History

WEBLINKS TO RELATED HISTORY

Letters of Rufus Dawes http://www.nps.gov/archive/gett/getttour/sidebar/dawes.htm
Iron Brigade on the Net http://www.ironbrigade.net/index.html
Memoirs of Thomas Newton, Pvt., Co. I, 6th Wisconsin http://homepages.dsu.edu/jankej/civilwar/newton.htm
Antietam National Battlefield http://homepages.dsu.edu/jankej/civilwar/newton.htm
Website on battle with a number of excellent reads http://www.civilwarhome.com/antietam.htm

Readings on Battle and regiment as compiled by Tom Klas

Service With the Sixth Wisconsin Volunteers by Rufus R. Dawes. Morningside House, 1984. Starting with the 1984 version from Morningside Press, they have added Major Dawes’ fine recollection titled “On the Right at Antietam,” which is a fine detailed account of the battle from the perspective of the 6th Wisconsin. This complete book is a wonderful account of the 6th Wisconsin from 1861-1864 by a top-notch officer and commander of the Calico Sixth.

The Men Stood Like Iron: How the Iron Brigade Won Its Name by Lance J. Herdegen. Indiana University Press, 1997. An excellent book on the 6th Wisconsin’s stout service with their fellow Westerners in the Black Hat Brigade. If you want to learn in depth about the Pope and Maryland Campaign of 1862 featuring the battles of Brawner’s Farm, Second Bull Run, South Mountain, and Antietam from the perspective of the 6th Wisconsin, we highly suggest you read this book. If there is a must read book before the event, this would be it.

In the Bloody Railroad Cut at Gettysburg, by Lance J. Herdegen and William J.K. Beaudot. Morningside House, 1990. Probably the most comprehensive work exclusively on the 6th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment. This book traces their early days of 1861 and then moves towards the focus of the book, the complete story of the 6th Wisconsin at the battle of Gettysburg. Although this book does not focus on the Maryland Campaign, it is a great book to get familiar with the boys in the 6th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. Also has an excellent Appendix on the uniform and equipage of the Iron Brigade Regiments.

An Irishman in the Iron Brigade: The Civil War Memoirs of James P. Sullivan, Sergt., Company K, 6th Wisconsin Volunteers by William J. K. Beaudot and Lance J. Herdegen. Fordham University Press, 1993. An excellent soldiers account of the 6th Wisconsin by the humorous Mickey Sullivan.

Brave Men’s Tears by Alan D. Gaff. Morningside House, 1988. Excellent accounts of the first true battle experience for the 6th Wisconsin Volunteers and Gibbon’s Western Brigade at Brawner’s Farm.

Letters Home: Henry Matrau of the Iron Brigade, Edited by Marcia Reid-Green. University of Nebraska Press, 1993. A fine account from one soldier whom rose up the ranks in Company “G” of the Sixth Wisconsin known as the Beloit Star Rifles.

History of the Sauk County Riflemen, Known As Company "A"; Sixth Wisconsin Veteran Volunteer Infantry, 1861-1865. Gaithersburg: Butternut Press, 1909. Hard to find but one of the first original soldier accounts of the 6th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry by Philip Cheek and Mair Pointon.

The Iron Brigade: A Military History by Alan T. Nolan. Macmillan, 1961. The definitive book on the black hat brigade from the Old Northwest.

Giants in Their Tall Black Hats: Essays on the Iron Brigade. Edited by Alan T. Nolan and Sharon Eggleston Vipond. Indiana University Press, 1998. Some very well written accounts on the Iron Brigade especially works on the Maryland Campaign including South Mountain and Antietam.

Personal Recollections of the Civil War by John Gibbon. Morningside House, 1988. This is another fine account of the war from the “Boss Soldier” of the Iron Brigade - General John Gibbon.

Haskell of Gettysburg: His Life and Civil War Papers. Edited by Frank L. Byrne & Andrew T. Weaver. Kent State University Press, 1989. A wonderful book on the letters of Frank Haskell who became a staff officer (aide de camp) for John Gibbon leaving the position of regimental adjutant of 6th Wisconsin. His letters on the beginnings of the 6th Wisconsin and the battles of Brawner’s Farm, Second Bull Run, South Mountain, and Antietam make the first chapters of

Report of Rufus Dawes

GIBBON'S BRIG., HDQRS. SIXTH REGT. WISCONSIN VOLS.,
In the Field, September 21, 1862.

