Apologies for no pictures. I just wanted to get my initial thoughts down while they were still fresh. I will post pictures when I get home after I am able to organize photos (before and present ) and maps.

I read that the cornfield losses were the highest of any unit on either side during the war. Confederate officers noted that the Txans "fought too fast" and because of that walked right into union cannons that poured grapeshot into exposed lines white reinforcements cut them down further.

It is harrowing reading, how the Texan and Georgia forces kept charging union artillery only to be cut to pieces en masse.

Windy City Ag said:

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I read that the cornfield losses were the highest of any unit on either side during the war. Confederate officers noted that the Texans "fought too fast" and because of that walked right into union cannons that poured grapeshot into exposed lines white reinforcements cut them down further.

It is harrowing reading, how the Texan and Georgia forces kept charging union artillery only to be cut to pieces en masse.

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They separated to the right of the brigade line and ended up to the front of three regiments of Pennsylvania Reserves who were unseen on the backside of a draw in between the Miller farm house and the north edge of the cornfield. There was also a battery of 12 pounders to their left firing at less 100 yards into their left flank.

As I said , the area is not flat. They never saw the Pennsylvanian troops until they were almost on top of them. .. no more than 50-60 yards.

This not only happened to the 1st Texas but to numerous regiments on both sides… most never knew what hit them until it was too late.

This is the approach (Looking South towards the Dunker Church) that the Texans made as they passed out of the West Woods and crossed the Hagerstown Pike as they passed through the remnants of Douglas and Hay's shattered commands retreating out of the Cornfield and their fight with Gibbon's Iron Brigade, Phelps' New Yorkers and and Hartsuff's Brigade.


The Texans aligned across the high ground facing north towards the Cornfield. You are able to see the top of Miller's farm house just to the right of the tree left center.


John Gibbon's Iron Brigade was just finishing off scattering Starks and JW Jackson commands in a bloody fight that took place on either side of the Pike just to the left of the above photo. They were shooting at each other from less than 30 yards apart.
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"Eye to Eye" by Keith Roco

At approximately 7:10 am Hoods Division started their advance.


Wofford's Brigade was on the left. Hampton's Legion's left flank guided on the Pike with the 18th Georgia and 1st Texas next in line. Law's Brigade of the 11 Mississippi, 2nd Mississippi and and the 6th North Carolina extended to the Smoketown Rd on the right. The 4th Texas and 5th Texas were aligned behind them as a reserve.

Before Wofford's Brigade entered the Cornfield they met the Iron Brigade and New Yorkers and routed them. Laws Brigade headed northeast towards the southeast corner of the cornfield and southwest corner of the East Woods. They ran into the 90th Pennsylvania there and scattered them.

At approximately 7:15 am Wofford's Brigade is hotly pursuing the Broken Iron Brigade and New York Brigade. The 4th and 5th Texas are attempting move into line to the left of the 1st Texas but are squeezed out as Laws Brigade drift to its left. He orders the 4th Texas to move the left flank along the Pike and the 5th Texas to move and assist Laws Brigade as they all crash through the corn stubble.

Unknown to all of them is that numerous Pennsylvania Reserve Brigade under George Meade have arrived and are deploying along the north edge of the Cornfield in the Miller's farmstead.

The famous B Battery 4th U.S. Artillery is also setting up at the Northwest corner of the field.

The remainder of Gibbon's Iron Brigade and Patrick's New York Brigade are approaching the northwest corner from the West.

The are also six artillery batteries (over 24 guns) arranged on the hillside over looking the Miller's farm house. Looking due south with the north end of the cornfield running horizontally to the front . This location was an orchard at the time of the battle.

