THE MARYLAND CAMPAIGN.
General McClellan restored to command--March through
Washington--Leisurely campaigning--Battle of Crampton
Pass--Death of Mathison--Battle of South Mountain Pass--Death of
Reno--Surrender of Harper's Ferry--March to Antietam.
General Pope, at his own request, was relieved from the command of the
army, and General McClellan resumed the direction. Whatever might have
been the real fitness of General Pope to command, his usefulness with
the army just driven back upon the defenses of Washington, had departed.
The return of General McClellan was hailed with joy by a large portion
of the army.
On the 5th of September, Lee crossed the Potomac into Maryland, and
occupied Frederick City. General McClellan was ordered to push forward
at once and meet him. It was on the evening of the 6th that orders were
issued to move. It was but short work to pack up our limited supply of
clothing, cooking utensils and the few other articles which constituted
our store of worldly goods, and prepare to march. We left Alexandria,
and proceeding toward Washington, passed Fort Albany and crossed the
Long Bridge, the moon and stars shining with a brilliancy seldom
equaled, rendering the night march a pleasant one. As the steady tramp
of the soldiers upon the pavements was heard by the citizens of
Washington, they crowded upon the walks, eager to get a glance, even by
moonlight, of the veterans who had passed through such untold hardships.
Many were the questions regarding our destination, but we could only
answer, "We are going to meet the rebels." Passing through Georgetown,
we reached the little village of Tanleytown, where, weary from the short
but rapid march, we spent the remainder of the night in sleep. The
morning passed without orders to move, and it was not until five o'clock
in the afternoon that we again commenced the march, when, having
proceeded six miles, we halted. At daybreak on the morning of the 8th,
the corps was moving again, and passing through Rockville we halted,
after an easy stage of six miles.
On the 9th we marched three miles, making our camp at Johnstown. On the
following morning, at 9 o'clock, we were again on the move, driving
before us small bodies of rebel cavalry, and reaching Barnesville, a
small village, ten miles from our encampment of the night before. Our
Third brigade, of the Second division, was quartered on the plantation
of a noted secessionist, who, on our approach, had suddenly decamped,
leaving at our disposal a very large orchard, whose trees were loaded
with delicious fruit, and his poultry yard well stocked with choice
fowls. Our boys were not slow to appropriate to their own use these
luxuries, which, they declared, were great improvements on pork and hard
tack. In the enjoyment of ease and abundance, we remained here until the
morning of the 12th, when we resumed the march, proceeding ten miles
farther, halting near Urbana, at Monocacy bridge, which had been
destroyed by the rebels, but was now rebuilt. On the same day General
Burnside, having the advance, entered Frederick, encountering a few
skirmishers of the enemy, which he drove. On the 13th, we arrived at the
lovely village of Jefferson, having made ten miles more, and having
driven a detachment of rebels through Jefferson Pass.
The advance was sounded at ten o'clock on the morning of the 14th, and
at three we found ourselves near the foot of the South Mountain range,
having marched about fifty miles in eight days. Upon the advance of
Burnside into Frederick, the rebel force had fallen back, taking the two
roads which led through Middletown and Burkettsville, and which crossed
the South Mountains through deep gorges, the northern called South
Mountain or Turner's Pass, and the other, six miles south of it,
Crampton Pass.
These passes the rebels had strongly fortified, and had arranged their
batteries on the crests of neighboring hills. The Sixth corps came to a
halt when within about a mile and a half of Crampton Pass, and a
reconnoissance was ordered.
General Franklin was now directed to force the pass with the Sixth
corps, while the remaining corps should push on to the South Mountain
Pass and drive the enemy through it. We formed in line of battle and
advanced. Before us lay the little village of Burkettsville, nestling
under the shadow of those rugged mountains, its white houses gleaming
out of the dark green foliage. Beyond were the South Mountains; their
summits crowned with batteries of artillery and gray lines of rebels,
while the heavily wooded sides concealed great numbers of the enemy.
A winding road, leading up the mountain side and through a narrow
defile, known as Crampton's Gap, constituted one of the two passages to
the other side of the range; South Mountain Gap being the other. The
enemy had planted batteries and posted troops behind barricades, and in
such positions as most effectually to dispute our passage.
At the foot of the mountain, was a stone wall, behind which was the
first rebel line of battle, while their skirmishers held the ground for
some distance in front. The position was a strong one; admirably
calculated for defense, and could be held by a small force against a
much larger one.
[Illustration: CHARGE OF THE SIXTH CORPS AT BURKETTSVILLE.]
The day was far advanced when the attack was ordered. No sooner had the
lines of blue uniforms emerged from the cover of the woods, than the
batteries on the hill tops opened upon them. The mountains, like huge
volcanoes, belched forth fire and smoke. The earth trembled beneath us,
and the air was filled with the howling of shells which flew over our
heads, and ploughed the earth at our feet. At the same time, the line of
battle behind the stone wall opened upon us a fierce fire of musketry.
In the face of this storm of shells and bullets, the corps pressed
forward at double quick, over the ploughed grounds and through the corn
fields, halting for a few moments at the village. The citizens,
regardless of the shells which were crashing through their houses,
welcomed us heartily, bringing water to fill the canteens, and supplying
us liberally from the scanty store left them by the marauding rebels.
Patriotic ladies cheered the Union boys and brought them food; and well
might they rejoice at the approach of the Union army, after their recent
experience with the rebels, who had robbed them of almost everything
they possessed in the way of movable property.
