Stories of Heroism: Antietam's Bloody Cornfield

In the early morning hours of September 17 1862, Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker’s I Corps mounted a powerful assault on Lee’s left flank near what is now known as “Antietam’s Bloody Cornfield”. The field would change hands several times as repeated Union attacks and brutal Confederate counterattacks swept back and forth across the now blood soaked cornfield. I’m this episode we will explore a few stories of heroism from Battery B of the 4th U.S artillery.
Civil War maps provided by www.cwmaps.com
Research provided by the American Battlefield Trust
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[@ProjectPast1565]

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[@leemcginnis7873]

At the beginning of the war Gibbon was the original commander of Battery B and had written the text book manual at West Point for artillerists which is why he was able to direct the fire of the battery so well.

[@REM1956]

Excellent job of retelling this story. I imagine you've told the story many, many times. But you are so articulate and smooth, it's like you were actually there that day in 1862. Thank you for keeping these men's memories alive.

[@ProjectPast1565]

I appreciate the kind words. I study a ton before these videos and hope that I can articulate them in a way that honors them. Thanks for watching.

[@DustinWiseM1]

Well done sir. Really like the personal stories and highlights of heroism that was on display by all the soldiers at The Cornfield and the battle of Antietam. Couldn’t imagine staying to keep firing the cannons .

[@cyndiebill6631]

Great job again. Telling the stories of the individual men and what they did brings the battle alive. We know it happened but when you tell their stories it just makes it more real. Thank you for their stories and making it real.👍😁

[@ProjectPast1565]

Happy to hear you enjoyed it. My goal is to bring their stories to life!

[@mtlbstrd]

My dude, glad I found your channel, and wish I had sooner. Telling the stories “beyond the tours”, gives a much fuller understanding of the events that transpired and walking with you, really drives it home, for me. Recently became a supporter, and honestly, wish I could do more. Love what you’re doing man, and appreciate you bringing these stories to life, and keeping the history alive.

[@ProjectPast1565]

I’m so happy and thankful to hear you’re a supporter. I’m truly grateful and it means the world to me! I’m happy to hear you enjoy the videos.

[@JC-qn3ws]

You never disappoint with the way you present history! Right from the beginning putting us into the fray! Great job once again and really appreciate the passionate work. I gained a lot of new knowledge again. Thank you!

[@ProjectPast1565]

Appreciate the kind words! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@p.k.5455]

Thank you for the amazing history video, and the views of Antietam!!! It is such a solemn place!

[@ProjectPast1565]

Thanks for watching. It’s a very powerful place.

[@p.k.5455]

@ProjectPast1565 it DEFINITELY is! I almost felt completely overwhelmed walking along! You can just feel the weight of what happened there, the sadness and horror is palpable!

[@CrossTrain]

This was exceptionally well done! Thank you for your effort and for bringing history alive!

[@ProjectPast1565]

Thank you for the kind words. Appreciate you watching

[@carson1861]

Great job again James... you bring me right there by your awesome presentation and great information surrounding the personal stories.

[@ProjectPast1565]

Appreciate that Carson. Thank you for all the support!

[@piercepritchett]

Great video. We appreciate the personal stories that you do. There are a lot of stories about Generals, divisions, brigades, etc. This brings it to a level that people can relate too. Thanks.

[@ProjectPast1565]

The stories of the men has captivated me and I’m starting to do more and more videos centered around them.

[@runningintohistory]

Great work! My 3 x Great-Grandfather fought in the cornfields with the 4th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers.

[@ProjectPast1565]

Thank you. I appreciate you sharing your family’s history and for watching.

[@mikedenney6628]

General Gibbons is my kind of commanding officer. All the respect in world to him .

[@ProjectPast1565]

Absolutely. The definition of leading from the front.

[@soxbigdog]

He doesn't make it through in one piece, but the fact that John Bell Hood made through the Civil War is something.

