The Green Flag of Erin and the Banner of stars Sept 16th 1862
My name is James McCann I am in company D of the 69th P.A.Irish vol.s .We are in the middle of a great civil war. It is the second day of the battle of Antitam M.D. and we are fighting in the west woods right across from dunker church and it is 3:00 pm. Shells are bursting above our heads and the sound of the mighty cannons is ringing in my ears .RINGING! Far in the distance we can hear the field music.
The order forward goes down the line and the 69th goes forward. Two men beside me go down. Wait I am going into hand to hand combat!!!!!!!!
Four hours later.
Sorry the Hand to hand combat was a false alarm .Retreat at Sundown has just sounded. We are back in camp and we just received our weekly rations and I think there’s a maggot crawling out of my hard tack (curse my rations). Tomorrow we are supposed to advance on some kind of reb position I hope it is not the west woods again.
Sept 17th 1862
Reveille has now been sounded and the boys are drowsy from yesterdays fight.
All my breakfast is, is a slab of bacon, some stale bread and coffee from last spring.
In 5 minutes we will fall in for role call. Names are shouted down the line when my name is called I shout at the top of my lungs. HERE FIRST SERGENT! Next we fall in for drill and march to the parade grounds. The order music tap off is called and then the fifes and drums play the spine tingling song, The Three Cheers. Then they march up and down the lines playing a patriotic tune. After three hours of drill we get a two hour break .Right now I am at the sutler buying a new pair of brogans (shoes). The prices are going up and the men and I don’t think we are getting paid enough. It has been two hours and now it is officer’s call. While the officers are off planning the battle tactics each company gears up for battle. Each man has to have at leased 50 to 60 rounds and 70 caps because some of the men load so quickly that they lose half their ammo (I hate when I double load). The assembly has now been called and now it is time to fall in again.
Half an hour later
We have just finished weapon inspection and now we are following our shredded banners to the west woods again (AGAIN!).The general is riding just ahead and he hopes the 69th will step in and close ranks. Dead bodies from yesterdays fight are starting to appear in the road and some of the men wheezy because of it. The cannons are firing ahead and the drums are beating us in to battle. The general calls out “form battle front you Irish immigrants what do you think you’re over here for?”
The fighting is intense as we march through the under brush. The men are falling in heaps now and I can feel the enemy bullets zipping a round my head. Zipping.