The Iron Brigade

Words: 1763
Pages: 8

In September of 1862, the American Civil War was raging throughout the majority of the states in both the Union and the Confederacy. In the east, the Confederacy had just begun its offensive campaign in Maryland in an attempt to relieve some of the pressure placed on its states. This offensive campaign was ground to a hasty halt after the stalemate between Union and Confederate forces at Antietam Creek in Maryland. During the Battle of Antietam, units on both sides of the war stood out for outperforming their adversary in almost every aspect. On the Union side, one such unit was the Fourth Brigade of First Division, First Corps; the “Iron Brigade” as they were nicknamed in their previous battle, the Battle of South Mountain. The “Iron Brigade,” commanded by Brigadier General John Gibbon, consisted of four infantry regiments and one artillery company attachment during the Battle of Antietam on September …show more content…
It was during this battle that Fourth Brigade of First Division, First Corps earned its nickname of the “Iron Brigade” when Major General George McClellan stated that the men of Fourth Brigade “must be made of iron” while observing their movement along Hagerstown turnpike. During this engagement, Fourth Brigade began by steadily driving back two confederate regiments until they were reinforced by three more regiments. At this point, Gibbons deployed his regiments so that he would not be outflanked by the enemy and held the ground his brigade had gained until relieved by Brigadier General Gorman’s Brigade during the night. By pushing back the enemy and maintaining the ground they fought over, the “Iron Brigade” played a key role in the victory over the Confederates during the Battle of South Mountain. It is during this battle that the Brigade began to distinguish itself, a trend that would continue into their next engagement, the Battle of