New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-07-09
NUMBER 1917 !.
Gen. Johnston's sfarch from Harperss Ferry
{5 10 winchester.
Lrrprn al Rlehraana RrsnaInar. In1rad.i 1

| ! j Z 4
From the Richmond Examiner, July3d.l
Mere fighting is not the only nor at all times the
most important duty Of the soldier. Neither are
the dangers of the battlefield the only sources of
harrassings and snffarings to those who are en-
gagged in military service. Peraons who have not
borne arms and had experience Of camp life
imagine that tile actual combat with its fearful ac-
compartments Of wounds and blood and death is
the only trial Of the soldier. Not 80 Many gal
liant fellow would gladly confront the perils Of the
stricken feld,1 and yet pine Wearfiy under the
depriyations and tolls Of the soldiers ordinary duty
Hunger and tlif5t, the burning sunshine and the
pelting storm-the tolsome march and the Sleep
less night-are things but little thought Of by our
home-staying friends; yet are they the matters
which make the trials of the soldier SO hard to bear
Patience and strength and fortitude are military
qualities not less valuable than courage; and they
are hundred times more frequently called into
exercise. 4 man may be many months, or even
wears in the service without seeing blow struck
yet all the time he may be rendering most import
ant service and enduring severe hardships II isa
matter Of gladness to our people that our noble.
citizen soldiery of Virginia and our Southern sis
ters have manifested already, on more than one
occasion, the possession of all these high military
qualifications, in addition TO the courage which no
one ever dreams Of donbting. We desire to call
the attention Of our readers TO the recent move
ments of General Johnstons column in the lower
part of the Valley of Virginia as giving striking
evidence of the capacity of our troops to undergo
fatigue and hardship. Not that this part Of the
army has done anything which our other gallant
defenders could not or would not perform, but be-
cause the operations of the Harpers Ferry division
involved the maneuvering of larger bodies of men
than have elsewhere acted at any one time and
have shown that all our army may be relied upon
in any emergency which may arise. IT is well that
such things be made known, not only that Justice
may be done to those engaged, but that the benefit
of their example may not be lost. A friend who
was in the column, and bore his full part mall that
it did and endured has furnished US with the facts
which we detail. 4
On Thursday morning, June Ia, orders were
issued for the troops in and near Harpers Ferry
some 10000 strongto hold themselves in readi-s
ness to move at a moments warning. This is
always an order that involves something OF dis
comfort, interfering, as it does, with the regular
routine of duty and supply of the mems wants.
All that day was consumed in the packing and re-
moyal of baggage, the conveyance Of the sick, and
the transportation of spare arms and ammunition,
and at night the heavy task was far from being
complete. The bulk of the troops had been kept
close at their quarters during the dayready at a
word to take up the line of march. They lay down
near midnight, with but q moderate supply Of
| food. and almost entirely without their usually
humble appliances for sleeping; for everything
was packed up for transport. Many aweary form
| was stretched only on the ground or the naked
| floors of their quarters but the men never Mlnr
INJURED nor finched. They understood their posi-
| ton. 81
Friday morning brought one of those Wild fear
| ful scenes which make the desolation that grows
out of war. The splendid railroad bridge across
the Potomac--one Of the most superb structures of
its kind upon the contnent-was set on fire at its
| northern end, while about hundred feet OF its
southern extremity was blown up, to prevent the
| flames from reaching other works which it was
necessary to save. Fire and powder did their ter
rible mission quickly and most effectually. In less
| than half hour all that remained of the magnif-
| cent fabric was some blackened piers and some
/ PROSTATE and twisted iron work. 1T was one of
those grand but fearful sights that may be wit
messed but once in life time, and the memory Of
which can never depart from the brain Of the
i spectator. A singular coincidence connected with
this bridge, demonstrates the character of tie con-
test into which Northern fanatcfsm, selishness and
| brutality has forced us.
