National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-02-14
Gen. Lees March to the Northward Described
by One Of His Followers.
The Maryland ChvaIy Failed to Flock
to the Confederate Standard,
They Refused Even a Drink Of Cold Water 10 Their
Southern Brethren.
A Priveto's View OF the Battle which
Sent Lee Across the Potomac.
Special Letter.

SDectd LeHef.
The morning after the fight at Ok Road
hill, the Frying-Psn road being left open by
the retreat Of Gen. Popo's army toward Wash
ington, the army of Gen. Leo was put in
motion, according to the plan matured at
Richmond before the opening of the cam
paign, for an advance into Maryland. 1t is
now known that this plan of campaign oriRi-
mated with Gen. Leo, and that though
Jefferson Davis, when it was laid be-
fore him, objected to it at first,
yet he finally approved of it. His
approval, however, did not go to the extent
of pushing forward every available man to
re.enforce Lee when in Maryland, as should
have been done to make the approval opera
tive. The truth is, that the authorities at
Richmond, like the authorities at Washington,
had big load Of "the capital must not be
stripped Of defenders on the brain, and this
senseless timidity in either case frequently
hampered the operations of the armies in the
field by the withholding of re-enforcements at
critical periods. There is this to be said,
though, in palliation of the inactivity of the
confederate authorities that they had every
reason 10 suppose that the army of Lee
would receive large accessions from the ele-
ment in Maryland which sympathized with
tho south i'll the struggle.
1t is not the purpose in this sketch to give
q history of the marches and countermarches,
the strategy and tactics which the armies of
Gems. Lee and Mcclellan exercised in this
first Maryland campaign, but rather to give
such facts asw would naturally be jotted down
in the diary of private soldier, and which a
historian would perhaps consider unworthy
of notice.
After a terrible forced march under burn
ing sun, over dusty country roads-a march
during which numbers of troops were sun
atr aud al b.tt hnx a. 10 faI
crate army struck the Potomac river at
Whites ferry, and crossing over Sept. 6, 1862,
without opposition though from the hurry
of the march resistance to the passage had
evidently been expected, stood for the first
time on what might be termed the enemy's
soil, and the term afterward proved to BIO
no misnomer, as will presently be discovered.
The troops were jubilant over their advent
into aland overlooking with milk and honey,
so to speak; and the light-hearted and un-
rejecting saw in the minds eye the popula-
tion of Maryland rising to greet us as de-
liyerers, and focking by thousands to the
southern battle flag. cheering picture
this, to be sure, and perhaps it was in the
minds eye also of the commanding general
when he projected the plan of the campaign
There were many officers and men, however
who, while they hoped for the best, were not SO
sanguine of the future. and who, do what they
would, could not view through q rose colored
light the naked hard-pan facts of the situation.
And what were these facts As has been
said before in former letter ("Second Bull
RUM, fully one-third of the force with
which Gen. Lee started from Richmond,
oither from sickness, wounds, or feet dis
abled for lack Of shoes, were scattered along
the route from Gordonsville to the Potomac,
so that when the army struck Maryland
ground there were present for duty with the
colors not more than between $4,000 and
10000 men-a rather slim band
to conquer the north, especially when
there were being concentrated against
them fully $4,000 or 10000 trained troops;
and it may be said here that of that struggling
third above referred to very few, indeed,
were gathered up by the cavalry detailed for
the purpose in time to be of service in this
campaign. The bulk of the disabled men
were gathered together in camp near Win
chester, and did not rejoin their regiments
until the army had recrossed the Potomac
into the valley. Any one considering the
skeleton regiments as they moved from
the Ferry toward Frederick City could
sec at glance that the strength
of the army had greatly diminished since the
Seven Days fight before Richmond. And
how and from whence were these skeleton
corps to be filled up? Where were the flower
garlands of welcome and the loud sounding
timbrels and the hosannahs, &C., with which
we we're to be welcomed by the ardent Mary.
landers? Where were the brave and glow
ing youth of the land, who were expected tc
flock in such numbers to our standard that
We would find ourselves unable to provide
arms for them2 And echo answers, whore
Now, there had been hanging around Rich.
mond ever since the war began class o.
Marylanders who claimed exemption from the
CONSUMPTION OH the ground that they were
Marylanders. There was no fight in them
but they were all high-tonod. These gentry
managed to worm themselves more or les.
into the confidence of the confederate authori
ties by their professions of being able to gel
valuable information through the blockade
Such staggering such hectoring, such fine
clothes as these gentry put on 1t is believed
that these vain-glorous braggarts actually do
luded the authorities into the belief that il
was only necessary for the southern army Il
appear on the north bank of the Potomac fol
the Marylanders to rise in arms to Il man.
Now on entering Maryland Gen. Leo issued
stringent order TO his troops prohibiting the
slightest molestation of property OF citizens
or insult or injury to their persons under the
severest penalties. In fact the order put the
army on better behavior than it was accus.
toned to observe among our own people
To shoot q pig, rob a milk house. or steal q
ragged chicken. was to subject the offender
if caught, TO the tender mercy
with the possible finale of being stood up
ON his coffin before file of mon with loaded
muskets. The Marylanders did not deserve
any such tender consideration, From the
very first, save when here aud there on the
march face beamed on us in delighted well
come like an oasis IN the desert, tho troops were
met with cold averted looks, or with scowls
of ill-concealed hostility, You see, 'MarsC
Roberts" order had been scattered broadcast
among the people, and they know that they
and their possessions were safe from the
troops, SO long as they RETAINED from overt
acts against the southern cause Perhaps the
people of Frederick City should DO OK
empted from the above description, as in the
main they were hopitable and friendly
Perhaps had ho beaten the enemy
soundly soon after crossing the river the
bulk Of these sulky Marylanders would have
been as friendly and as smiling toward us "a'
basket of chips" SO to speak.
Our stay in Frederick was but short, fol
sson the news came that Mcclellan had beer
reinstated, and that he was advancing Will
the federal army reunited in full force VI
to this time the confederate army had no
received tho accession even of u corporal
guard of recruits from the enthusiastic
Maryland chiyalry, and 1t may well b.
imagined that the accessions did not increas
after We began TO fall back up the rive
toward the mountain passes 1t will b
obvious that, under the conditions in whic
he found himself placed-with an army mucl
inferior in number and far away from hi
base Of stores and ammunition-it woul
have been utter madness for him TO hay
advanced upon his adversary. with the Ger
tainty of being compelled TO fight him in hi
own chosen position. The dream of cOnques