After a few minutes, in which our soldiers took breath, the advance was
once more sounded, and again we pushed on in face of a murderous fire,
at the same time pouring into the face of the foe a storm of leaden
hail. Slocum's division, of the Sixth corps, advanced on the right of
the turnpike, while Smith's division pushed directly forward on the road
and on the left of it. After severe fighting by both divisions, having
driven the enemy from point to point, Slocum's troops, about three
o'clock, succeeded in seizing the pass, while our Second division
pressed up the wooded sides of the mountain, charging a battery at the
left of the pass and capturing two of its guns. The confederates fled
precipitately down the west side of the mountain, and our flags were
waved in triumph from the heights which had so lately thundered
destruction upon us. As we advanced, we wondered, not that the foe had
offered such stubborn resistance, but that the position had been yielded
at all. Their dead strewed our path, and great care was required, as we
passed along the road, to avoid treading upon the lifeless remains which
lay thickly upon the ground. On every side the evidences of the fearful
conflict multiplied. Trees were literally cut to pieces by shells and
bullets; a continual procession of rebel wounded and prisoners lined the
roadsides, while knapsacks, guns, canteens and haversacks were scattered
in great confusion. The rebel force made its way into Pleasant Valley,
leaving in our hands their dead and wounded, three stand of colors, two
pieces of artillery and many prisoners. Our troops scoured the woods
until midnight, bringing in large numbers of stragglers.
We had lost quite heavily; some of our best men had fallen. Colonel
Mathison, who commanded the Third brigade of Slocum's division, whose
heroism at Gaines' Farm, and bravery in all our campaign on the
Peninsula, had endeared him to his division, was among the killed.
The corps moved down the road to the western side of the mountains, our
men resting on their arms for the night, expecting that the battle would
be renewed at dawn. But the morning revealed no enemy in our front; we
were in quiet possession of the valley.
Meanwhile on the right, at South Mountain Pass, a still more sanguinary
battle had been in progress.
On the morning of the 14th, the Ninth corps, Burnside's veterans, the
heroes of Roanoke and Newbern, under the command of the gallant Reno,
advanced from Middletown; and coming near the base of the mountains,
found the enemy strongly posted on the crests of the hills, thronging
the thickly wooded sides, and crowding in the gap. No matter what
position the brave boys occupied, they were submitted to a murderous
fire from the crests and sides of the mountains. Under this galling
fire, the First division of the corps formed in line of battle, and
advanced toward the frowning heights. It was an undertaking requiring
more than ordinary valor, to attempt to wrest from an enemy strong in
numbers, a position so formidable for defense; but the men approaching
those rugged mountain sides had become accustomed to overcome obstacles,
and to regard all things as possible which they were commanded to do.
Under cover of a storm of shells, thrown upward to the heights, the line
of battle advanced, with courage and firmness, in face of terrible
resistance, gaining much ground and driving the rebels from their first
line of defenses. Now, the corps of Hooker rushed to the assistance of
the Ninth. As the gallant general and his staff rode along the lines,
enthusiastic cheers for "Fighting Joe Hooker," greeted him everywhere.
Forming his divisions hastily, he pushed them on the enemy's lines at
once.
Thus far, the battle had been principally maintained by artillery; the
rattle of musketry coming occasionally from one or another part of
Reno's line. But now, the whole line was pushing against the rebel line,
and the continued roll of musketry told of close work for the infantry.
Reno's troops on the left and Hooker's on the right, were doing noble
fighting. The advancing line never wavered; but pressing steadily
forward, pouring volley after volley into the enemy's ranks, it at last
forced the rebels to break and fly precipitately to the crests, and,
leaving their splendid position on the summit to retreat in great haste
down the other slope of the mountain. The engagement had been of three
hours duration; and the bravery of the Union troops was rewarded by the
possession of the mountain tops. Darkness put an end to the pursuit.
Thus the two chief passes through the mountains were in the possession
of the Union army.
While his corps was striving to dislodge the enemy from the stronghold,
the gallant Reno was struck by a minie ball, and expired. The loss of
this hero threw a gloom not only over his own corps, but throughout the
army.
In the many battles in which he had taken a brilliant part, he had won
an enviable fame, and his private virtues and kindly qualities of heart
added lustre to the brilliancy of his military record.
While the fight was in progress in Crampton Pass, the booming of guns at
Harper's Ferry, only seven miles distant, told us of an attempt, on the
part of the rebels, to capture that important point; and while we lay
upon our arms on the morning of the 15th, two miles nearer than we were
on the day before, the firing was heard to be still more fierce. Our
Sixth corps was ordered to press forward to the relief of the
beleaguered place; but before we had started the firing suddenly died
away. General Franklin concluded that the place had been surrendered;
and his conclusion was verified by reconnoissances. So the corps
remained in Pleasant Valley, at rest, all of the 15th and 16th.
The surrender of Harper's Ferry was a terrible blow to our cause. Had it
continued in our possession it must have insured, with any respectable
energy on the part of our commanders, the destruction of the rebel army
in its retreat. As it was, our loss was over eleven thousand men, and a
vast amount of war material.
Of course, the surrender of Harper's Ferry, at this critical period, was
owing directly to the imbecility and cowardice, not to say treachery, of
the officers in command at Harper's Ferry and on Maryland Heights. But,
while we condemn the weakness and cowardice of these commanders, can we
relieve from a share in the responsibility, the general who marched his
army in pursuit of the enemy at a snail pace, traveling but six miles a
day upon an average, when by a few brisk marches this important point
might have been reinforced?
Early on the morning of the 17th, the Sixth corps was on its way,
hastening to the scene of conflict which had commenced on the banks of
Antietam creek. A part of the Seventy-seventh had constituted one-third
of the picket line which had extended across the valley between the
corps and Harper's Ferry.
These companies, by a hard march, much of it at double quick, succeeded
in overtaking the division just as the Third brigade was making a charge
over ground already thrice won and lost by Sumner's troops. Without
waiting to form the companies, the detachment joined the command, and,
all out of breath and faint from their forced march, rushed with their
companies against the foe.