REBEL INVASION OF MARYLAND
1863.--Result of Pope's Campaign.--Best and Recruit at Hall's Hill.--"My
Maryland:" Its Invasion.--Offensive Policy of the Rebellion.--
Pennsylvania and the Whole Country Aroused.--Battle of South
Mountain.--Harper's Ferry.--Colonel Miles.--His Treachery and Death.
--Bloody Battle of Antietam.--Drilling Recruits.--The Harris Light
again at the Front.--At Chantilly.--Sudley Church.--Leesburg.--
McClellan again Relieved from Command.
By the almost continual fighting of General Pope's campaign, our ranks
had been greatly depleted. Of the cavalry in general one correspondent
makes the following remark: "They picket our outposts, scout the whole
country for information, open our fights, cover our retreats, or clear
up and finish our victories, as the case may be. In short, they are
never idle, and rarely find rest for either men or horses." We had felt
the influence of this wear and tear so sadly, that our once full and
noble regiment was now reduced to about three hundred and fifty men,
scarcely one third of our original number. Nearly every regiment of
cavalry which had participated in the misfortunes of the campaign, had
suffered a like decimation. To replenish our weakened ranks and to
infuse new vigor and discipline into the various commands, became a
question of no little moment. Consequently a large number of regiments,
under the direct supervision of General Bayard, were ordered to Hall's
Hill, about ten miles from Washington, where we established camps of
instruction and drill.
During the disasters of the Peninsular campaign, and the subsequent
defeats and retreats from the Rapidan to the Potomac, the country had
awakened to the importance of increasing the army by new organizations,
and of filling up the broken ranks by fresh levies of recruits. This
feeling was greatly intensified by the exposure of Washington to the
victorious and advancing enemy, and by the invasions of Northern soil,
which the triumphs of the Rebellion made imminent. Hence multitudes of
recruits were pouring into Washington principally, and into other
places, gladly donning the uniform, and eager to learn the duties, of
the soldier. Camps of instruction were, of course, necessary. And as the
attention of young men was turning very favorably to the cavalry
service, our camps at Hall's Hill were the scenes of daily arrivals of
fine specimens of patriots, whose hands were warmly grasped by us; and
gladly we initiated them into the mysteries of this new science. We were
not a little elated at the epithet of "Veteran," which these recruits
lavished upon us.
The experiences and labors of our old camps "Oregon" and "Sussex" were
repeated with somewhat of new combinations and interests, as we sought
to prepare ourselves and others more thoroughly than before to meet the
foe in coming campaigns.
We had scarcely reached our new camps and entered upon our new labors,
when we learned that General Lee was marching his confident hosts into
Maryland. This movement at first was regarded as a feint only, with the
intention of uncovering Washington; but as column after column was known
to have crossed the Potomac, and to be advancing through the State with
more or less rapidity, the tocsin of alarm was sounded everywhere, and a
general movement was made to repel the invaders. Pennsylvania was
thoroughly aroused, and her loyal and true governor issued a
proclamation calling upon all the able-bodied men of the Commonwealth to
organize for defence. The militia promptly responded to the call, and
military preparations were going on, not only in the old Keystone State,
but throughout the land.
Up to this time the attitude of the Rebels had been defensive, but their
recent great victories had led them to change their tactics, and
thinking that ultimate success was almost within their grasp, they now
assumed the offensive policy. Aside from this consideration they
doubtless hoped to awaken in the Border States a sympathy and an
enthusiasm on their behalf, which thus far they had failed to create;
and that their brilliant march northward would not only carry a strong
political influence, but that their ranks would be greatly swollen by
accessions of recruits from those States. This indication of Rebel
thought is evidently found in the address which General Lee issued to
the people of Maryland on the eighth day of September. In it are found
the following sentences:
"The people of the Confederate States have long watched with the
deepest sympathy the wrongs and outrages that have been inflicted upon
the citizens of a Commonwealth allied to the States of the South by the
strongest social, political, and commercial ties, and reduced to the
condition of a conquered province. * * *
"Believing that the people of Maryland possess a spirit too lofty to
submit to such a Government, the people of the South have long wished to
aid you in throwing off this foreign yoke, to enable you again to enjoy
the inalienable rights of freemen, and restore the independence and
sovereignty of your State.
