Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-10-06

From Correspondence of the Savannah Republican,
SMTTHFIELD, Va, September I9-Ths Con
fsdeTate army has returned to Virginia Whether
General Lee took this step from military ne
cessity, or for scme stTategic pEP0ae, or because
he had accomplished the Cti-et of bis move
ment into Msrylsnd-the captue Of Hsrpe7's
FerTy-I am unable TO say The oIier wss is-
sued last evening, and by lbe tirae &c wss quite
dark, the wagons, artillery and troops 5eg-u 90
move. All the wounded that were in q cJudi-
ton to be moved, had been taken across the
river. Those whose wounds were very severe
or mortal, uGfoTtuna5sy, had TO be .eil Behind.
and fell into the hands Of the enemy. Some Of
the wounded had never been removed from tha
6eld, having fallen on part o. tls ground still
held by the enemy. Many Of me dead vera
buried yesterday, sud some were transferred TO
this bank Of the rITe-.
Il was not quite three miles 10 the Potomac.
and eur wagon trains extended from S1a-psburE
over to the Virgins side. There Her5 only two
roads by which We could proceed, one o. which
was taken by the troops and the other By the
artillery and wagons Oar lines came up with
in a short distance Of the enemy s. yeE sd silent
ly and sdrOi.y was the movement conducted,
that Mcclellan was not aware OF il until next
morning. It raiued iu the afternoon, and ths
roads were muddy below, while the heavens
were covered with e light fog above, both Of
which facilitated tie enterprise.
We had crossed into Maryland by The bright
and early morning sun; We returned In silence
and st the dead hour of night. The columns
wound their way over the hills and along he
valleys like some huge, indislinct monster. Ins
trees and OverhsDgIng cliffs and the mel=sac
Blue Ridge lComeG upon din but enlarged and
fantastic proportions, and made one feel as if ha
were in some strange and weird land Of gro
tesque forms, visible only iD the hour of dreams
Whatever was the motive 70 she movement, 1t
must be regarded as one Of che most successful
and exIaCrdinsTy exploits in the history of any
country, aud stamps the man that ordered and
executed it. ss one Of the greatest military leaders
in our time and generation. With the exception
Of the wounded and q lew wagons that were
turned over in the darkness, not a man or wags
on, nor q single piece Of artillery was l1s--
LOngstreet's corps, being nearest The ford, led
lh5 way followed by d. III. Hiifs and Jscks0n's
Ia the order Cf their names. The crossing Wss
accomplished By half past SIX this moruiug, aud
socn thereafter the enemy artillery opened
harmless fire from the opposite Nights. The
bird had flown, however, and ms rage was I'M
potent.
There was formerly a splendid stone bridge at
ShepheTdStOWn, where the army crossed, but
the enemy destroy led it last year. The flri was
three-f0urths Of a mile below the bridge, and
this made it necessary to pass down the river
bank that distance, and thsn no l. on tla OtheT
side by narrow road, blasted Ous Of the rocky
precipice. The troops managed 20 work tlsr
way out from the Tiver along some OF Ehs E5rEes
that broke through the Cliff. ani few wagons
and artillery escaped in the same way Thus
you percsIve, the character OF the FTgi1Ia side
was almost as Uuf2vOrabl5 as 1t could be % tha
| safety Of the movement 1t is an exceedingly
difficult undertaking at any time 90 transfer an
I or IA
so under circumstances such as surrounded Gen
ersl Lee.
lam frank % say was IN favor Of the move
ueut in Maryland 1 am equally ready 20
admit that under the circumstances. / now
think It was s mistake. This conviction Era8u-
ally forced itself upon my mind, after / came up
with the army and saw the miserable condition
in which ). was. A fi5h Of the troops are hare
footed; half of them are IN rags, and the vhela
of them insumcienty supplied with food. Men
in this CONDITION cannot be relied on % she same
extent as when they are properly clothed and
sustained. The best soldiers, under the circUm-
stances viii straggle both on the march and in
battle. Since we crossed into Maryland, and
even before, they frequently had to march al
day, and tar into the night for three or four
days together, without food Of any kind, except
such apples and green corn ss they could obtain
along the way. Our supply OF food was limit
ed az best and the bass Of our operations so
distant, the intervening country 50 barren by
reason of the sp0liatiOn- peTpeuaLed by Pope
and MS myrmidons and our transportation 50
limited. that it was quite impossible 70 su5sist
the army as it should be. The difficulty OF pass
| ing Confederate money in Maryland was another
fruitful source Of trogble.
The political effect upon Maryland, Of our re-
/ trngrads movement, must be highly injurious
we shall doubtless loss ground among the po0-
Dle. and it may be we shall have to make up
our minds to loss the State itself Is should bs
the direst necessity, however, that would com
pel us to abandon Maryland. Tbs waters Of
| the Chesapeake sTs indispensable 20 she Contsd-
crate States as a naval power, as vel rs for oug
security and defense,