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Clayton Glanville Coleman, letter

September 19, 1862

“…the hottest battle of war was fought near Sharpsburg Md on the 17th inst. The battle lasted all day and the loss was terrific on both sides, the enemy fighting with more desperation than ever before. We call it a victory and the Yankees did so at first too; we held the ground and both sides were too much worsted to renew the fight next day. We fell back across the Potomac and the enemy then commenced shelling us and boasted that they had driven us across. They acknowledge the loss of sixteen generals. We had two general killed and ten wounded.”


Author

Name: Clayton Glanville Coleman

Unit: 23rd Regiment Virginia Infantry

Document Information

Type: Letter

Subject(s):

  • Military/Battles

Event Location: Sharpsburg, Washington Co., MD

Document Origin: Winchester, Frederick Co., VA

Notes

Clayton G. Coleman served in the Virginia Infantry from 1861 to 1862 and in mid-1862 he became a physician in the confederate Medical Department.

Source

Clayton Glanville Coleman to Lucy Coleman. September 19, 1862. Clayton Coleman Letters: Civil War Doctor in Winchester, Virginia, 1862. VMI Archives Manuscript #0021. Obtained from http://www.vmi.edu/archives.aspx?id=10375. Accessed on February 8, 2010.