"In obedience to this wish, our army has come among you, and is prepared
to assist you with the power of its arms in regaining the rights of
which you have been so unjustly despoiled."
But the fond hopes which prompted this address were destined to be
blasted. Lee's advancing columns met no resistance, and marched directly
upon Frederick City, where recruiting offices were opened under the
superintendence of General Bradley T. Johnson, who had left this city,
at the beginning of the war, to serve in the Rebel army. But the
Confederate chiefs were disappointed. The number who were marshalled
under their stars and bars did not exceed the number of those who, tired
of training in Rebel gray, deserted their banner.
The enemy's peaceful march through the State and its quiet possession
were not of long duration; and the invaders soon found other work to do,
than to make political orders and harangues, and to increase their ranks
by recruits. From Washington the Union army began to advance with
considerable strength and determination, compelling General Lee to
relinquish his design of penetrating into Pennsylvania. Initiatory steps
were now being taken for a great battle, the first encounter of which
took place, under General Pleasonton, who commanded our cavalry during
this campaign, at the Catoctin Creek, in Middletown, Maryland. The
enemy's rearguard, consisting of cavalry, was struck with some force,
the prelude of the battle of South Mountain, at Turner's Gap. The enemy
having taken possession of this mountain pass, was driven from it only
after the most obstinate resistance and severe loss, and forced to leave
only before superior numbers. This occurred on the fourteenth; and the
victory, though somewhat dearly bought, inspired our troops with new
courage, and gave them a foretaste of better days.
HARPER'S FERRY AND ANTIETAM.
But during the day we have received sad tidings from Harper's Ferry, a
point of no little importance to the invaders. Unfortunately for us the
place was under the command of Colonel Miles, who, for his drunkenness
and general incompetency, had made himself conspicuous during the first
battle of Bull Run. Why such a man was left in command of at least ten
thousand men, and at a place of so much interest, cannot well be
accounted for.
Aware as he must have been several days ago, that this position was a
coveted prize and would undoubtedly be assailed, he neither retreated,
nor fortified himself as he easily could have done to hold out for a
long time against a superior force. Nothing but imbecility or treachery
could have controlled his conduct. On the eleventh his command was
increased largely by a force under General Julius White, who had
evacuated Martinsburg on the approach of Stonewall Jackson.
But to-day he was attacked from various positions, and his forces
driven; and on the fifteenth, being attacked from at least seven
commanding positions, early in the day the white flag was raised, which
the enemy failing to see, continued to fire for several minutes, during
which time Colonel Miles was killed, some say by a Rebel shell, others
assert by some of his own men. By this shameful surrender there fell
into the hands of the enemy nearly twelve thousand men, half of them New
Yorkers, who had just entered the service; also seventy-three guns good
and bad; thirteen thousand small arms; two hundred wagons, and a large
supply of tents and camp equipage.
Stonewall Jackson, who had commanded the expedition from Frederick to
Harper's Ferry, now moved forward to join Lee's main army, which he did
on the sixteenth. From South Mountain General McClellan began to collect
his forces well in hand and to move towards Boonsborough. Here General
Pleasonton again struck the Rebel cavalry rearguard, capturing two
hundred and fifty prisoners and two field-pieces. Infantry supports were
following our cavalry very closely, and, after marching about twelve
miles, they discovered the Rebels in force posted on the south bank of
Antietam Creek, just in front of the little village of Sharpsburg. Our
troops entered into bivouacs for the night, expecting to attack the
enemy early next morning. But the morning and most of the day passed in
idleness, while the Rebels were fortifying their positions, and
gathering their forces which had been more or less scattered. Had
McClellan ordered an advance that morning early, the sixteenth of
September, 1862, would have witnessed a comparatively easy and complete
victory.
At four o'clock P. M., General Joseph Hooker was sent out on the right.
