Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-21

prisoners. but the honors were not far from
easy. Eodes' division of infantry was ordered
/ to his support. but the fight was over before
/ - go. up. PleaSonton recrOssed the Kappa
hammock satisfied with his fight. but reporting
| that he unable to make head against
| the enemy force.
The movement of Lees infantry continued
| PercelvinS Rockers indispOsiton to assume
the offensive. and knowing the federal govern
ments 81 nsitive fear for Its capitals safety, on
| the 10th he put Ewell's corps in motion for the
valley. the old stamping ground OF that gem
/ cral as well as mot Of his troops. On the 18th
he had driven IN the federals at Berryvllle and
was confronting Winchester. occupied by Gen
| MilrOy, "a federal officer of great bravery. but
\ little Judgment with from 5000 to 10000 men
I Including these and Gen. kelley's division IN
and about Harper's Ferry and MartinsburG
| there were nearly 2l000 federal soldiers in the
| valley sufficient force to successfully dis
| yutc Ewell's advance. concentrated and prop
| erly handled. Tut Ewelrs movements. vaguely
I Understood. had created doubt and consterna-
| ton at Washington. and the usual federal tao
tics III this region prevailed again.
Ewen. dispatchins RCdes' and Jenkins
| cavalry directly down the valley against Mar
tinsburg. with Early's and Ed. JohnsOn's divi-
siOns suddenly pounceu upon and easily
/ scattered Milroys command. capturing many
| prisoners and all his cannon and trains.
/ EweIl : total loss 90 Rapidly passing on
/ down. Ewell's united command crossed the
\ Potomac on the 18th at Wiliamsport; Jenkins
was sent forward to Chambersburg; Rodes
went TO HRgerstown the 18th; johnson TO
/ Sharpsburg; Early threatened Harper's Ferry
\ from the vicinity of Shepherdstown, and
guarded their right flank and rear. While
! occupying these positions on the 2lst Ewell
/ received orders from Lee ITO take Harris
| burg"
THE ENEMY's LONG LINE.
| At this time the confederate army was
strung out from Fredericksburg TO Chambers
burg, Pa, most extraordinary and dangerous
| disposition in presence of superior enemy.
But Lee was watching Hooker narrowly. As
late the 18th he still hesitated to draw A. 7.
/. Hills corps away from the federal front, but
| on that day Lon5street was sent forward
| toward the Potomac. east of the Blue Ridge,
for the purpose of misleading the Unionists as
| to his plans. On the 23d he moved via Berry,
vile. Martinsburg to Williamsport These
movements quickly attracted Hooker's atten-
ton. As soon as he headed north. Lees hest
tatIOn vnnIshed; A. r. Hill then marched for
the Potomac, which he reached ahead of Long
street. crossing at ShepAtrdstown and vicinity
/ on the oath, Longstreet crossing into Mary
land at Williamsport. Together these two
corps moved up the beautiful Cumberland
valley to Chambersburg. where they went into
camp on the nth and rested until the 29th.
Now fO- Hooker. On the 10th, the day Lee
issued his orders for Ewel To move toward the
valley, he proposed in a telegram to the Presi-
dent to march directly on Richmond if Lee
started on a raid into Maryland. Lincoln
adyIsed him not to go south of the Rappahan-
/ mock upon Lees moving north of it.. He
| pointed out that Lees army and not Richmond
was the objective. To follow Lee on the in
/ side track and fight him when opportunity
offered. ''lf he STAYS where he IL, fret HIM and
/ fret him. was the Presidents advice. Halleck
| cOucCrred-Ia the SO views. In other words he
was to conform his movements to those of the
| rehe! army. and did so.
I On the 18th Hooker. en- information of the
rebel movement toward the valley, pushed the
I third corps up to Bealeton on the Orange and
/ Alexandria railroad; on the 18th he moved all
/ the corps northward. Pleasonton's cavalry
was thrown out in advance toward Bull Run
mountains. having smart battles with Stuart,
who was covering LOnSstrcets march at Aide
| On the 18th, i'll which Stuart was worsted; at
Mlddleburg on the 10Th. and again at Upper
VILE ON the 2lst, compelling Stuart to fall back
through the Blue Ridge at Ashby's Gap.
HOOKER CROSSES THE POTOMAC.
Keeping generally along the line of the rail
road by Manassas junction. and Centerville,
with strong force thrown out toward the
Bull Run range looking for Hill, whom he
desired to attack. Hooker reached Edwards
Ferry some twenty-five miles above Washing
ton. where he crossed the Potomac on the 25th
and Goth. about the time Longstreet and Hill
were crossing at WIlliamsport and Shepherds
| town, west of the mountains. On tho 26th he
was holding the line of South mountain from
/ the Potomac TO Turner's Gap with tbs first
/ eleventh and twelfth corps, with Bufords
| cavalry beyond the mountain toward Hagers-
| town. The second. third and fifth corps were
/ in the vicinity of Frederick and the sixth corps
/ further back.
/ No fault had been found with GEN Hooker's
movements thus far; he had kept the army
D ay,I h.,
moved up as rapidly as was desirable for the
protection of the capital. As he drew nearer
1 Washington Hooker felt himself trammeled
/ By u division Of authority In respect to troops
l he wished for, then stationed in and about the
/ def-nse7. During this period there Is a testy
| shOrtness about the correspondence between
the general and the Washington authorities
strongly indicating strained relations. On the
| 10th III telegram to the President Hooker
uses this remar kabe language:
You have 0ng been aware, Mr.. President
/ that have not enjoyed the confidence of the
major general commanding the army. and
1 can assure you Ion. this continues VIC
may look in vain for success, especially as
/ failure operations will require our relations to
be more dependent on each other than hereto
/ fore
AtIp M. the same day the President tele-
craphed back that Ito remove all misunder-
standing l now place you in the strict military
Z relation 20 Gen. Halleck OF "a commander OF one
1 OF the armies 10 the general-in-chief of all the
armies" This did not manifest any particular
anxiety on the part of the President to stand
between Halleck and Hooker; a strong indica-
tIon of IA changed feeling toward the Latter.
shortly afterward Hooker sent Gen. Butter
I field. his c!s.,f of staff, 70 Washington and
Baltimore TO organize a column of 1000 troops
from those commands 10 join the Army of the
Potomac. Halleck declined to let any troops
leave the defenses of Washington, although
there were Sc. QUO men in and about the city
\ menaced by no enemy except the one Hooker
was facing. All the troops he got was Lock-
woods brigade Of 2 500 men at Baltimore. He
was treated very CURLY by Halleck. This pre-
! saSed anything but hearty support and it
/ seems to have Incensed Hooker.
| On the Goth. while his army crossing
the Potomac. Hooker teleGraphed Halleck
asking him why Maryland Heights should not
be abandoned after securing all the public
property. Halleck declined TO consent to this,
unless absolutely necessary. On the 9th
Hooker went to Harper's Ferry and found
there LOCO available troops. He again tele-
graphed Halleck that they were of no earthly
account, they did not defend even a ford Of
the river: that there nothing at Harper's
Ferry; the troops were only bait to the rebels,
and begged that this may be presented to the
Secretary of War and his excoilen4y the Presi-
dent No answer appears 70 have been sent
TO these sensible representations
Then HOOKER concluded that his usefulness
as the head of the army past At l p. m.
4. -. l. NJ