the valley below. George immediately apprehended stewarts miscalculation. The conclusion that only two brigades were forcing their way toward the gap. He had seen enough on the ground over the last few days. ,perations around frederick understand this was more than just two brigades. Here they were. Garland,atch is samuel North Carolina brigades to the mountain. And then would come out to the passes to make a personal examination. And summing up the rest of his brigades. Or extending as far as his eye could see this morning. Lines of blue. Ready to punch through those gaps. There he accurately i think summarized the strategic picture in a letter that evening. It will be a most terrific thing. Retrieved without a battle is a serious injury to them. Instinctively Daniel Harvey hill and robert e. Lee knew this. The engagement both hayes and hill anticipated would come the next day. Shortly after 6 00 on the ning of september or teen order to provide for the operations and began ascending the mountain. Nationalp the old road. A familiar face was detected on the side of the road. The familiar face was colonel augustus moore. Seized and bagged as a confederate prisoner just a couple of days out of frederick. The was a period when cartel was still in operation. Making his way back to the federal lines and asking where you heading . Coxe replied his troops were heading up the mountain. Simply blurts out this theory admonition. Thisis fully expecting theory warning. Andkly scribbles off commander of the federal night core. In eachred back along of the commanders. He was about to conduct one of the most desperate stands of the war. Although not in the great members anticipated. They aim nowion for foxs cap a mile south of turners gap. That pass was held by samuel garden samuel garland. Sam garland had part his brigade behind the fence that ran along the rugged spine of the mountain. We were a hungry jaded battle worn set. The regiment scarcely more than two months removed from the devastating advance into the teeth of federal artillery, last movement of the last seven days. Awaited thenians impending onslaught. In plain view as turner remembered it. In the lead of the canal of division. Shook out and to a loose lineup of battle and charge. Voice, give them itches hell. H the deadly work of the alabama had further up the mountain. Hip ofslams into the. Amuel garland colonel dunklin mccrae takes command of garlands brigade. For some time it was a fierce melee. Not a familiar injury became here unusually prevalent. The desperate fighting continued, a variety of men on both sides insist they have never witnessed during the war. Became desperate. Twin rifles from mcclellans battery. At a range of no more than 50 yards. Still they held. Fight tor a stubborn the greek in a frenzied retreat. Leaving behind scores of prisoners in the hands of the enemy, i felt all the embarrassment. Point general coxe paused. Our own losses have not been trifling. Reserve andsome hold the crest we would fairly run until reinforcements arrived. The mountain and the struggle with the north carolinians have left the men breathless and a little bit surprised. There were rumors that troops were near support. Almost certainly did that initial alarm sounded by colonel moore continue to distress coxe. And recommend caution. Finally a soldier from the 27th massachusetts warned on september 13, stories of the rebels holding the line were circling in federal camps. Rebels holding thecoxe is often criticized for this. I think there are a number of reasons why he was going to wait. The defense is one reason he waits. In truth what he failed to appreciate was the desperate situation then harvey was truly end. Samuel garlands line utterly wrecked. Long streaks still breathlessly making their way toward the mountain. He summons up two pieces of artillery from headquarters. Together a line of staff officers, couriers, and cooks. He wants to give the appearance of battery support. I do not remember having experienced a feeling of greater loneliness, he insisted. It was as though we were deserted by all the world. The rebel ruse worked. The battle would not warp not war back to life for two hours. The confederates had hoped to prepare an afternoon early a counterattack but dh l hastily put together it simply wasnt to be. Colonel william with the 17th michigan, only two weeks into the service, they entered the fray. The exposed flanks, which held the left of the brigadier general. His brigade held the left of the entire confederate line. Troops from three separate federal divisions in very short order, in the space of an hour. The cert the third south carolina. It was wiped from history. Losses approaching 78 . Nor does a get any better for the confederates. New englanders and pennsylvania, command. Rothmans whose troops got lost in a laurel and never made their way up to the mountain to pull the trigger. Lining was the Late Afternoon arrival of the brigadier general. He suspended the arrest. And now ordered him to lead his men with bayonets. Troops linked hands into andersons men. Reversing the days course of events. They did have one notable casualty. Lee was ridingse out along his lines and rallying his troops. Expression, one of his troops would later remark on. Thats probably what he was giving his most victorious soldiers back when the when the sharpshooter slug claimed he said with stoic acceptance that is not in body i will beat with them i will be with them in spirit. Darkniping continued after but both sides were relieved the gap was over. Another drama had been unfolding that afternoon. There had been no activity on the deep slopes that commanded that a road. In the midafternoon hours that would change. The direction of the federal hooker,mander, joseph e shook out nearly 10,000 men into the line of battle. Brigades at the pennsylvania reserve. They would make a seemingly impossible advance of the mountain. They would thread them into localized with the 12th alabama and the 26th of alabama. In the words of one alabama him, they fought like tigers. Now and then it was almost a handtohand right. Surrender, they flouted those orders. It wasnt enough. He wasnt enough to overcome that pennsylvania momentum. He would lose over a third of his command. Up. Porter hatch moved i deliver to the mountain earlier that afternoon. The