The mortuary cannon honoring Brigadier General William E. Starke at Antietam is in Philadelphia Brigade Park. see map It is one of six on the Antietam battlefield honoring generals, three from each side, who were killed or mortally wounded in the battle.
Starke commanded the Stonewall Brigade during the battle, but took over the division when its commander, Brigadier General John R. Jones, was stunned by the explosion of an artilery shell.
Starke led a counterattack of the division against the Union First Corps during the morning fighting and was wounded three times. He died within the hour.
From the monument:
Brigadier General
Wiliam E.Starke
C.S.A.
Killed Here
Starke was born in Virginia in 1814 and was a cotton broker in New Orleans and Mobile.
He became colonel of the 53rd Virginia Infantry at the start of the war, and later in 1861 became colonel of the 60th Virginia. He was promoted to brigadier general on August 6, 1862 for his actions in the Seven Days battles.
Starke's body was returned to Richmond and was buried in Hollywood Cemetery next to his son, who had been killed two months earlier at the Battle of Seven Pines.
|
