The Louisiana in the Civil War Message Board

Re: Col. Henry Strong- Sharpsburg

Dr. Jones,
The website lists no source for their statement and Frassanito does say that Strong's body was recovered "probably" during a truce the next day. The only other time available would have been during Hood's assault as the Federal troops held that part of the field for the remainder of the battle. Men would have had to come onto the field during the carnage of Hood's assault to retrieve his body and after what they had just gone through, it seems improbable but possible.

A little more research showed the NY Times of Saturday, Sept. 20th, 1862 makes the following statement in an article about the battle on the following day, Thursday, Sept. 18th, 1862:
"To-day we have had out a strong line of skirmishers, and, up to 3 o'clock, there was constant firing going on in front. Our troops are all lying upon their arms, ready for action. Burial parties are engaged in burying off the dead and removing the wounded.

At 2 o'clock a flag of truce was sent in by Gen. Hill, giving us permission to bury our dead within their lines. As our forces were in possession of about nine-tenths of the battle-field, this proposition was considered, no doubt, a cool one, and was promptly declined.

Subsequently, a flag of truce came in, bearing word that they would cease firing if we would, of which no notice was taken.

The enemy subsequently ceased firing, and under a flag of truce, came within our lines and removed the bodies of some of their officers."

I just thought that perhaps some Louisiana account had possibly mentioned when Strong's body had been removed. I have spent some time trying to locate where these various original burial sites were and since a larger amount than would be expected of Louisiana burials are identified (compared to the total CS deaths that day), I just found this one case so very odd in that most if not all of the other known Louisiana burials were outside hospital areas (other than the large number of unknowns in burial trenches). The same website that has the Gov. Bowie list also has the map of the burials in Washington Cemetery (same as on the plaque in the cemetery) that shows Col. Strong at the end of a row of Louisiana soldiers.

A soldier from the 8th La., Thomas Gardner was buried originally "in Rev. J. J. Adams town lot, back of the M. E. graveyard". This was found to be next to the St. Paul's Episcopal church in downtown Sharpsburg, which had also been used as a hospital. Many more Louisianians ended up at the Grove farm on the road to Shepherdstown. Others were buried along a fence west of the West Woods all around the Lucker (aka Alfred Poffenburger) property where the 1st Louisiana brigade was on the night before the attack and also the afternoon of Sept. 17th. Anyway, getting way off subject.
Thanks for your help, again.
Regards,
Wayne Cosby

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