[@ProjectPast1565]

Absolutely. He participated in some horrific battles (not that there is a good one)

[@roland.j.ruttledge]

Love your style, filling in the details, many thanks UK

[@ProjectPast1565]

Thank you and I appreciate you taking the time to watch!

[@michaeldouglas1243]

Just found your channel while searching antietam 161 anniversary footage. Very well put together episode and I gladly became a subscriber to your very well orchestrated channel. I will put the word around the weather marlyand and south central pa areas the quality of your channel to my friends and fella civil war history buffs

[@ProjectPast1565]

I’m happy to hear you found the channel and decided to stick around. I’ve learned so much doing this. I appreciate the kind words and for spreading the word. Thank you!

[@michaeldouglas1243]

@@ProjectPast1565 you certainly deserve alot more followers, ur content is well deserved.

[@chasechristophermurraydola9314]

Just saying but I had an ancestor who fought in the battle of Antietam but he wasn’t in the cornfield instead he was in the east woods on the eastern side of the cornfield and my ancestor was part of the brave ranks of Company K 1ST PA RESERVES Infantry Regiment and during the battle of Antietam he led the company as everyone higher than him in rank where either killed, wounded or absent and on September 17th the command was at Antietam and took its place in line with only 10 or 12 men fit for duty and were led by my ancestor sergeant Kitzmiller and fortunately for the company no casualties occurred during the terrible struggle that was the battle of Antietam and the part where I typed on up until terrible struggle is from a book that I have that I love and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about Company K during the civil war and the Book is called History of Company K. 1st(inft,) Penn’a reserves. And my ancestor who led company K is my 3rd great grand uncle George E Kitzmiller.

[@runningintohistory]

My 3 x great-grandfather fought here with the 4th Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers. I will have to check that book out thanks.

[@chasechristophermurraydola9314]

@@runningintohistory your very welcome and I hope you enjoy the book as much as I do.

[@missmissy2490]

Excellent! Thank you so much.

[@ProjectPast1565]

Thanks for watching!

[@carson1861]

Sept 17th 1977 AT ABOUT 6 PM I entered the entrance to the half mile oval dirt track in Quebec City Canada. Within 30 seconds I was speeding towards the first corner at nearly 100 mph. I shut the gas off and as I did, I leaned my Bultaco Astro flat track m/c sideways into the corner and turned the gas back on... ALL IN ONE MOTION. This created a perfect slide into the corner and a continuous slide sideways around the corner... all is fantastic so I thought. Sadly it started to drizzel rain and I used my tearoffs. Just as I slid into the next corner it started to pour. As I slid sideways again at nearly 100 mph I suddenly was met with instant blackness... going sidways at 100 and instant darkness from dirt off my front wheel. I cried to God and managed to wipe my hand over my sheild to see even sliding sideways. Moments later I was slowed down heading into the pits. Suddenly darkness again and the next thing I knew I was waking up in a hospital 2 weeks later paralyzed neck down... now I'll watc h your Antitem video and the infamous cornfield. God bless.

[@ProjectPast1565]

Thank you for sharing a tough and painful moment in your life.

[@markdegraff1950]

Very informative,well done sir.

[@ProjectPast1565]

Thanks for watching Mark. Appreciate the support!

[@2104dogface]

Great job on this video we are heading down today to do a little exploring, deff going to visit this battery

[@ProjectPast1565]

Thanks Paul! Hope this offered a little clarity on that portion of the battlefield.

[@2104dogface]

@@ProjectPast1565 deff will give us a better idea of the actions of that unit while we stand there.

[@jasonwilliamson8416]

I had two great great uncles that fought each other in the Cornfield. One was in the 19th Indiana of the Iron Brigade. He made it through this fight but would be killed in action later on the first day at Gettysburg. The other was an original member of Wheat's Louisiana Tiger Battalion which by this time had been merged with Coppens Louisiana Zouaves. He was never heard from again after Antietam and is assumed to have been killed there.

