Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-04-08

at Harpet's Ferry, the Maryland, Loudon, an,
Bolivar heights, being all In possession Of tn
enemy. The messenger stated that there wa
| no apparent reaaon-for the abandonment Of th
Maryland heights, and that, though Col Mile
asked for assistance, he said he could hold ou
certainly two days. | directed him TO make hi
way back, if possible, with the information tina
was rapidly approaching, and would undoubt
edly relieve the place. BY three other courler
| sent the same message, with the order to hold
ont to the last. do not learn that any of thea
messengers succeeded In reaching Harper's Fer
ry. should here state that on the 18th wa
directed to assume command Of the garrison a
Harper's Ferry, but this order reached me af'
ter oil communication with the garrison was Gu
of. Before I left Washington, and while /
WAS yet time, recommended to the proper au
thorties that the garrison of Harper's Ferry
should he Withdrawn, via Hagerstown, TO aid IL
covering the Cumberland valley, or that, taking
up the pontoon bridge aud obstFucllng the rail
road bridge, II should fall back to the Maryland
heights, and there hold its own to the last. Ii
this position II conld have maintained itself fol
weeks II WAS not deemed proper to adopt
either OF these suggestions, and when the sub
ject was loft to my discretion It was too late Il
- NAJsh'Hh eASoPe " Va w iVhNEO bho Nhh'
son. r
directed artillery to be frequently fred b.
our advance guards 40 o signal to the garrison
that relief was at hand This was done, a1d
learn that our firing was distinctly heard al
liarper's Ferry, and that they were thus made
aware that we were approaching rapidly. II
was confidently expected that this place could
hold ONT until we had carried the mountains and
were 10 position to mako detachment for
its relief. The left, therefore, was ordered to
move through Jefferson to the South mountains,
at Crampton's Pass, in front of Burkettsville,
while the center and right moved upon the main
or Turner'a Pass, in front of Middletown.--
During these movements | had not imposed
long marches on the columns, The absolute
necessity of reftting and giving some little
rest to troops worn down by previous long con-
tinued marching and severe fighting, together
with the uncertainty ss to the actual position,
strength, and intentions of the enemy, rendered
it incumbent upon me to move elowly and eau
tiously until the headquarters reached Urhsna,
where first obtained reliable information that
the enemy's object was to move upon Harper e
Ferry and the Cumberland valley, and not up
on Baltimore, Washington, or Gettysburg.
la the absence of the full reports OF corps
commanders, a simple outline of the brilliant
operations, which resulted in the carrying of
the two passes through the South mountains,
is all that can, at this time with Justice to the
troops and commanders engaged, be furnished
The South mountain range, near Turner'S Pass,
averages perhaps thousand feet in height, and
forms strong natural military barrier. The
practicable passes are not numerous, and are
readily deiensible, the gaps Astounding in fine
positions. Turner'S Pass is the more promi.
nent, being that by which ihe national road
crosses the mountains. 1t was necessarily in.
dicated as the route of advance Of our main
army.
The carrying of Crsmpton's Pass, some Eve
or six milea below, was also important, TO for
nish the means of reaching the flank of the
enemy, and having, ss lateral movement
direct relations to the attack on>the principal
pass, while 1t at the came time presented the
most direct practicable route for the relief oil
Harper's Ferry. Early in the morning OF the 14.h
inst, General Pleaasnton, with cavalry force
reconnoitered the position OF the enemy, whom
he discovered to occupy the crests of command
| ing hills in the gap on either side OF the ma
| tiUnal road, and upon advantageous ground il
the center upon and near the road, with ARTILLERY
bearing upon all the approaches to their posi-
tion, whether that by the main road or those
by the country roads which led around up to ths
crest upon the right and left. At about
o'clock A. M. Cox's division of Reno's corps, a
portion of Burnside's column, in cooperation with
| the reconnaissance, which by this time had be.
come an attack, moved up the mountain by the
old Sharpsburg road to the left of the mair
road dividing as they advanced into two columne
These columns (Scammon's and Cooks brig
ades) handsomely carried the enemy's position
on the crest in their front, which gave us posses
sion of an important point for further opera
tons. Fresh bodies OF the enemy now appear
Ing, Cox'S position, though held stubboEnly, be
came critical, and between IL and o'clock P
M. Wiloox's division of ReDo's corps WAS sen
forward by General Burnside to support Cox
and between 2 and 3 P. NJ. Sturgis's division
was sent up.
| The contest was maintained with perseV crane
until dark, the enemy having the advantage q
to position, and fighting with obstinacy; but Oh
ground won was fully mai ltained. The los
IN killed and wounded here was considersbl
on both sides, and it was here that Major Geu
Reno, who had gone forward TO observe the op
erstions of his corps, and to give such direction
ss were necessary fell pierced with muske
ball. The loss of this brave aud distlnguishe,
officer tempered with sadness the exultation
Of triumph. A gallant soldier, an able general
endeared to his troops and associates, his deaf
is felt as an irreparable misfortune. s.. a...
About 3 o'clock p M. Hookers corps, Q
Burnside's column, moved up to the right Q
the main road by country road, which, bend
ing TO the right then turning up TO the left, Gil
cautiously wound It's way beyond the crest OF tn
psss TO the Mountain House, 90 the main road
General Hooker sent Meade, with the dlyisio
Of Pennsylvania reserves, to attack the emf
nence to the right of this entrance to the gal
which was done most handsomely and suc
cessfully. g-f, 1 sl l.a 5.e. -. ..U, III
Pstrick's brigade, OF Hatch's division, WI
sent-one portion up around the road, to tur
the hill on the left, while the remainder ad
vanced sa skirmishers- the hill and occupie
theicrest, supported by Doubleday's and Phelps
brigades. The movement, after a sharp con
test on the crest and In tho fields 10 the deprel
sion between the crest and the adjoining hill
was fully suceeseiul. d ID osrGaq 81. ..-,.a.
II Ricketts's division pressed up the m0untai
i about P. NJ, arriving ct the crest with tn
left OF his command in time TO participate |
, the closing scene of the engagement. Relic,
ii ing Hatch's division, Ricketts, remained on th
! ground, holding the battle field during th
night. The mountain sides thus gallantly pas
ed over by Hooker on the right Of the gap aI
) Reno on the left, were steep and dificult In q
! extreme We could make hut little use Of OF
{ artillery, while our troops were subject 20
] warm artillery fire, as well as to that OF il
tantry In the woods and under cover. BY ord,
, OF Gen. Burnside, Gibbons brigade, of Hatch
) division, late in the afternoon advanced upC
0 the center OF the enemy's position on the ma
road. Deploying his brigade, Gibbon activel
t engaged superior force of the enemy, whic