The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1861-05-16
Topography Of the Field Of Operations
in MARYLAND.

DSIH6 C0bceDHaOeu lh ana ABOUT baItl
more, t will be interesting to know
the location Of the different bodies, reg
imentS and companies, and the follovini
wilLoe found cotVenent for, reference:
Washington Junction is q small towr
on the Baltimore d Ohio Railroad, min,
miles southwest from Baltimore, and tn,
same distance directly north Of Anns
polls junction. The Washington BrancI
Railroad here leaves the main line, run.
hing south through Annapolis Junction
and BladenSburg to Washington; distance
tWety nine miles. The occupation oI
this point by the Federal troops is i'm.
portant. as it not only commands th,
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. but the Pata.
psco river. The town is not much NOR,
than mere railroad station, and has
mere railroad station. and has a popuIa
tiOn Of only about one thousand or twelve
hundred Inhabitants. This place was for
merly known as the Relay House, and
by many il Is now confounded with Relay
station, on the North Central baltimore
& Susquehanna) Railway, seven miles
north OF Baltimore, now occupied by q
detachment Of Pennsylvania troops.
Annapolis Junction is a railroad station
seventeen miles sOuthwes, from Bal.i.
more. and twenty-five miles northeast ol
Washington, on the Washington branch oi
the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. The An.
napolis Branch railroad, a short line OF
only twenty-five miles length here comes
in from Annapolis. The point derives
its chic! importance from commanding
the railroad route from annapolis to Wash
ington,a total distance Of thirty-nine miles.
The only town of any note on the line oi
the Annapolis branch road is Millersvlle
eleven miles from Annapolis.
The Relay House is small railroad
station, seven miles north Of Baltimore. on
the Northern Central railroad; is an To-
considerable village so far rs its popula-
ton or business is concerned, but of i'm
mense Importance as a near rendezvous
for Northern troops, il a demonstration is
10 be made upon Baltimore. Dispatches
received on Monday state ths! large bod.
les OF Pennsylvania troops. under Gen.
Patterson, were being concentrated at
this point, o,tensibly TO prevent the Bal.
timore seaessiOnicts from destroying The
few bridges and culyerts between that
point and tbs Stat3 line at Freelands, but
really 10 act in conjunction with the Mas
sachusetts troops, under Gen. Butler from
the southwest, and Fort McHenry on the
southeast.
COckeysville, eight miles north Of ilt
Relay House, and fifteen miles nortl
of Baltimore on the Northern Central
road, is not much more than a railroad
station. Just south of the station are the
ruins of the bridge burned by the Seces
sionists on tie night of the &3th of Apri
and which is now being rebuilt by the ar.
my Of General Patterson. This place i.
important, inasmueh as its occupancy by
Northern troops will have the effect Of
keeping the railroad open to York, (forty
two miles north. where 5, 40O troops are
now stationed. Harrisburg, (seveuty
miles, where there are Z 800 troops.) and
Elmira, N. Y. (s4l mile north, where
now are being concentrated the volunteers
from Central and Western New York a
little over 5000.
Patapasco river, upon which the city
Of Baltimore stands, is only useful for
navigation purposes below the city, where
it has width and depth sufficient for
the largest classes Of ocean craft, Above
the city numerous falls and rapids afford
excellent water power, Just below Bal.
timore the Gunpowder river empties into
the Pa,apsto. Jones Falls are on the
Gunpowder river, and about three miles
eastwardfy from the Relay House. station,
The new water works for The city are To-
Gated at Jones Falls and it is intended
ultimately to supply the city With water
from the Gunpowder river. Northward
from Baltimore, and To The East OF the
Northern Central Railroad, are a succes.
sion of high hills, batteries upon any one
of which would command the road be-
tween the Relay House and :be city.
Canton Bridge, burned on the 2ulh, is
en- the Philadelphia. Wilmington IL Bal
rimore road, and crossas Gunpowder Creel
Jus. in the outskirts OF the city.
Gunppwdar Bridge is eleven miles fur
,her on tovards Hayre de Grace. This
bridge was also destroyed on the Goth
but is now being rebuilt BY the Pennsyl
yania troops. .....
Rush River Bridge, at Perlyman's, ii
twenty -fonr andS hall miles from Balti
more, also destroyed. 1t was hers thO
the Sixth Pennsylvania regiment remain
ed for several days after the railroad com
municaiiou was cut of by the burning o
the bridges. =. =. ,r -, 80. PEI
,Havre de Grace is the next town o
note, situated on the west bank Of the Sus
quehans river, where it emplios into the
Chesapeake Bay. II is. thirty-six mile'
from Baltimore by rail, and about fft!
miles by water north. Of Anapolis. Th'
Tidewater canal empties into the Chesa
peake at this point. Immediately oppo
site. on the east bank of the susGnehara
is Perryville, where small body OF Fed
eral troops are now stationed.
Frederick city is sixty miles west Of
Baltimore, and is reached by the Bali
moIe Il. Ohio Railfoad. aud the Freder
lex branch from Monocacy (three miles.
The CITY is only iorty-fOur miles north
west from Washington, and lwenty-thre'
miles esa. of Harper's Ferry, 1t is a tow
of only about $500 inhabitsuts--a popu
alton that has not varied hundred with
n the last twenty years., This. place AM