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

Jackson's Command

Early's Brigade, Ewell's Division

Early's Brigade Tablet image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Swain, March 29, 2008

1. Early's Brigade Tablet

Inscription. C.S.A.
Jackson's Command.
Early's Brigade, Ewell's Division.
Brig. Gen. Jubal A. Early, Commanding.
Organization.
13th 25th 31st 44th 49th 52d & 58th Virginia Infantry.
September 16-17, 1862. No.1.
On the night of the 16th, Early's Brigade bivouacked in the farm lane on the left of Jackson's Division and in the Dunkard Church woods, between this point and the church. At dawn of the 17th, the Brigade moved nearly a mile northwest to support Stuart's Cavalry Division and some batteries of Artillery. The Brigade was on this duty about an hour when, leaving the 13th Virginia Infantry with Stuart, it returned and formed line on the plateau east of this, perpendicular to the Hagerstown Pike, and, advancing in a northerly direction, as a support to Jackson's right, participated in a sanguinary engagement with the right of the First Army Corps, which was obliged to retire, then moved to the south, along the west edge of the West Woods, and engaged the enemy near the Dunkard Church.

Erected by Antietam Battlefield Board. (Marker Number

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

378.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Antietam Campaign War Department Markers series list. A significant historical month for this entry is September 1797.

Location. 39° 28.646′ N, 77° 45.095′ W. Marker is near Sharpsburg, Maryland, in Washington County. It is on Hagerstown Pike (State Highway 65), on the right when traveling north. Located at stop 4 of the West Woods walking trail. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Sharpsburg MD 21782, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Baltimore Metro Region

and in Western Maryland.

It is also in the American Mid-Atlantic,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Longstreet's

Confederate Tablets next to the Hagerstown Pike Bypass image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Swain, March 29, 2008

2. Confederate Tablets next to the Hagerstown Pike Bypass

Tablets for Early's Brigade (closest, number 378) and Ransom's Brigade (number 362) stand near the Hagerstown Pike bypass, at the west edge of the West Woods.

Command (a few steps from this marker); John Lemuel Stetson (a few steps from this marker); Second Army Corps (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Second Army Corps (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); a different marker also named Second Army Corps (about 300 feet away); Ewell's Division, Jackson's Command (about 300 feet away); 15th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry (about 400 feet away); a different marker also named Longstreet's Command (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Sharpsburg.

Also see . . .
1. Antietam Battlefield. National Park Service site. (Submitted on April 18, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)

2. Early's Brigade, Ewell's Division. In his official report, Gen. Early offered this description of the West Woods: This was the same body of woods at which the Dunkard church, before mentioned, is located. This woods runs along the Hagerstown road for several hundred yards, entirely on the left hand side as you proceed
Photographed by Craig Swain, March 29, 2008

3. Early's Brigade Supporting Jackson's Division
Looking north from a position along the West Woods hiking trail, about 100 yards west of the parking lot for stop four of the driving tour. At around 8:30 a.m., Early's Brigade returned to the area of the West Woods (minus the 13th Virginia Infantry left supporting the Cavalry). The brigade faced north in this area, assisting the remnants of Jackson's Division to drive off portions of the Federal I Corps. At the time of the battle, this opening in the woods did not exist.
from Sharpsburg. Then there is a field, the edge of which runs at right angles to the road for about 200 yards, making thus an elbow in the woods, and then turns to the right and runs along the woods parallel to the Hagerstown road for a quarter of a mile, and the woods again turn square to the left and extends back about half a mile, making at this point again an elbow with the strip of woods running along the road from the church. The church itself is at the end next to Sharpsburg and near the road. The woods is about 400 yards through, where it runs along the road, and back of it is a plantation road, running by a house and a barn and through the long elbow in the woods on the left. The field between the woods and the Hagerstown road forms a plateau, nearly level and on higher ground than the woods, which slopes down abruptly from the edge of plateau. This woods is full of ledges of limestone and small ridges, affording excellent cover for troops. (Submitted on April 18, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.)

Rock Outcroppings and Ledge in the West Woods image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Swain, April 6, 2008

4. Rock Outcroppings and Ledge in the West Woods

Illustrating the ground described by Early is this rocky outcropping in the northwestern section of the West Woods.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 25, 2017. It was originally submitted on April 18, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,079 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on April 18, 2008, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.