St. Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1845-1863, 1861-07-11

~ VI
n afien 4 Harpws Tsrry.
Tls El<h ceri. tl,e f;llowipg ftosa
The Rie Enqsirer. SHOWING Why
Gen. e1lcn.ted Hsrper's Ferry.
| The ) 4 - reason % know
th.t y snfirsl acesrate
1--WE nv = IiibcSsy #on ths best
4uathssit 80 31nke f1b1ic tie true mo-
tives actnating Gen johnson in what
the Nortkern and some of the Southern
papens have called the Evacuation of
Harper's Fcrr,.' The Federal. like 9th
or military men of education. had long
h.o~ that Harper's Ferry. h i,s.lf, is
faulty and untell:.ble, from the facility
! with which it can be turned. 1t lies,
as it were, in the small end Of fun
nel,' the broader end Of which could with
great ease be occupied by the enemy.
The heads directing the operations Of the
Yankee forces were well aware Of this
fact, but forgot that there were fully as
astute heads on our side. The minute
and able investigations of Major Whiting.
chief engineer to Gen. johnson. had sat-
isied our leaders of the justness Of these
views. 1t was well known that Gen:
Scott's plan was to turn Harper's Ferry
by a COLUMN from Pennsylvania under
! Gen. Patterson, effect a junction near
Winchester or Strasburg with another
! column Of McClellan's army passing
through Romney. and cut off Besure-
CARDS aud Johnson's armies from each
other. This plan was completely foiled.
and the enemy checkmated at their own
game. as we shall explain.
''On or about Thursday, the 10th inst :,
Gen. Johnson having waited ut Harper's
Ferry long enough to make the enemy
believe that he intended to contest that
position to the last, and learning that
they were advancing OH Williansport and
Romuey, sent portion of his force to
Winchester by rail. On Friday be con-
tinued this movement. sent back his
tent equipage and other heavy baggage.
his sick. &C., set ERE aud burned the
railraolbridge, and such Of the public
buildings as could be burned without
endangerinx private property. spiked such
Of the htnxy gums ut Harper's Ferry as
could not be removed, and on Saturday
moved. with his whole army. marching
on foot. in tho direction of Winchester.
encamping about 81 miles south west of
Charlestown. The enemy, taking this
movement as it was intended they should
take it, as retreat, crossed brigade Of
their advance division, commanded by
General Cadwallader. (who joined their
forces on Saturday or Sunday morning. }
which was moved forward towards Mar.
tinsburg.
''On Sunday morning. however, Gem
eral johnson changed his line Of march,
at right angles, and moved square to-
wards Mar,insburg. encamping ut Bun.
ker's Hill, on the Winchester and Mar
tinsburg turnpike, twelve miles from
Martinsburg. to offer battle there. or
advance 90 attack if necessary. This
movement placed the enemy in predics-
ment. He had not crossed his whole
force, and if the opposing forces had
closed he must have been beaten in detail.
He therefore acknowledged the corn,
turned tail aud retreated, recrossed the
river and evacuated the valley, retiring
beyond Hagerstown. A lieutenant colo
mel and another (member of the Sth
Pennsylvania voluntecrs) were taken
prisoners during this retreat.
"A day or two after this, Col. Hill.
18th Virgins Regiment. in command of u
part Of the forces who had 'retreatcI from
llarper's Ferry. and who had been pushed
forward towards Komney. as our readers
have learned from our Saturdays edition.
sent forward towards New Cree, on the
Potomac river, eighteen mics west of
Cumberland. four companies of Tennessee
aud Virginia troops, under Col. Vaughan,
OF Tennessee, who found the Yankees
posted on the Maryland side the Potomac
Our brave fellows, in the rear of the ene-
my. forded the stream. vast deep, drove
them of in the utmost confusion, captured
two pieces Of loaded artillery aud u stand
Of colors. destroyed the railroad bridge
ut that point and returned to Komney,
making the march Of thirty six miles and
gaining brilliant victory within twenty
hours.
"Our readers viii thus see what Gen.
Johnson's retreat from Harper's Ferry has
done. 1t has thoroughly broken up Gen.
Scott's paper programme. destroyed his
whole western combination, and compelled
him to remodel his whole plan. III our
retreats do thus much, We wal: with CON-
fidence tc see what our advance will do"
Organization and Parts of the Army.
So many persons. unacquainted with the