National Republican., 1884-12-06
A GALLANT DEFENSE
THE VALIANT FEAT OF AIMS PERFORMED
BY A MARYLAND BATTERY.
ma Confederate Soldier.

fortunes Win. tne cOnIeuerhcy' hm
sure no such disparagement Of tho SER
vicos Of Marylanders In the confederate
service was intended, nor do think the
article referred to will bear any such con-
struction. Reference was made therein
solely TO that class who hung about Rich
mond during the war, claiming oxomp-
tion from conscription as citizens of a
foreign state, and who never intended to
hear the whistle Of hostile mimic bull
let. These fellows were burden TO the
authorities, and, in fact, an unmitigated
nuisance to tho people generally. But no
more enthusiastic or braver men ever
pulled trigger, brandishod sword, or
handled ranmor in tho confederate
ranks than those Of tho Maryland line.
They were worthy successors Of the old
Maryland line Of the revolution, and any
attempt to detraot from their hard-won
laurels would have brought the dotraotor
into well-merited contempt.
In conversation with an eyewitness
tho other day my attention was called to
brilliant feat of arms, we'll known at
the time In the army Of Northern Vir-
ginia, but which, as far as I know, has re-
ceived only tho merest mention from tho
historians. Perhaps the Marylanders are
prouder Of this episode than of all their
other gallant achievements during the
contest.
About June Is, 1868, while the army of
Gen. Lee was making It's flank movement
down the valley for the second invasion
of Maryland Gen. Ewelps corps was in
The lead. Gen. Milroy was strongly en-
trenched at Winchester, and although on
the advance Of the confederates, he had
been ordered to withdraw to the Potomac,
he sought and obtained permission ito
hold on for WHILE" and 1t was mighty
little while, as tho subsequent events
showed. Milroy sent word to Col. Dom
Piatt, the adjuant general Of Gen. .Schenck,
who was at Harpers Ferry, and who had
sent Milroy the order to fall back, that
'he could hold the post (Winchester)
against any force the enemy could
bring against him." That same
afternoon tho advance divisions Of Ewell
struck the greater part of Milroy's forts
and rifle pits and surged over them like n
thundergust, putting his troops to utter
rout and capturing all, or nearly oil, of
his artillery aud wagon trains. As soon
ms night fell the federal general deter
mined to abandon what remained of his
artillery and trains, and by forced
march to endeavor to cut his way out Of
the hobble he was in with his infantry
and cavalry in tho direction Of Martins
burg and Charlestown.
Now Gen. Milroy in the confederate
army was in the same position "a Gen. B.
+. Butler; that 10 to say, he had been de-
clared an outlaw by the confederate
authorities, and the troops were directed
to hang him when and wherever they
might capture him. The cause for this
outlawry was that Gen. Milroy had
issued the same order as to the treatm ent
of the women Of Winchester as Gen. But
Ter had previously promulgated in rela-
tion to the women Of New Orleans These
two generals have tho distinction OF
being tho only officers declared outlaws
by the confederate government officially.
Whether or not the edicts of outlawry
were called for or justified is not ques-
tion here. Suffice 1t to say that they ex-
listed, and 1t Is certain that the feeling OF
the troops of Lees ARMY was savagely
bitter toward these officers. Ac-
cordingly, When "Alleghany" Johnson'f
division WAS ordered to make forced
night march to get ahead of and block the
way of the retreating federal army, tn
men were moro stimulated to put forth
every effort by the prospect of capturing
Gen. Milroy and giving him what they
believed to be hisdoserts than by bagging
his forces. johnson marched all night
and before daybreak had flung his divis.
ion squarely across Milroy's line of re.
treat The division was posted along O
line of railroad cuts about q mile from
Stophenson's depot on the Valley railroad
Dement'S Maryland battery WAS attached
to this division. Now, the country road
to Charlestown crossed the railrond on O
bridge flung over deep cut at the point
indicated, and along this road the bulk o.
Milroy's troops were retreating. A sec
tion of Dement'S battery 1.-TWO guns)
under the command of an officer
whose name is not recollected, as
dered to defend the bridge, and Walker
(Stonewall) brigade and North Caroline
brigade were placed on the right and left
of the bridge in the railroad cut to sup
port the battery. One of the guns of thC
section was planted on the bridge on thu
side next to the enemy, and the other
little to the right of it in the field anC
somewhat in advance. The left section
of the battery was placed to defend pas
some six or eight hundred yards to tn,
right to intercept Milroy personally.
may be stated here that the complement
of the guns was eight men each besides
the Onlcer6 ana drivers.
The dawn was scarcely breaking befor,
Milroy's advance appeared, swinging
along at tho quickstep, and apparentl,
unconscious that there was lion in thei
path, as it were. The first intimatioI
they had of the presence of the confeder
ates In their front-for they had no cavalr,
pushing ahead of the infantry, 1t was al
in tho rear-was discharge Of canniste
from the section at the bridge, full in th
head of the column, at point blank range
The front regiments were thus throw
into momentary confusion, but they raj
lied gamely and, deploying into line, the,
rushed with "hurrah" at the guns
These were served rapidly and will
deadly effect, while q desultory fir
was kept up by the confederate bri
gades in support. 1t may be said righ
here that neither tho 'Stonewalp nor tn,
battery as they should have done, no
with that vim and elan which had wol
them credit and honors on many hard
fought fields before. Tho infantry wa
completely shielded by the deep railroat
cut, and in this instance thoy seemed
little loath to leave such safe bulwark
and to do what was required of them
However, when men have fought ell o
an afternoon and marched at break
neck pace all night following the gaudi
certaminis, or lust of battle, is apt to be o
very cool quality.
/ desire to repeat here, that the partic
ulars Of this sketch are from information
furnished by an eyewitness, who l hav
every reason to believe told the truth a
he knew it, and,as far as the general fact
are concerned, know of them PERSONAL.
from the talk about the camps at tina
date.
Before the rapid aud withering hail @
canister from the guns tho first charge Q
the federals proved abortive, but tn
contingent of the guns was decimate
by the musketry FIRE and Lieut.. Conte
seriously wounded. Two more desperat
charges were made by the fedora
regiments, and each timo the guns belche