Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-10-21

storminR of Maryland Heights nnd
Capture of Inrpcr's Ferry

=
Capture of Unrpcr's Ferry
The year 1862 was the high tide OF
the Southern Confederacy. In it was
concentered all the most potent ener-
giles OF the stormy little nation. The
spring opened with Jackson's valley
Victories The summer ushered In the
seven days battles and Victories be-
fore Richmond. Midsummer was
crowned by the signal defeat OF the
braggart. Pope, at Second Manassas,
who boosted that he was the young
Lochinvar. come out from the West.
where he had seen only the backs
of his enemies and that henceforth his
headquarters were only to be found
in the saddle till he had swallowed
up all the opposition and victory
should perch on his helm. But she
didn't perch for him. His headquarters
didn't show up when the gray boys
went cunning for them, but his hind
quarters did. badly lacerated by jack
son and his men, He violated the
biblical injunction by boasting when
putting on his armor instead OF wait
ing TIL he put it on,
on the 9Th OF september. 1862. we
rfNNe'NA WV NAhllAhN hlAAtl AatNt III
force, AT LeeabufE, on the Maryland
campaign which ended after two
weeks lighting about in briEades and
divisions, by a fun array OF forces
on both Sides. at the drawn battle Of
Antletam, on Sharpsburg on the 18th
OF September. 1869 We sang Mary
land, My Maryland" to those prosy
old farmers over there and called on
them to rise and shine and shake the
despots heel from on their shore. But
they were mo- afflicted with the shakes
to any visible eStunt. The fact Is,
the drowsy old droncs thought more
OF preserving apples and making apple
butter and hiding It from the gray
jackets, than they did about rising
and shining and shaking their heels
at dcspots. on Saturday, the 18th OF
September, we--the Mississippi brigade
and kershaw's South Carolina brigade
began 10 climb Maryland Heights,
overlooking Harper's Ferry, To cay
ture u fort up there, manned by an
Ohio command, We labored all Satur-
day night. drawing the artillery up by
hand, climbing about a milo up in the
clouds, sunday morning found us on
the top-a backbone ridge about Wide
enough to allow n regiment to form
across H. on either side were rocks
huge boulders-pllcd ON each other,
covered by timber. from base 10 sum
nit, ono Of the boys thought this
must be Mount Ararat. Another
thought there wasn't AIRY rat there,
a third said II so, It was sure enough
an airy rat Presently we hove in
sight OF the fort at the end or tho
ridge, over hanging the ferry, Then
there was music In te air. Zp Bang
Pingl pangl Whe-e-ewl went the
leaden billet douN about us and Into
US. like hornets out Of hornets nest.
The poor boys quit their foolishness
and began 20 pray and promise God
heap OF good things" as one OF
them said about Il afterwards. Kcr-
shaw was given the post OF honor--to
charge the fort in front through the
chiveaux du frieze, which made ones
blood freeze to look at e. II was
q poor business well followed. and
the Misslsslppians lifted not up their
voices against IL. nor did thoy weep
that Il was so ordered We were as
signed job that looked equally dam
gerous-hut was not so because they
over-shot us. We climbed up the
rocky heights by the left flank, while
Kershuw and his men assaulted In front,
struggling through sharpened sticks.
falling az every step, under the brisk
fire OF the blue boys. | felt FOR the
little rice birds and can see them now
In about the sorrowiest job ever hope
trim little cock. all dressed up In gray
with bun trimmings ana seemed to
me the earnest bird that ever fluttered,
as he led his men right into the jaws
OF death and over Into the fort A
last iunFe on the side brought us right
up To his angle, As we reached the
fort the Yonks skedaddled IA haste
70 the ferry below where they We're
bagged with the rest. l was detailed
with a squad TO follow after aud see
them safely in their little hnd. Walker
was on Loudon Heights and jackson
on Bolivar Heights on the Virginia
side Old Jack drew up his men and
gave them fifteen minutes 70 sur
render or he would charge, They sur
rendered--l0.O00 men in blue,
climbed one OF the iallest pines over
hanging the canon and saw one OF the
gr2ndcst scenes mid the grandest
scenery on the continent.
G. c. CUMMINGS,
sav4ALsanth MiAsissinnl Rs<irnsAt