Near Sharpsburg in Washington County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Doubleday's Division, First Army Corps

Photographed By Craig Swain, February 9, 2008

1. Doubleday's Division, First Army Corps Marker

Inscription. U.S.A.
Doubleday's Division, First Army Corps,
Brigadier Gen. Abner Doubleday, Commanding.
(September 17, 1862.)Doubleday's Division, on the right of the First Corps, moved to the attack at 5/30 a.m., September 17, in the following order: Gibbon's Brigade in advance, supported by Phelps' and Patrick's Brigades. Hofmann's Brigade was held in reserve. The three brigades of Gibbon, Phelps and Patrick - advanced, their right resting on the Hagerstown Pike, until Gibbon reached a point 135 yards north of this, when his right flank was fired into by the Confederate skirmishers posted behind a ledge west of and parallel to the Pike. The Division was then deployed, Gibbon across the turnpike with Battery B, 4th U.S. Artillery, in his right rear; Phelps moved upon Gibbon's left and Patrick crossed to the west of the turnpike and supported Gibbon's right and the battery. The three brigades became heavily engaged, advancing to and south of this point. After an obstinate contest of over an hour, with varying success, the brigades were withdrawn to the fields north of D.R. Miller's and, subsequently, to the cover of the high ground beyond Joseph Poffenberger's.

Erected by Antietam Battlefield Board. (Marker Number 2.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed

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in this topic list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Antietam Campaign War Department Markers series list. A significant historical date for this entry is September 17, 1862.

Location. 39° 28.875′ N, 77° 44.908′ W. Marker is near Sharpsburg, Maryland, in Washington County. Marker is at the intersection of Dunker Church Road / Old Hagerstown Pike and Cornfield Avenue, on the right when traveling north on Dunker Church Road / Old Hagerstown Pike. 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. Twelfth Army Corps (here, next to this marker); 13th New Jersey Infantry (a few steps from this marker); Indiana State Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); 124th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry (within shouting distance of this marker); New Jersey State Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); First Army Corps (within shouting distance of this marker); Second Regiment (within shouting distance of this marker); Battery B, 4th United States Artillery (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Twelfth Army Corps

Two Tablets at the Southwest Corner of the Cornfield image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Craig Swain, February 9, 2008

2. Two Tablets at the Southwest Corner of the Cornfield

Tablet number 2 (right) and number 54 (left) stand at the southwest corner of the Cornfield. The right flank of Gibbon's Brigade passed through this location on their advance south past the Cornfield.

(within shouting distance of this marker); Massachusetts State Monument (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Sharpsburg.

Regarding Doubleday's Division, First Army Corps. Tablets 2 and 3 are near duplicates with only slight differences in the text. Both have the same title.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Doubleday's Division markers.

Also see . . .
1. Antietam Battlefield. National Park Service site. (Submitted on March 11, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)

2. 1st Division, I Corps. General Doubleday is often erroneously credited with inventing the sport of baseball. (Submitted on March 11, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)

3. Abner Doubleday. Abner Doubleday (June 26, 1819 – January 26, 1893) was a career United States Army officer and Union general in the American Civil War. He fired the first shot in defense of Fort Sumter, the opening battle of the war, and had a pivotal role in the early fighting at the Battle of Gettysburg. (Submitted on October 18, 2015, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina.)

Photographed By Brian Scott, September 19, 2015

3. Doubleday's Division, First Army Corps Marker

Doubleday's Division, First Army Corps Marker (Left) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Brian Scott, September 19, 2015

4. Doubleday's Division, First Army Corps Marker (Left)

Photographed By Brian Scott, September 19, 2015

5. Doubleday's Division, First Army Corps Marker (Left)

Major General Abner Doubleday (1819-1893) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Brian Scott

6. Major General Abner Doubleday (1819-1893)

At Antietam, he led his men into the deadly fighting in the Cornfield and the West Woods, and one colonel described him as a "gallant officer ... remarkably cool and at the very front of battle." He was wounded when an artillery shell exploded near his horse, throwing him to the ground in a violent fall.

Doubleday's Division Deploys image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Craig Swain, February 9, 2008

7. Doubleday's Division Deploys

Looking northwest from across the street from the marker location, with the Old Hagerstown Road on the right side. The ledge mentioned in the marker text is just beyond the snake rail fence on the opposite side of the field (left side of photo). Note the ground drops off sharply along that ledge. Patrick's Brigade, and part of Gibbon's Brigade, deployed on the west side of the pike to clear the skirmishers there.

Credits. This page was last revised on September 29, 2017. It was originally submitted on March 11, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,022 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 11, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on October 18, 2015, by Brian Scott of Anderson, South Carolina. 7. submitted on March 11, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.