regimen was very much exhausted when George Cabell nevertheless did good and effective fighting. And souther carolinians, they resisted the federals with everything they had. Point forming a cute a salient the punched into the federal lines. We were unable to stem the blue tie. They suffer significant casualties in ascending the mountain, separating the regiments from Patrick Leeper gate patrick lees or gate. They would be making their way toward the alabamians, leaving their debt behind. Georgiansonly stretched across the National Pike and engaged in a tough pipe that tough fight with the men soon to be renowned as the iron brigade. As darkness fell. Away thezen miles third and final drama of the fight was underway. On the morning of september 14, the majors sixth score plots their way towards crampton, sometimes referred to as the back door of the harpers ferry. Franklin set out that morning at 6 a. M. He would not have his troops wrestling into attack formation until the early evening hours. It was unfortunate because he outnumber the confederates assigned to this. Remarkably despite those earlier mcclellan,t up about a thin ribbon of no more than 1000 virginians and georgians and infantrymen and artillerymen were defending that position. They filed into a battle line along the Mountain Church road. Even though they braced for the worst and underestimated the sheer force of destructive power of the federal attack organized by joseph bartlett, sharp witted young brigade commander. Many of the confederates marveled in their postwar accounts, openly and honestly about enemy troops opposed to them. And easily. The confederate flanks. Easily folding up the confederate flanks. The onslaught continued. Rebels would hold off the inevitable, engaging in handtohand fights with the very mende overran. Choked the late arriving reinforcement on the confederate right. They took more than 80 casualties. They moved up and did the same number as new yorkers and pennsylvanians closed on the opposite confederate flag. By oneambled back one ready for their lives. 900 confederates killed and captured, the loss here amounted to nearly 40 of those troops engaged. The battle of self mountain was finally over. Engaged withbeen 50,000 men and some 5000 casualties. A Gloomy Council of war held that evening at headquarters. He looked reluctantly conceded that his campaign was over. You would announce in his directive. This army will go by way of. Harpsburg it is necessary for you to abandon your position tonight. Tonight. Lee was leaving maryland. The next day when he would he the news decide to park his troops in the hills of sharpsburg. Only with hindsight could seem n operation , the constriction leaves options, that it exposed overconfidence. Disaster. D impending we are able to agree about its strategic significance. Armies in unison marveled at the unparalleled intensity and slaughter, their words. Desperate for the north carolinians in the fight. Surrenderedgle man he would beat his gun on a rock or a tree. Soldier would see service in the thatsh army remarked neither anger men but at festival. The united efforts were called forth. For street for three or four every footggle of ground was distributed on both sides. 40s ofe of the was surprise he survived unscathed. He insisted South Mountain was the hardest fight there ever was. Was the most continuous firing we have ever heard. It ruled from right to left and cannot be well described. But will be remembered by all who are engaged there. Rebels used cartridges. The copper being thin. Not penetrating deep into the flesh. They would fester for weeks. One such cartridge allegedly wounded no less than two dozen so too did the human degree testify in the gruesome gruesome this. The ground was literally covered with the dead and wounded. The childhood chum of ulysses s. Grant. The site was pitiful to the extreme. In the woods of a soldier from the 27th a savage spectacle. This is the first time that many soldiers were on the battlefield in their arms. Dead. Ad to inspect the james boorse recalled that his regimen parked over the field the day after. Some of the boys that stood around shut their eyes. Gable from the 45th of pennsylvania, who went on to labor one of the many makeshift hospitals in middletown maryland, offering powerful descriptions of the overwhelming stench and describing the small lane where men charged on the gray backs. They were two and three deep, nearly shot in the head. I suppose there were 300 lying and a great many that was not dead. Why was the battle so closely and savagely thought. Ironically in an unrivaled use of the enemy confederates promoted disquiet about their impending past. Slowly drying nearer and nearer. Daniel harvey hill echoed this conclusion. Extending back as far as the eye can see in the distance. I did not see one like it afterwards. Mountainich was on the , almost in rifle range. Nor can i think we can overlook rage or the desire to exact retribution, the two themes that have sufficient historians in explaining savagery at South Mountain. Fast did our men drop so that South Mountain explains a member of the 23rd ohio going on to confess that rage carried us through the fight. The fight was particularly hot, conducted at close range. Troops not only saw their enemies posted behind the stone fence, they heard them. One of the rebels defiantly taunted them. Johnny. Nd you, north of the National Pike, the brigade was informed the man who killed their kernel, men who killed their kernel right before them, let us charge and avenge his death, the new kernel exclaimed. Men of the new jersey brigade at as they. The riot. A top saw top South Mountain reflected. All of this mornings us toward that ultimate and concluding question. Was South Mountain a confederate thermopylae. Rebels are conducting and stubborn for the ferocious defense. It is equally or this delay prevented them from simply punching through those passes. And then ensnaring the confederates in a rep from which they cannot escape. They claim by celebrating their defense of South Mountain, conveniently overlooked the extent to which their campaign north of the potomac is already unraveled. Something made manifest by those hairy brigades. Mcclellans pursuit of the rebels combined with the impressive tactical victories that he stored all but ensured that