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[ANTIETAM] [FREDRICKSBURG] [GETTYSBURG]

[Bloody Lane] [Clooney's Charge] [Corbey's Blessing] [Meagher's Memorial] [Antietam Map]  

"These men are going to stay here General, until the sun goes down or victory is won." Confederate COL John B. Gordon at "Bloody Lane," to R.E. Lee & D.H. Hill, 17September 1862.

The morning battle at Antietam shifted directions several times and eventually became centered in the middle of Lee's line, a country road that divided the property of two local farmers. Now, it served as a rifle pit for 2 Confederate brigades.

The road was ordered held at all costs. The Federals tried numerous times to overrun the road, unit after unit falling back under the rain of fire from the Confederate position. Finally, a vantage point was reached where the Union troops could fire down upon the road's defenders. It became like shooting animals in a slaughter pen and "Bloody Lane" soon filled with bodies, stacked four and five feet deep.

The slaughter at Bloody Lane became one of the most memorable and tragic events of the battle, thanks to the participation of New Yorks, "Irish Brigade". The Union troops attacking the road were in serious trouble when they saw the emerald banner of the Irish Brigade appear on the horizon. The Irish announced their arrival with the sounds of drums and volleys of fire as they attacked the Confederate position.

 
The Brigade fought fiercely and fell in huge numbers. They fired all of the ammunition they had and then collected what they could from the dead and wounded and fired that too. Eventually the Irish Brigade lost more than 60 percent of their men that day.... and wrote their name in the bloody pages of American history.

Irish Brigade Casualties after attacking "Bloody Lane"(Photo by Alexander Gantner Library of Congress Collection)

Confederate Casualties in sunken road at "Bloody Lane"