Antietam  - Mansfield's XII Corps Attacks

Hood's counterattack on Hooker's I Corps took the Confederates to the northern edge of the Cornfield.  Like so many units, though, Hood's men became exhausted and low on ammunition and withdrew, replaced by advancing brigades from DH Hill's division which had provided support to Hood on his right.  Colquitt's brigade took up position near the northern edge of the Cornfield with Ripley's brigade to the left flank of Colquitt.  Garland's brigade under McRae was to the right flank in the East Woods.  Although the Union I Corps was largely spent, Mansfield's XII Corps of around 7,200 men was beginning to come up and take its place.  Mansfield, an old man with forty years in the army, entered the East Woods to supervise his men, about half of whom had never been in combat.  Convinced that his men were firing into the backs of Hooker's men, Mansfield ordered his men to cease fire.  Discovering his error, he was immediately mortally wounded by a sniper.  His corps continued the attack without him, flanking the Confederates of Hood's division at the East Woods.  Hood had returned to the West Woods and Hill's men were forced back to the Sunken Road.

Mansfield Hit

    This is the view from near where Mansfield was hit, an area that was then part of a much larger East Woods.  Advancing along the axis of the Smoketown Road, the XII Corps would flank the Confederate position in the Cornfield.  Next, we'll take a look from the corner of the Cornfield.

Colquitt Reaches Northern End of Cornfield

    Part of Colquitt's line of Confederates reached near here and extended from near here toward the post war farmhouse near the southwest corner of the Cornfield.  Ripley extended the line from there, but there the rebels were unable to advance to the northern edge of the Cornfield - so the line bent to the rear.  Colquitt repulsed a Union line, then faced another.  To the right of Colquitt, the brigade under McRae, which had not yet recovered from the fight at South Mountain, had lagged behind and was to the rear - in the vicinity of post-war house along the Smoketown Road, an area which was then part of the East Woods.  McRae was flanked by advancing troops of the Union XII Corps, and his troops fled in panic.  Further ahead, Colquitt's men were now vulnerable, with the enemy on three sides and threatening their rear.  Colquitt's brigade had to fall back, having lost roughly half the men in the unit.

From Smoketown Road

    On the right of the XII Corps, the division of Alpheus Williams advanced to the West Woods, but it withdrew to rest and replace ammunition.  Greene's division on the left advanced to the Dunker Church, forcing SD Lee's artillery to withdraw behind the West Woods. 

    This is the view from further along the Smoketown Road.  Greene's division continued down the road to the Dunker Church, forcing SD Lee's artillery to withdraw from the area near the visitors center.  It was already a confused situation on the Union side when Hooker was wounded and left the field.  Neither Union corps commander was available to coordinate the action, and Sumner's II Corps would soon arrive.  Spread out, the first division of the corps to arrive would try to exploit Confederate confusion on this flank while the other two would become engaged near the Sunken Road.

Copyright 2008 by John Hamill

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