Today Is September 17th. 146 years ago Robert E. Lee decided to stay in Sharpsburg, Maryland and offer battle to George McLellan. Mclellan took Lee up on that offer. The Eleventh Mississippi Infantry Regiment was with The Army of Northern Virginia that day and that means Company A, The University Greys were present with the 11th. The Greys had started the year 1862 with 56 men fit and present for duty. They had already fought in the 3 major battles of Seven Pines, Gaines Mill, and Second Manassas. Sharpsburg would be their fourth, and last battle for 1862. Out of the 56 men that had started that year only 20 made it to Sharpsburg. All the rest were dead, wounded or in a Northern prison camps. The 11th and the Greys were called into battle about 6:30 that morning. They were in the middle of cooking breakfast. As they got into line of battle, it was said they were mad as wet hornets for having been denied their first real meal in 3 days. They rushed out into the field just North of the present day visitor center and then they faced north to stop the onrushing Federals. They delivered a volley that stopped them cold, and then they began to advance through the meadow, and into the now famous cornfield. The Greys, and rest of the Regiment and Brigade, as well as a few Texans, did not stop until they reached the Northern edge of the cornfield and a fence which stood there. They stayed there for about 30 minutes until both flanks were threatened and they had to retire. Out of the 20 University Greys that went into that fight 19 were wounded and 3 of those would later die. Only one of the 56 men that started that year, was left standing.

Over the Winter of 1862-63 the Greys built the company back up by getting men back from the hospital and from prison camp. A few came back from having been detailed to other duties. The next major battle for them would be Gettysburg on July 3, 1863. There, in in Pickett's charge, they would suffer the 100% casualty number of 14 killed and 17 wounded.

If you are a Mississippian, you might take a few minutes today to reflect on such courage. If you are an Ole Miss alumni, you should take a few minutes tonight to think about your fellow alumni, and what they did, all those years ago.