Hi everyone,
I made a post in another thread the other day while South Mountain was being discussed, but I would like to bring the 17th Michigan up again and in more detail because this thread is more appropriate. The 17th Michigan community is a bit bummed out that the morning fight at Wise's Farm in Fox's Gap (Garland's Stand) seems like it will be added instead of the afternoon fight, when the 17th was involved. We've been doing a lot of research ourselves, so I'd like to present that here in the hopes that it will help the developers if they decide to add an "Afternoon Wise Farm" scenario.
The 17th Michigan Volunteer Infantry
The 17th Michigan Infantry was organized in August, 1862 in Detroit. One of its most distinguishing features was its E company, or "Normal Company," which was composed largely of young student-teachers from the Michigan State Normal School (now Eastern Michigan University) In Ypsilanti. Equipped with their Lorenz rifles, they left Michigan before the end of the month, and saw their first action at South Mountain only a couple weeks later. Marching into battle with their pristine dress uniforms, the 17th Michigan earned the nickname "Stonewall Regiment" for their routing of the 50/51st Georgia from their position behind a stone wall after a flanking maneuver.
The Uniform of the 17th at Wise's Farm
The Afternoon Fight at Wise's Farm
Based on several articles from
"Bloody Prelude: the Battle of South Mountain" Does not show the position of every union regiment, especially Cox's division and some of Welch's and Christ's brigades that were not at the front.
The afternoon fight for Wise's Farm began around 4:00 in the afternoon. The Confederates had retaken Fox's Gap during the lull following the morning's battle. Drayton's brigade, on the Confederate left, was made aware of the Ohioans of Cox's division still beyond the South field. Drayton ordered the 15th SC, 3rd SC battalion, and Phillip's Legion to advance into the field, with the 50th and 51st Georgia replacing them in the Sharpsburg road, ready to support the initial attack. As they advanced into the field, Welsh's brigade of Wilcox's division emerged from the forest on the East side of the field, drawing the attention of Phillip's Legion. The 17th Michigan, having just silenced a Confederate battery,
divides itself. The right, including the Normal Company, is sent across the Sharpsburg road and behind the Georgians. It is here that Drayton's attack falls apart, as the Confederate units in the South field struggle to cover each others retreat back towards the Wise cabin as the 17th forces the rout of the Georgians who are supposed to be supporting them. The South Carolinians are soon all that remains, with the 15th in Wise's rose garden, and the 3rd Battalion between 2 stone walls in front of the house. Lt. Col. George James of the 3rd Battalion refuses to retreat, and the
fighting finally ceases after two and a half more hours.
A photograph of the Wise Cabin showing the South field, and the final position of the 3rd South Carolina Battalion
A panoramic drawing of the Wise fields, showing the Sharpsburg road running left to right, and the direction towards which the 17th attacked.