7:30 am... The 1st Texas slips the bridle. They had continued straight ahead hell bent on taking prisoners and breaking the Federal line. The rest of brigade had wheeled left to face the oncoming Doubleday Division to the west. The 1st Texas was totally unsupported and on its own. The Pennsylvanians waited until they could see the Texans knees, raised as one and poured three volleys into them. The fire staggered the Texans. They stopped and returned fire as best they could. Several Pennsylvanians noted thunderous reports from their right flank. It was General John Gibbons manning a Napoleon from his old unit pouring double charged, double cannister rounds into the Texan's left flank from less than 50 yards.

The Texans stood and fell.

The center of the 1st Texas position looking back towards Wofford's position facing west towards the Pike.

The rest of the Brigade was also fighting for its existence. It was under heavy pressure Doubleday's Division and guns firing at them from less than 50 yards. They slowly wavered and then broke. Retreating to their left.. away for the hell that had befallen them.

The 1st Texas was all by itself. No support from the left. Law's men fight in the rocks and woods off to their right. There was nothing else that they could do but retreat back over the ground they had just taken. 8 standard bearers fell during this short period. Back over their dead and wounded. 45 killed and 141 wounded. 82% of the men who entered the field less than 30 minutes before. They also left their standards in the corn stalks

What I hope is not a totally unrelated question....who is planting corn today? Is it part of the battlefield, and grown so people can get a feel for the battle, or is it private land that just happens to have corn on it?

Still in private hands of the Miller family who farm it. Visitors actually cannot walk the field merely observe it from the fence. NPS is responsible for preservation but the family owns and farms the land. They must grow what was on the land in September during the summer. Same is true for the other farms like Poffenberger, Mumma and Piper Farms.

Here's my buddy Dennis Frye explaining it:

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/Vs5QNE6Qx3kYhzoT/?

Dennis is married to an Aggie lady by the way.

The VIP interpreter was extremely knowledgeable of the Battlefield and its history. He explained that when the park was initially established it contained only 300 acres. And you would drive around and look at the important points of the battle from the roads. Almost everything was privately owned. The War Department did not want to spend a huge amount of money as it did developing Gettysburg. Over the years the Parks Service has acquired more of the battlefield through donations and purchases . It is currently over 3,500 acres.

In one of my father's books that I had on my trip I found an old park map from our trip to the battlefield in 1972. There was a huge difference in land owned by the NPS them and what is does now.

Thanks for the responses.

It must be fascinating to farm land that has such history, or even land that has been in your family that long. Working land that has been cultivated for 200 years or more must be interesting.

Every time I plowed, I'd be watching for anything that floated to the surface.

So you could have the NPS map it and store it

Believe me, as an old arrowhead surface hunter, my focus was squarely on the ground around me as I walked through the plowed fields.

BQ78 said:

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So you could have the NPS map it and store it

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There could be a whole discussion as to the legality vs. ethics. If I find a bullet that is going to get plowed right back under, don't know that I'd lose any sleep taking it home.

Good article of the Texas Brigade at Antietam.
4 GGG Uncles were in the 5th Texas that day and all made it. By the end of the war only 1 would still be in the ranks at Appomattox. One was killed at Gettysburg, one killed at Chickamauga and one wounded and invalided out (or deserted) after Spotsylvania.
https://www.historynet.com/fighting-fast-texas-brigade-sharpsburg/#:~:text=The%20excerpt%20that%20follows%20relates,made%20this%20one%20of%20the

Rabid Cougar: Thanks for all your insights and info.

JABQ04 said:

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Good article of the Texas Brigade at Antietam.
4 GGG Uncles were in the 5th Texas that day and all made it. By the end of the war only 1 would still be in the ranks at Appomattox. One was killed at Gettysburg, one killed at Chickamauga and one wounded and invalided out (or deserted) after Spotsylvania.
https://www.historynet.com/fighting-fast-texas-brigade-sharpsburg/#:~:text=The%20excerpt%20that%20follows%20relates,made%20this%20one%20of%20the

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Company G 5th Texas Milam County Grays from Cameron and surround Milam County. I stood at their location in the Southeast corner of the Cornfield where it intersected the East Woods.