the real object of the invasion all along is a sustained campaign north of the potomac and ensured that this was no longer in reach. It ensures the absolute best they could to us stand and fight the sharks. On. Ph hookers masking cost to an already threadbare army. It was a calculation board of great urgency. Born of greater nancy of great urgency. That was the lesson. The ultimate significant significance in the south battle. In a profound moment of actualization, about the war and what it was becoming. Less than two weeks after south , our military operations were characterized by an unaccountable attitude. There were only four battles of importance. There have been a rapid succession of battles. As they looked back, all of them together they said that something had changed in those mountain passes. Judson water of the tent pennsylvania reserve made this evident in his accounting of the battle. A consciousness that we had, driving him from the strong positions. They dont need to be overflowing. And give me the confidence that they would finally win. Nationaltance to the and related with recent successes. And only with difficulty be estimated now. They had their baptism. It was our first important advantage after syrias disastrous battles. Confident in his powers and encouraging a disappointed from the spirit and disposition of the men and tone of the newspapers. In the end, perhaps this is why union and confederate troops grew so defensive about the battle and its legacy. Is why federal men consistently will number two great in decisive battles of maryland and why president Andrew Johnson perched at the grand review, adorned with the name of the union victories, including a placard bradley and glazed placard proudly emblazoned. An odd blend of rage and resolve, marvel and horror. With stakes higher than they have ever been before, arming the top South Mountain, sampling the kind of war they would come in the monthsl and years that were just ahead. Thank you so much. [applause] brian, tummy about this little book, unholy sabbath. He has this book which he wrote as an undergraduate, as i recall. To do a version for the emergence of a war series coming out in a year or two. Fantastic stuff. Questions . Pleaser member to introduce yourself and tell us where you are from. Im paul from texas. Is, how much, if any, success the federals have federalist had came from the folks that they were fighting i thinkminnesota . A lot of it has to do that. This was mcclellans army. The return of mcclellan gave them quite a bit of confidence. Weeks aftersix antietam, you can see the gloom return to their letters and diaries. Withthose who are upset the way mcclellan withered away those weeks. Were ready toey express there are regretting mcclellan was gone. This campaign is one example of that. Seriously andthem we need to take them seriously probably the broadest swath of four of thoughts in the civil war north. This should be far and a limited way. Hes not somebody that we should that around as the brunt of our jokes. Mcclellan represents that broad street in the north. George mcclellan walks into a bar. Im fromons . Chesapeake virginia. Was it ever reported to him that his battles his battles found . Thatbeen battle plans had been found . Some of the other Maryland Campaign scholars in the audience can weigh in on this as well. His assumption in his masterworks on the campaign is when judge stewart figures out there was an , he pieces together this must be special order 191 and that gets conveyed to lee soli knows mcclellan has his plans. Stephen sears has a new article out in the civil war monitor on the special orders and he is skeptical of that claim. It goes backandforth on that question. Its a matter of some debate. If you look at what lee is doing on the 13th, hes unconvinced there is going to be a massive im notif he did know sure it would have made much of a difference. Delight . What motivated mcclellan . A number of things add up here. I think its an opportunity to stick it to lincoln. You shouldnt have embarrassed me the way you did earlier in the summer. Things are different when operating in a loyal state when mcclellan is concerned treatment of and policy toward southern civilians. Something which he hasnt done before, which is dispatched the rebels, protect washington and baltimore. Different task than what he had been doing in virginia. Consistent with his other great performances out of western virginia. There has been a lot of recent work on mcclellan. Those are my two hypotheses about that. One last question, over here in the far corner. For folks who bit folks who visit the South Mountain battlefield, what is your favorite part . Despite a lot of the development, i get the sense when i go back to foxs gap, they have a new trail that goes back to the North Carolina with the original stone wall. Its just an year he sense. And they have purchased a number of acres up there. Now there is interpretation, the trail. I recommendt been you spend a day. Final question. Does lee lay blame on this particular battle for that lack of success . Was that the beginning or was that already planted with how much repercussion there was because of the failure here . The failure is not really pinned. Braswell ripley is supposed to be an actual Tactical Command of their. I havent read it yet but i understand there is a new reinterpretation. He will reflect that onto ripley. Theres not a lot of blame to go around. Loss, it waslly a a great strategic defense. They were the ones who have done that. You are watching American History tv, all weekend every on cspan3. To join the conversation, like us on facebook. Us author chris talks about the defensive stand against the stand stand against during the battle of rows river. In rallying his retreating troops. This 45 minute talk, part of the symposium on great defenses of the civil war, hosted by the emerging civil war blog. , i was like to say my next bigger knees no introduction. Its because i have introduced chris 9000 times, which is why he needs no introduction. My great friend and political other is a trick of the memorial in virginia, which is a fantastic resource and a must see place to visit. Once upon a time he was a civil war guy. He started as an intern at the he was the site manager and
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