The bridge was destroyed under the orders Of
! Gen. Johnston. 1t was built many years ago. un-
der the superintendent of his father-inaw, a
former President of the railroad company. It is
not the frst and we fear will not be the last, in
4 stance during the nsensate crusade which the
North was preaching against us, where the son
will find it his duty to undo the fathers work. AS
soon as this hard but needful duty was performed
the task of removal was resumed and the day
wore entirely away before everything could bt
placed in proper condition for removal The sick
the heavy baggage, the stores of provisions arms
| etc., and all the countless and almost nameles
trappings of an army, were at last packed up ant
placed upon trains for Winchester; and the army
was left with nothing but what could be carried b.
the men Or in the wagons. This, however, wa
but part of the days work. AT noon, the labo
of destruction had been resumed. The many vas
buildings constituting the old United States ar
mory and arsenal were consigned to the flames
Two or three OF Lnen1 nduEDeau DuFHeu py tne gar
rison of Federal troops when they were expelle'
from the place and the work which they com
menced was now most thoroughly completed. Gu
informant is not wanting in imagination or words
, but he declares himself utterly incompetent t
describe the fierce sublimity of the scene. Man.
of the buildings not only large but very lofty
and crowned with tall towers and spires; and W
may, perhaps, be able to fancy what the sigh
must have been when more than dozen of thest
huge fabrics, crowded into small place, wer,
} blazing at once So great was the heat and smoke
} that many of the troops were forced ont Of tn
town, and the necessary labors of the remove
were performed with the utmost difficulty.
Early on Saturday morning, the troops at las
took up the line of march from the ill-fated towr
that used to be Harper's Ferry. No food could b
: issued to them that morning; all had been ser
n away or eaten the night before, Such at leas
r. was the case with that part of the force in whic
our friend was serving, and he presumed that \
folks were well off as the balance. Their lodi
It ings, too, had been Of the most primitive cha
! acter-the ground or the soft side Of u plank--ar
l. our friend heard an officer Dragging Of his goe
: luck in getting smooth part of the pavement Z
which to spread his blanket. Yet our noble % arm arm
moved away in gay and happy mood. They We
II in motion at last, and they hoped soon to meet
y enemy. fierce sun beat down upon them o.
II water could not always be found, and it W
IN almost the first hardship which the brave feloN
had been called upon to endure yet there was
IN failure no finching, no complaint. On tn
\. trndged along the hot, dusty turnpike, till near
lp 2o'clock, when they were allowed to turn out n
at rich, green grass, in the hope Of food and re-
Some rest they did enjoy, but the supply Of fo
was of the scantiest. Nothing could be had but
m. piece of bread to each man So after eating TN
VS. the drums once more struck up, and once mo
id the column stretched its vast length along Z
hot, wearisome road. But, after an hour OF fufth
travel, the camping ground was at last reached
some beautiful woods, three or four miles soul
d east of Charlestown. Plenty of food, with wat
and shade, here awaited the weared soldiers;
Ill even these blessings were not wholly nnattend
by danger. Two lives were lost by the imprude
and excessive use of water--one Mississippi
N and the other an Alabamian. Here the troo
remained till morning, and, soon after snnriE
prepared to resume their march. A plentiful mt
~ was prepared and eaten, and then the men beg
., "a to grow restless for the advance. 5=5yE-5g
~ AZ The calm GOODNESS of the sweet Sabbath morni
~ was passing away but Sabbath thoughts and fe
49, ings found no place in the bosoms Of our men;
vague, low hints and rumors began to pass throu
the ranks that the enemy had crossed the river
re- in Berkeley, and that the army was at last to
counter the hated foes whom they had been so le
he expecting. Slowly the morning wore away {
* after some hours Of waiting, Col. stuart, of
cavalry, was seen to enter the camp. The ne
he brought was quickly gnessed at, for, in a
tes minutes, the drums sounded the advance. Thee
INT nmn assumed new lhe-at rlSie an2lss " tho
net ceding days march, and turned due North in
direction where the enemy was reported. Jo
ston led his army right at tha enemy, although
hit had good to believe that they were ~ gr
5as foree--probably superior to his own-aha q