Captain J. P. WOOD,
Assistant Adjutant General, Gibbon's Brigade.

SIR: In compliance with circular from brigade headquarters, I have the honor to report that, early on the morning of the 17th, Sixth Wisconsin Volunteers, under my command, supported by the brigade, commenced the attack upon the enemy's left flank. No sooner was the column in motion then the enemy opened fire on us with artillery, and so accurate was his range that the second shell exploded in the ranks, disabling 13 men, including Captain Noyes, Company A. Notwithstanding this shock, the column moved steadily forward until it reached the wood, when, by direction of General Gibbon, Company I was deployed to the left and Company C to the right in front of the line as skirmishers, and the regiment immediately deployed and advanced to their support. The skirmishers soon found the enemy lodged in a corn-field and his advance concealed along fences and under cover, but rapidly drove in his advance, and the regiment moved up steadily in support, the right and center on and to the right of the Hagerstown turnpike, and the left across a corn-field. While advancing into the corn-field, Captain Edwin A. Brown, Company E, a good officer and a genial gentleman, fell, killed instantly by a musket ball.

The portion of the line in the corn-field was under the immediate command of Major Rufus R. Dawes, who discharged his duty in watching and guiding its movements with signal courage and ability. This portion of the line was soon under heavy fire, and drove the enemy from his cover.

The advance of the right wing did not discover the enemy until it reached a rise of ground in front of the barn and stacks to the right of the road, when the enemy's skirmishers lying along the edge of a wood running down in a point to the right of the barn, where they were lying undisturbed - the right of my line of skirmishers having failed to advance, either from a failure to hear or heed commands. [Sic.]

At this moment a piece of artillery which had been stationed in front of my left changed its position and passed into the road in my front. I immediately ordered the company in the road to advance to the summit of a ridge of ground a few rods in front and open fire upon the horses attached to the piece, with a view of disabling and capturing it; and at the same time I ordered Companies G and K, on the right, to advance and occupy a basin between two ridges, and a few yards nearer the enemy. So soon as this was attempted I discovered the enemy in force, lying in line of battle along the fence and across the field to the wood, at right angles with the road, his line being then within musket range. At the same time he increased his fire from the woods on the right flank. This rendered the advance impracticable, and I ordered the company in the road to lie down under cover of the fence. No sooner had I given this order, and while it was being executed, than I received a slight but painful wound in the left arm, but still was able to direct the right companies, G and K, to draw back their line under cover of the fence and fronting the road, which was being executed when faintness compelled me to go to the rear, and I was unable to rejoin my regiment until it had been relieved.

At the request of Major Dawes, who was in command during my absence, I have the honor to report that the regiment conducted itself during the fight so as to fully sustain its previous reputation; that it did not abandon its colors on the field; that every color-bearer and every member of the guard was disabled and compelled to leave; that the State color fell into other keeping, temporarily, in rear of the regiment, because its bearer had fallen; but it was immediately reclaimed, and under its folds, few but undaunted, the regiment rallied to the support of the battery. The color lance of the National color is pierced with five balls, and both colors bear multitudes of testimony that they were in the thickest of the fight.

The regiment remained in the front of the fight until they had expended nearly their last round of ammunition. The enemy broke and ran before their advance, leaving his dead and wounded in large numbers on the field, and the regiment pursued, and only retired again in the presence of a host that it would have been madness to have opposed with a handful of men, brave though they were and fearless.

In this advance two stand of colors were captured and sent to the rear in charge of a wounded soldier, and have become lost or fallen into the possession of some one desirous of military éclat without incurring personal danger, so that they cannot be reclaimed by the captors.

Here Captain Bachelle, Company F, fell, leading his men in the pursuit. He was a true soldier, a gallant officer, and a faithful man. He never shrank from danger nor flinched from any duty. He fell as he desired, with his harness on, cheering his men to victory. His body rests underneath the sod he lost his life to win.

The loss of the regiment in the engagement was as follows: Commissioned officers, 3 killed, 5 wounded; enlisted men, 23 killed, 121 wounded; aggregate, 152.

I have the honor to be, respectfully, your obedient servant,

EDWD. S. BRAGG,
Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Sixth Wisconsin.

After Action Report taken from: http://aotw.org/exhibit.php?exhibit_id=260