Union Advance

The Roulette Lane leads to the Sunken Road.

NPS Antietam / BBaracz

Quick Facts

Location:

Sharpsburg, MD

Amenities

1 listed

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits

During mid-morning nearly 10,000 Union soldiers moved across the Mumma and Roulette farms toward the Confederate center at Sunken Road. Two Union soldiers were awarded Medals of Honor for bravery in these attacks.

"I Found the Enemy in Great Force"

About 9:30 a.m. the battle started to shift from the north end of the battlefield towards the Sunken Road, Two divisions from the Union Second Corps moved across the Mumma and Roulette farm fields, over 5,000 soldiers commanded by Gen. William H. French assaulted the Confederate position. French, who was ordered "to press the enemy" with all of his force, locked into a bloody and costly struggle against Confederates positioned in the well worn sunken farm road. Approximately an hour later, Gen. Israel Richardson's division of over 4,000 men moved in to support their comrades.

Gen. Nathan Kimball, whose men advanced across the ground in front of you, remembered that, "Directly on my front, in a narrow road running parallel with my line, … forming a natural rifle-pit between my line and a large corn-field, I found the enemy in great force … As my line advanced to the crest of the hill, a murderous fire was opened upon it from the entire force in front. My advance farther was checked, and for three hours and thirty minutes the battle raged incessantly, without either party giving way."