Near Sharpsburg in Washington County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Ricketts' Division, First Army Corps
Photographed By Craig Swain, February 9, 2008
1. Ricketts' Division, First Army Corps Marker
Ricketts' Division, First Army Corps,
Brig. Gen. Jas. B. Ricketts, Commanding.
(September 17, 1862.)
Rickett's Division moved from its bivouac in the Poffenberger Woods, early in the morning of the 17th. Duryea' Brigade moving south through the North Woods and over the open ground between the Hagerstown Pike and the East Woods, passed through Miller's cornfield to its southern edge and engaged the Confederate line 220 to 230 yards in its front. After an obstinate contest of 30 to 40 minutes the brigade was compelled to retired. The center of the brigade line is marked by its tablet west of this. Hartsuff's Brigade (supported by Christian's) went into action on a line running northwest and southeast through this point, and after a sanguinary contest, the brigade was compelled to retire with a loss of half its numbers. Christian moved in the left rear of Hartsuff, his right supporting and relieving Hartsuff at this point, his left forming on the west edge of the East Woods, south of the Smoketown Road. The Division was relieved by the advance of the Twelfth Corps, and joined the rest of the First Corps on the right near the Hagerstown Pike, north of J.Poffenberger's.
Erected by Antietam Battlefield Board. (Marker Number 81.)
Topics and series.
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Location. 39° 28.868′ N, 77° 44.663′ W. Marker is near Sharpsburg, Maryland, in Washington County. Marker is on Cornfield Avenue, on the right when traveling west. Located between stops three and four of the driving tour of Antietam Battlefield. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Sharpsburg MD 21782, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 10 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. First Army Corps (a few steps from this marker); Jackson's Command (a few steps from this marker); 90th Pennsylvania (a few steps from this marker); 27th Indiana Infantry (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named First Army Corps (within shouting distance of this marker); Battery B (within shouting distance of this marker); 137th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry (within shouting distance of this marker); U.S. Artillery (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Jackson's Command (within
Photographed By Brian Scott, September 19, 2015
2. Ricketts' Division, First Army Corps Marker
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Ricketts' Division Markers
Also see . . .
1. Antietam Batlefield. National Park Service site. (Submitted on February 24, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
2. 2nd Division, First Army Corps. Ricketts continued to command at the divisional level through much of the war. He is most known for his actions at the Battle of Monocacy, in July 1864. (Submitted on February 24, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)
3. James B. Ricketts. James Brewerton Ricketts (June 21, 1817 – September 22, 1887) was a career officer in the United States Army, serving as a Union Army general during the Civil War. (Submitted on October 22, 2015, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)
Additional commentary.
1. War Department Marker Text
One has to watch the wording on many of these markers. In this case, the text misspells Brig. Gen. Abram Duryee's name. But
Photographed By Craig Swain, March 29, 2008
3. Ricketts' Division Tablet next to Several Monuments
The 27th Indiana Monument (closest to the tablet), 137th Pennsylvania Monument, 128th Pennsylvania Monument, and 104th New York Monument stand to the west of the tablet.
— Submitted February 24, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.
Photographed By Brian Scott, September 19, 2015
4. Ricketts' Division, First Army Corps Marker (Right)
Photographed By Brian Scott
5. Major General James Brewerton Ricketts (1817-1887)
At the Battle of Antietam, he had two horses killed under him and he was badly injured when the second one fell on him.
Photographed By Craig Swain, September 17, 2007
6. The East End of the Cornfield and East Woods
The sign points to the western edge of the East Woods, where Hartsuff's and Christian's Brigades attempted to clear the Confederates from the cornfield. During the battle, the foreground here was part of the thicket known as East Woods.
Photographed By Craig Swain, February 9, 2008
7. Hartsuff's and Christian's Brigades
At the time of the battle this section of the battlefield was a wooded thicket as part of the East Woods. Hartsuff's and Christian's Brigades forced their way through these woods and attacked the Confederates in the cornfield from the east.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 24, 2017. It was originally submitted on February 24, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 988 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on February 24, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 2. submitted on October 22, 2015, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 3. submitted on April 2, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 4, 5. submitted on October 22, 2015, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 6, 7. submitted on February 24, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.