Moving at a sufficient distance to keep out of sight of the Rebel
batteries, he forded the Antietam, and, soon afterward turning sharply
to the left, came down upon the enemy near the road to Hagerstown. But
darkness soon coming on put a speedy end to the conflict.
_September 17._--This day has witnessed the grand and glorious battle of
Antietam, the particulars of which I need not record. It is enough to
say, that the daring of our men and their heroic deeds upon this field,
wiped out forever, in Rebel blood, the disgrace and foul stain cast upon
our arms in the momentous military blunders and defeats which have
followed us since the beginning of this great American conflict.
The losses were heavy on both sides, but the enemy was fairly beaten,
and driven from his chosen positions; and night closed the most
sanguinary day ever known to the American continent. McClellan ought to
have followed up his victory early next morning, but hesitating, the
enemy made good his escape across the Potomac, leaving only his dead
and desperately wounded, the latter numbering about two thousand, in
our hands.
_October 4._--We are still in our camps at Hall's Hill, teaching and
learning the tactics of war. To-day Kilpatrick detailed me to act as
drill-master, and gave me the command of a detachment of recruits. This
gives me a new phase of army experience, and though it has its
difficulties, as one will always find when he endeavors to control "men
of many minds," yet I find a good exercise of my little knowledge of
human nature, and realize that the influence of my new labor upon myself
is very salutary. I had thought that I was master of all the preliminary
steps of the science and art of a soldier's discipline, but in
endeavoring to teach the same to others, I have learned so much myself,
that it now seems to me that what I knew before was the merest rudiment.
This I learn is the experience of others who are engaged in similar
work. Helping others has a wonderful reflex influence upon ourselves. I
often wonder if this may no explain in part the philosophy of that
passage of Holy Writ, which says, "It is more blessed to give than to
receive." In this exercise of drilling, and in the comparative monotony
of camp life, we spent the month of October.
All was quiet along the entire lines of the great armies. Our ranks had
been greatly swollen by new accessions; yet General McClellan was
constantly calling for reenforcements, and all kinds of supplies,
alleging that the army was in no condition to move. At length about the
twenty-sixth of October a feeble advance was made across the Potomac.
Several days were spent in putting the Federal army on the sacred soil
and under marching orders. No opposition was encountered in the march.
Our forces moved along the east side of the Blue Ridge, the enemy still
occupying the Shenandoah Valley, and moving southward on a line parallel
with our own.
_November 2._--The Harris Light broke camp at Hall's Hill and advanced
to the Chantilly Mansion, bivouacking on its beautiful grounds. This
property is said to be owned by one of the Stuarts, who is reported to
be a quartermaster-general in the Rebel service. Pleasant as was the
place, with its fine walks, bordered with flowers and evergreen
shrubbery; its fruitful gardens and groves, the cold of the night made
our stay not the most agreeable. The next morning we pursued our line of
march to Sudley Church, near Bull Run, where we encountered a strong
force of Stuart's cavalry. After a sharp conflict, in which Yankee
ingenuity and grit were fairly tested, the chivalry retired
southwestwardly, acknowledging themselves badly defeated.
_November 4._--To-day the regiment was ordered to move to Leesburg, near
which we pitched our shelters. This is an old, aristocratic village, the
shire-town of Loudon County. It is situated in a lovely valley, at the
terminus of the Loudon and Hampshire Railroad, and is only about two
miles from the Potomac, and an equal distance from Goose Creek, which is
a considerable stream. Though this county sent many brave men into the
Union ranks, probably more than any other county of the same population
in Virginia, yet Leesburg is almost a _fac-simile_ of Charlestown, the
capital of Jefferson County, the scene of John Brown's execution, where
all the people, including women and children, are "secession to a man."
All this while the Grand Army of the Potomac was moving southward at a
snail's pace; and on the seventh of November, just after reaching
Warrenton, General McClellan was relieved from command, and directed to
report to the authorities by letter from Trenton, New Jersey. Thus ended
another indecisive campaign, which though it had witnessed a greater
victory than ever won before, yet had failed to reap the fruits
thereof.