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SAMUEL WRIGHT
Antietam, MD
09/16/62

AT BLOODY LANE

    SERGEANT SAMUEL C. WRIGHT, during his service in the War of 
the Rebellion, participated in thirty battles.  In those 
engagements he was wounded five times and twice reported dead.  
On one occasion he was shot directly in the right eye, and 
still keeps the bullet as an awful souvenir of his closeness to 
death.  In speaking of the taking of the fence at Antietam, he 
says nothing of his own action but describes the wild rush and 
retreat of the volunteers for that desperate service.

    "September 16, 1862, found our division (Richardson's) in 
the advance from South Mountain to Antietam, where we came upon 
the enemy.  The shot from the first piece of artillery fired 
took off the leg of the color-bearer of my regiment.  During 
the afternoon of that day the artillery fight was at times very 
lively.  Early the next morning troops were sent to engage the 
enemy in our front.  The roar of cannon and small arms was 
deafening.  But, while, from where we lay we could only hear 
the cannonading, we could not see the enemy, as a growth of 
woods impaired our view.  It was, perhaps, as well, that we 
could not see the carnage wrought.

    "Soon an aid-de-camp, whose horse was white with foam, rode 
up to our position and ordered us to cross to the support of 
the troops so hotly engaged.  We left hurriedly, made a detour 
to the right and left, and were soon fording Antietam Creek.  
The stream was so deep, that in crossing, we had only to remove 
the stoppers of our canteens and they would fill themselves.  
We held rifles and ammunition above our heads.  The opposite 
bank reached, we removed our shoes, wrung out our stockings, 
and were then ordered forward, straight toward the 'Sunken 
Road.' Going up the hill we could see the cause of our sudden 
call.  The hill was strewn with dead and dying; yes, and with 
those unhurt, for to stand was to be instantly killed by the 
sharpshooters who filled the 'Sunken Road.' The main army in 
line was only a few feet to the rear of them.

    "Some 200 yards in advance of our position, which we were 
holding at a terrible cost, was a fence built high and strong.  
The troops in advance had tried to scale the fence and reform 
under that hell of fire.  They were actually torn in shreds and 
wedged into the fence.

    "The cry came to us for volunteers to pull down the fence.  
Instantly there sprang from the long line, fast being shortened 
as the ranks closed up over the dead, seventy-six volunteers.  
We ran straight for the fence amid a hail of iron and lead, the 
dead falling all about us, but to reach the fence was our only 
thought.  A part of the force reached it, and, as one would 
grasp a rail it would be sent flying out of his hands by rifle-
shots.

    "The fence leveled, we made the attempt to return, and it 
was as hot for us on the retreat, as it had been on the 
advance.  Few escaped death or wounds.  I had almost regained 
my regiment, when I was hit.  The line then successfully 
pressed on, and the 'Sunken Road,' or 'Bloody Lane,' as it is 
now known, was within our lines."

    Sergeant Wright's intrepidity and fine soldierly qualities 
were readily conceded by his superior officers and found 
substantial recognition by two promotions on the field of 
battle.  He was further rewarded by being placed in charge of 
the prisons at Paris, Ky., and Tazewell, East Tennessee.

Source: Deeds of Valor


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