The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-06-25
Before Antictanl.

article OF the Antietam campaign, en-
titled ''Ifarper's Ferry and Sharps-
burg" to the June Century; from it
we quote as follows:
The next day we reached the neigh
borhood OF Frederick. | went at once
to General Lee, who was alone. After
listening to my report he said that as
! had q division which would often,
perhaps. be ordered on detached ser.
vice, IN intelligent performance OF my
duty might require q knowledge of the
Interior purposes and objects OF the
campaign.
"Here," said he, tracing with his fin
ger on a large map, lis the line OF our
communications, from Rapidan Sta
ton to Manassas, thenceto Frederick.
1t is too near the Potomac. and is La
bic to be cut any day by the enemy's
cavalry. have therefore gwen Or
ders to nov the line back into the
Valley Of Virginia, by wayof Staunton
Harrlsonhurg, and Winchester. en-
tering Maryland ut Shepardstown.
81 wish you to return to the mouth
OF the Monocacy and eifectually de.
stroy the aquedllct OF the Chesapeake
and Ohio canal. BY the time that is
accomplished you will receive orders
to cooperate in the capture OF Har-
per's Ferry, will reioiG us at lIagers-
town whore the army will be concen.
trated. My information is that there
are between 10000 ai,d 10000 men
at Harper's Ferry, ami 1000 ut Mar
tinsburg. The latter may escape to-
ward Cumberland; but | think the
chances are that they Will take refuge
at Harper's Ferry and be captured.
Besides the men and material OF
war which we shall capture ut Har-
per's Ferry, the position is necessary
to us, not to Garrison and hold, but
in the hands OF the enemy it would be
a break in our new line OF commune
cation with Richmond.
"A few days rost at Hagerstown
will be OF great service to our men.
Hundreds OF them are b~ere>footed.
and nearly all OF them are ragged. [
hope to get shoes and clothing for the
most needy. But the best OF it will be
that the short delay Will enable us to
get up II stragglers-not s~trayslers
from - Sinking disposition, but
simply from inability SO keep up with
their commands. l believe there are
not less than from eight to ten
thousand OF them between here and
Rapidan Station. Besides these, we
shall be able to get n Large number OF
recruits who have been accommodating
at Richmond for some weeks. | have
now requested that they be sent for
ward to join us. They ought to reach
us at Hagerstown. We shall then
have a very good army" and he
smilingly added: Zone that | think
will be able to give q good aceount OF
itself"
sin ten days from now" he contin.
ued, IF the military situation is then
what confidently expect it to be aft
erthecapture OF Harper's Ferry, ] shall
concentrate the army at Hagerstown,
effectually destroy the Baltimore &
Ohio road, and march to this point"
placing his finger at Harrisburg, Penn.
| sylvania. THAT is the objective point
OF the campaign. You remember, no
doubt, the long bridge OF the Penn
sylvania railroad over the Susquehan-
ma a few miles west OF Harrisburg.
Well, ! wish etfeetually todestroy that
bridge which will disable the Pennsvl-
vania railroad for u long time. With
the Baltimore and Ohio in our pos
session, andt the railroad
broken up, there will remainto the en-
envy but route OF communication
with the west. and that very circuit
GUS by way OF the lakes. After thatI
can turn my attentiont to Philadelphia,
Baltimore or Washington, as may
seem best Tor our interests"
was very much astonished at this
announcement, and | suppose he OBJ
served it, for he turned to me and
said:
"ion doubtless regard it hazardous
to leave Mcclellan practically on nv
line OF communication, and to march
into the heart OF the enemy's .coun-
try?" ADMITTED that such q thought
had occurred to me.
Are yon acquainted with General
Mcclellan" ne inquired. 1 replied
that We had served together in the
Mexican war under General Scott, but
that l had seer but little OF him since
that time.
"He is an able general, but n eau
tious one. His enemies among his
own people think him too much SO.
His army is in q denloralized and
chaotic condition, and will not be pre.
pared for offensive operations-or he
will not think it so-for three or four
weeks. Before that time | hope to be
on the Susquehanna."