[@ProjectPast1565]

I couldn’t begin to imagine what they saw during their service. Thanks for sharing your family’s story.

[@michaelhoffman5348]

Great job as always - you can't discuss John Bell Hood's attraction to death without telling his service at Chickamauga where he lost his leg practically up at the hip. He must have had a strong will to live, between his arm and leg wounds, to have survived that war.

[@ProjectPast1565]

Thanks! Yeah, that guy was always around the worst fighting and suffered terrible wounds himself because of it.

[@LeviTheNerd]

Good job👍

[@ProjectPast1565]

Thank you as always Levi!

[@uwantsun]

Thank you.

[@ProjectPast1565]

Thanks for watching

[@edouardrobert160]

Good job

[@ProjectPast1565]

Thank you 🤙

[@Ziggle]

I know and understand re-enactments are hardly the real thing.. but, I was there to witness the Antietam 135th re-enactment (filming portion supposed to be used in God's and Generals. But, never was.. only put on the bonus section of the movie.. why? Zero idea!).. that re-enactment was probably the closest anyone will have ever gotten to see the real thing. Thousands upon thousands of re-enactors, tent cities.. constant firing of cannon and muskets.. the firing may as well have been machine guns.. ground explosives to represent cannon balls hitting.. it was insane! Something I won't ever forget! And, they actually did the cornfield battle (along with bloody lane and a.p. hill's counter attack).. let me tell you about the cornfield battle.. acres on acres of corn.. started at dawn, just like the real one.. so foggy.. then, the cannons, the the soldiers adding smoke and marching into the corn.. you couldnt see a thing! Afterward.. only ver few corn stalks sporatically standing. Yes! That many re-enactors trampled all of that corn down. So, although it was fake, if you immersed yourself in that, wow! I literally would've sh*t and pissed (and, probably puked) all over the place. Any of us would've. If you didnt look at the hollywood cameras or the spectators watching, you were almost there! Scary stuff, man! Thanks for the upload! Still watching.. just had to mention the 135th and how i dont believe that will ever be done like that again.

[@ProjectPast1565]

I can’t believe those scenes weren’t used! Thanks for sharing your experience and for watching.

[@rayparker7496]

Other great video. A lot of information

[@ProjectPast1565]

Thank you!

[@fortyofforty5257]

Interesting video. My only crititique is that the views from the ground, with the camera angle constantly panning, makes the orientation in the overall battle a little confusing. Without a better joining of map and live shots, it's hard to maintain perspective. Thank you for making these instructional videos. We need to remember that, while these men were fighting these battles, the outcome of individual battles and the overall war was always in doubt. Yet they fought.

[@ProjectPast1565]

Appreciate you watching and for the feedback. I’ll be sure to better orient in future videos.

[@fortyofforty5257]

@@ProjectPast1565 Thank you. I know Gettysburg pretty well so it's not as problematic for me, but for Antietam it was a bit confusing. Perhaps indicate on the map where the camera is pointed, and what your camera angle is showing, before switching to the camera view.

[@carinshaffer5980]

I'm not trying to be weird, but that corn that's growing in the battlefields, does someone actually eat it? All those thousands of people who bled out and died there, that is what the corn is growing in... Shouldn't that be Sanctuary land or something else? Seems kind of gruesome to just plant corn to grow and sell... Maybe I'm just being wrong?

[@ProjectPast1565]

I don’t believe it’s consumed. It was a cornfield before the battle so the corn that grows there now helps maintain the battlefield’s integrity.

[@carinshaffer5980]

​@@ProjectPast1565I was just thinking about all the various road side stands that pop up selling stuff and somebody buying bloody cornfield corn, not knowing what you are going to eat...

[@andrewc2491]

It’s just bloody corn, mate! (English accent)

[@davidtrindle6473]

Not to mention the huge deposit of toxic lead and other heavy metals.