Near Boonsboro in Washington County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
The "Wiregrass" Georgians
50th Georgia Regiment, CSA
Photographed By Bradley Owen, October 21, 2020
1. The "Wiregrass" Georgians Marker
A few hundred feet north of this site, the 50th Georgia Infantry Regiment, of Brig. Gen. Thomas F. Drayton's Brigade, was decimated by elements of Gen. Orlando B. Willcox's 3,600-man Federal division on the late afternoon of September 14, 1862.
The Wiregrass Georgians were caught in an exposed position while deploying from behind the protection of a stone wall into the Old Sharpsburg Road and cut to pieces when Willcox's division launched a simultaneous assault against the Confederate lines.
The dead and wounded piled up in the sunken road as volley after volley raked the huddled 50th Georgians. After about thirty minutes of horrific enemy fire, the Georgians' resistance broke and the survivors retreated out of the road to the west through the gauntlet of enemy rifles.
Of the estimated 225 officers and enlisted men engaged, 47 were killed, and 112 wounded, 22 mortally. Many of the wounded had to be left on the field and were captured.
"The enemy was posted behind a fence and trees, over sixty or seventy yards from us, pouring their deadly volleys into us in comparative security.Photographed By Bradley Owen, October 21, 20202. The "Wiregrass" Georgians MarkerWise's Field can be seen behind the marker.Some of the bolder enemy would come out into the road and fire down it."
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-Lt. William O. Heming, Co. F.
"Out of 210 carried into the fight over 125 were kill and wounded in less than twenty minutes. The slaughter was horrible."
"When ordered to retreat I could scarce extricate myself from the dead and wounded around me. A man could have walked from the head of our line to the foot on their bodies."
-Lt. Peter A.S. McGlashan, Co. E.
Erected by Decendants of the 50th Georgia Infantry Regiment, CSA, Georgia Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is September 14, 1862.
Location. 39° 28.227′ N, 77° 37.03′ W. Marker is near Boonsboro, Maryland, in Washington County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Reno Monument Road and Lamb's Knoll Road, on the left when traveling west. Marker is along the General Garland Trail that leads from Wise's Field to the North Carolina Monument. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 21605 Reno Monument Road, Boonsboro MD 21713, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. 13th N.C. Regiment of Gen. Garland's Brigade (a few steps from this marker); Welcome to Historic Wise's Field (a few steps from this marker); Near Here in Wise’s Field (a few steps from this marker); The Maryland Campaign of 1862 (a few steps from this marker); Deaths of Two Generals (a few steps from this marker); The Lost Orders (a few steps from this marker); Maj. Gen. Jesse L. Reno (a few steps from this marker); The Battle for Fox’s Gap (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Boonsboro.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 6, 2021. It was originally submitted on October 21, 2020, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. This page has been viewed 120 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 21, 2020, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
