man could march his column
over. At about nine o'clock the Sixteenth again formed and marched
about a mile, first through a corn-field, and finally into a valley
where they halted in an orchard. While passing through the cornfield
the men stripped themselves of blankets, overcoats, and all luggage
that would impede the progress of marching or the use of firearms.
After filling our canteens from a brook near by, we marched up a steep
hill that seemed almost impossible to surmount, then down on the other
side and into Antietam river, which we forded and marched to a side
hill. Soon in plain sight could be seen a rebel battery dashing
intrepidly forward and planting itself directly in range of the
Sixteenth.

By this time the rebel batteries were all roaring. They opened on us
in all their fury. The air was filled with bullets and fiendish
missiles. Hundreds of cannon were now aimed at us; grape and
cannister, marbles and railroad iron were showered down like rain. The
crest of the hill was a great protection to the Sixteenth, and only
about a dozen were disabled. A battery was ordered up to engage the
enemy, but it was whirled back in less than five minutes, losing every
officer, seven men, and five horses. To see those men stand there and
be shot down till they received orders to retire was a fearful sight.
It was half past three o'clock; the Fourth Rhode Island and the
Sixteenth Connecticut were ordered into a cornfield, and they moved
forward quite a distance in advance of the army at their right; we
here laid down letting the shot and shell pass over us.

In the meanwhile the Division of A.P. Hill, which had arrived from
Harper's Ferry, and joined Lee's army, were coming into this cornfield
from the opposite side, unobserved; at the same time Company H,
(Captain Barber,) had been thrown out in advance as a vidette to
prevent being surprised. At four o'clock McClellan sent orders to
Burnside to advance, and carry the batteries in his front at all
hazards and at any cost. Burnside's corps was charging. General Rodman
observed that the rebels were about to flank us and get in our rear,
and ordered the Fourth Rhode Island, and Sixteenth Connecticut to
swing to the left that we might face them, but at that particular
moment the rustling of cornstalks warned us that the rebels were on
us. Colonel Beach gave the order 'Attention!' While this order was
being executed a terrible volley was fired into us. Volley after
volley