Sixth Corps at the Battle of Antietam

Sixth Corps positions looking west

This page consists of quotes made about actions by the Sixth Corps at the Battle of Antietam.  It was last updated on December 22, 2011.  There are four quotes in this collection.

 

After hard work on my part, I persuaded the General to allow me to come up on Wednesday feeling sure we would be needed. We started early in the morning, and arrived on the field between nine & ten where the most terrific battle was raging that I ever have seen.”

William B. Franklin Sep 19 1862

Franklin in a letter to Anna describes the arrival of Sixth Corps on the field of Antietam

From From First to Last The Life of Major General William B. Franklin by Mark Snell. New York: Fordham University Press, 2002

 

“I would prefer to make the attack, unless he assumed the responsibility of forbidding it. He assumed the responsibility, and ordered me not to make it. One of General McClellan’s aides was there at that time. He informed General McClellan what had been done, and the general himself came up and stated that things had gone so well on the other parts of the field that he was afraid to risk the day by an attack there on the right at that time.”

William B. Franklin Mar 30 1863

Franklin in testimony before the Joint Committee, 30 March 1863

From From First to Last The Life of Major General William B. Franklin by Mark Snell. New York: Fordham University Press, 2002

 

“So the old Division [Slocums] laid down, and stood shelling the remainder of the day, [although] the batteries of my corps silenced several of theirs.”

William B. Franklin  Sep 19 1862

Franklin in a letter to Anna describes the action of Sixth Corps on the field of Antietam

From From First to Last The Life of Major General William B. Franklin by Mark Snell. New York: Fordham University Press, 2002

 

“We all had hair breadth scrapes. Several General Officers are wounded-Mansfield died…Sedgwick is wounded in two places, but not seriously-Hooker not seriously-Richardson seriously, -etc-etc-.”

William B. Franklin

Sep 19 1862

Franklin in a letter to Anna describes the general officer casualties on the field of Antietam

From From First to Last The Life of Major General William B. Franklin by Mark Snell. New York: Fordham University Press, 2002