The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-09-13
HENRY CLEWS.
Tnirt 1.-TWO Years 40 a PERIOD of
Deep Gloom in The Warrior
he Union

- '""F OliiItS Two years ago
fell on a period of deep gloom.
McClellan's pehiHsu)a campaign
had failed, Pope had been defeated
at the second battle of Bull Run,
Lee had invaded Maryland, and
the authorities at Washington were
almost IN pane over the defense
Of that city. On September Sth
Gen. Lee remarked to Gen. John
u. Walker Of his command: "In
ten days from now if the military
situation is then what | confidently
expect it to be alter the capture of
Harper S Ferry, | shall concentrate
the army at Hagerstowm, elfectuallv
destroy the Baltimore and Ohio
RAILROAD, and march to this point
placing his finger at Harrisburg,
Pa. "That is the objective point
OF the campaign. / will destroy
the bridge across the Susquehanna
q few miles west of Harrisburg.
That will disable the Pennsylvania
railroad long time. With the
Baltimore and Ohio in our possess
sion. and the Pennsylvania railroad
broken up, there will remain to the
enemy but one route Of comnuri-
cation with the West, and that very
clrcuitouS, by way of the great
lakes. After that I can turn nv
attention to Philadelphia. Balti-
more or Washington as may seem
best for our interests"
Such was the prog ANNE, and
yesterday thirFy-two years ago the
Confederate army was on tie point
OF executing the first part Of the
programme-the capture of Har-
per's Ferry.
1t was fixed point of policy
with Halleck, while he was com
mander-ln-chief, to keep a large
force at Harpers Ferry with the idea
that it would hold the line of the
Potomac river. which it never did.
When Mcclellan had been hurliedlv
restored to command to meet Lees
invasion, he strongly urged that
the division, 10000 strong, at Har-
per,s Ferry should be withdrawn
and added to the nam army where
1t would be of use, but Halleck
would not listen to anything of the
kind, and the division was left
there to be gathered in by the
Confederates.
The troops at Harper's Ferry
were under the command of Col.
Dillon S. Miles. Harper's Ferry IS
on The Virginia side of the Poto-
mac at the junction of the Shenan-
doah. On the Maryland side are
the high bluffs known as MARYLAND
Heights, overlooking the town. On
the east side of the Shenandoah is
Loudon Heights, also commanding
the town. Back of the town in the
angle of the Potomac and the Shen-
andoah, is Bolivar Heights several
hundred feet lower than the other
heights and under a plunging fire
from them. Against the division
left in this trap a third of Lees
army, under the command of Jack
son, was moving yesterday thirty
two years ago.
Of Col. Miles force 1000 were
posted on Maryland Heights, 1880
on Bolivar Heights, and the re-
mainder, about 1000, guarded the
bridge and other points on the riv-
ers. On September 13 two divis-
ions OF the Confederate army under
McLaws and Anderson, attacked
the small force stationed on Mary
land Heights. 1t made a gallant
fight, but when the Confederate
troops were attacking its rear, aban-
doned the position, retreating to
Harper's Ferry. On the same day
another division of the Confederate
army under Walker occupied Lou
don Heights, no attempt to hold
which had been made by the Fed
eral forces. Also on the same dav
Gen. jackson himself with a still |
larger force reached position in
front Of Bolivar Heights so that the |
single division Of the Union army |
was completely in the grip of an
overwhelming force, Gen. Jackson
began thanking movement on the
rsT,r l., ~