behind AotW

This carte-de-viste from the Brady studios in New York is of freshly-commissioned James Reuben Barnett, Jr. He was Captain of Company H, 35th New York Infantry, and was in action in or near the West Woods at Antietam on 17 September 1862 …

They came round on our flank, and at the same time poured a murderous volley through the length ways of the battalion, and we were ordered to draw off slowly by the flank, when Capt. Barnett says, “boys, go slow, and for God’s sake don’t break.”

He had hardly spoken when a Minnie ball struck him over the left eye and he fell. He told Sergeant Frink the night before that he should not come out of the battle alive, and wished him to take his sword, (one that we presented him last winter) and send it to his friends. This we did, and tried to carry him from the field, but were so closely pressed we were obliged to leave him. Four hours afterwards we again got possession of the field and found he was yet alive. He was brought off the field and lived till the next day [sic, 19 September].