Soldier Story: Private Jesse Tyson at Antietam 162 Years ago today

 Jesse Tyson was a 30-year-old carpenter living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, near what is now Fairmount Park. He joined the 88th Pennsylvania Infantry on August 29, 1861.

On the afternoon of September 16, 1862, the 88th Pennsylvania crossed Antietam Creek. The Union Army prepared for a fight but only skirmished until darkness fell. The 88th rested on their arms in a patch of woods just beyond the famous cornfield.

162 years ago today, the 88th Pennsylvania was ordered to fall in. When the sun first peeked above the horizon, the enemy’s cannon opened up.

From the regimental history of the 88th:

“Directly in front and to the right of the regiment was an immense cornfield occupied by the enemy, to whom the men sent their leaden compliments as fast as they could load and fire, the graybacks doing the same favor in return. A burning barn was fiercely blazing a little to the left, while to the right heavy lines of the enemy were in sight, apparently bearing heavily on the regiments farther to the right. The Confederates in the immediate front of the regiment were mostly concealed, and it was extremely difficult to get a fair shot at them, but their fire told very severely on the ranks of the command, the men dropping like autumn leaves in a storm.”

They pushed out of the woods and met with heavy resistance, eventually pushing them back.

At some point, Private Jesse Tyson joined more than 4,000 soldiers who lost their lives that day.

88th PA Private John Vautier wrote of Jesse in his diary:

"Visited the battleground again today. Saw the ground on which we fought. Saw the graves of our beloved and noble comrades who had sacrificed their lives…the ground is still red with their blood. I made a headboard for Jess Tyson’s grave, and wrote on it.

Jesse Tyson

Co. I 88th Regt. Penna. Vols.

Killed Sept. 17, 1862

A brave Soldier and Kind Comrade

Rest in Peace"

According to the Elliot map of burials at Antietam, two of the 88th’s ten dead were hastily buried just north of the Mumma Farm where there used to be a road. Thanks to battlefield preservation, it may have been the spot circled in the overhead map.

Private Tyson was disinterred from the makeshift burial and moved to the National Cemetery in Antietam, where he rests today.

The Devastating effects of the Civil War to Berks County

Just a few days ago, I had the privilege of walking with my local Historical Society on the fields of Gettysburg. I served as a tour guide, highlighting our local heroes who fought in that epic battle.

One of our local units was the 9-month 151st Pennsylvania Infantry. 

The 151st played a crucial role in several key battles, most famously at the Battle of Gettysburg. 

During this pivotal conflict, the regiment was part of the 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, I Corps, and faced intense combat on the first day. Despite being heavily outnumbered and suffering significant casualties, the 151st Pennsylvania Infantry held their ground, contributing to the Union’s eventual victory.

As part of my examples, I handed out a list showing 206 men who, in the span of 20 minutes, were killed (red), captured (blue), wounded (yellow), or missing (green) at Herbst Woods and the area in front of the Lutheran Theological Seminary. Being a very visual person, I felt this was a stark representation of the tragedy of war in such a short span of time.

The 151st brought 446 men and 21 officers to Gettysburg. Of these, 79 men and 2 officers were killed, 172 men and 9 officers were wounded, and 71 men and 4 officers were captured or went missing. Their total loss over those three days was 322 men and 15 officers.

(cont after the list)

Bernville, PA, founded in 1819, was a small but growing community that served as a local hub for the predominantly agrarian society. The nearby Union Canal played a significant role in the area’s development, facilitating the transport of goods. The town housed a few essential establishments, including general stores, blacksmith shops, farms, and churches.

Just a few miles north, a newer community, Strausstown (established in 1840), sat at the base of the sleepy Blue Mountains. Both of these communities, though small, were typical thriving German heritage Pennsylvania farming communities.

Company G of the 151st came from Strausstown, and Company H from the Bernville area. 

In the course of 20 minutes on July 1st, 1863, Bernville, with a population of 350 residents, and Strausstown, with a population half that, lost 63 of their sons, wounded and killed. For those small communities, that number was devastating, and it wasn’t the full complement of those lost during the war.

These were not light wounds either. Reading through the muster roll, you find that 20-30% of the wounded ended up losing an arm or leg.

In Company G men like Jared Dunkelberger would be shot in the eye blinding him for the rest of his life. Isaac Kalbach was shot in the left shoulder and part of his finger shot off. Henry Kitzzel would be shot in the left temple, Levi Kline in the left shoulder blade.

William W Strause, one of five first cousins to fight in the 151st was hit by an exploding shell in the leg, six pieces had to be removed and his bone was shattered. 

In Company H Alfred Lacy would be hit in the back of the head by a bullet and a two inch piece of his skull would be removed. John McIntyre shot in the forehead and blinded, James Edwin Maddison would lose an arm, William Sweetland...a hand. 

On July 27th, less than a month after the horrors of Gettysburg, the 151st was mustered out and sent home. Those who were able made their way back to Harrisburg and from there returned to their communities.

Besides their physical wounds, they also suffered from the mental anguish of war. Although the idea of PTSD and therapy weren’t even a thought in those days, many of the men likely tried to find their own ways of dealing with the pain of what they experienced.

Throughout the course of my project, I found that many soldiers ended up taking their own lives, turning to alcohol, or being confined to mental institutions as they tried to deal with the horrors of war that no doubt played in their minds often.

When these men came home, they found their jobs gone or filled by others. Sometimes jobs that were saved were no longer accessible because of a loss of a leg or arm. If they couldn’t find someone to work the land, their farms suffered from neglect.

They returned as broken men and sometimes fought with those in the communities that didn’t serve.

Veterans organizations like the GAR and the Woman’s Relief Society, as well as a pension from the government, worked to aid the returning soldiers as much as they could, but it would take years, even centuries, for their communities to recover.

This situation would play out all over the Commonwealth and the Country showing that even though the war was over the battles had just begun.