The National tribune., 1904-07-14
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
sCo.tinusd iron ART pareJ

ington: but the direct line Of march by
the Shenandoah Valley had been left open
to the advance Of hostile force by Gen.
Hunter. who. after his defeat before Lynch
burg. had taken up an eccentric line OF
retreat by way of Western Virginia. The
effect of this was completely to uncover the
frontier of the loyal States.
The force detached by Lee for this ex-
pedition consisted of a body of 1900 men
track of invasion. Early marched rapidly
down the Shenandoah Valley. arriving be-
fore Martinsburg the Sd of July. Sigel,
who held post there with q small force,
al once retreated across the Potomac at
Shepherdstown. Gen. Weber. in command
retired to Maryland Hights. Hunter, who
had made a toilsome march through the
Alpine region of Western Virginia, expe-
rienced great delays in transporting his
troops TO Harper's Ferry, owing to the
lowness of the river and the breaking of
the railroad in several places. He was
therefore not in position to check the ir-
ruption of the enemy into Maryland. and
the Confederates. the way being thus open,
passed the Potomac. and marching by way
of iiagerstown. on the 7th. reached Fred
erick-a central point whence they might
threaten both Baltimore and Washington
THE FIGHT AT MoNocAcY.
The only force at hand with which TO
dispute Early's advance was body Of a
few thousand foot artillerists. hundred
days men and invalids under Gen. Wal
lace. then in command at Baltimore. But
on learning the irruption of the enemy
across the Potomac, Gen. Grant detached
the Sixth Corps from the Army of the
Potomac and forwarded il by transports TO
Washington. 1t happened, too. ss this
juncture. that the Nineteenth Corps, un-
der Gen. Emory, which had been ordered
from New Orleans. after the failure Of the
Red River expedition. had just arrived in
Hampton Roads. Without debarking it
was sent to follow the Sixth. The ad-
vance division of the Sixth Corps, under
Gen. Ricketts,. having arrived. Gen Wall
lace. with that added to his own heterogen-
eous force, moved forward TO meet Early,
and took position on the Monocacy. Here
he received battle on the 9Th, and though
he was discounted. the stand he made
gained time that was of infinite value
Wallace fell back on Baltimore, and the
route to Washington being clear. Early
at once pushed forward in that direction
sending toward Baltimore a cavalry force
that destroyed long stretch of the North
ern Central Railroad and burnt the via
aHct of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.
thus effectually cutting off communication
with the North and securing the Confed.
| crate rear.
EARLY BEFORE WASHINGTON
Advancing by the great highway from
Frederick to Georgetown, his column on
the 9th reached Rockville, IA miles from
the Federal Capital. Bivouacking here. it
morning of the 18th Early's van refined
up before the Notifications covering the
northern approaches to Washington By
| afternoon the Confederate infantry had
| come up. and showed a strong line in
front OF Fort Stevens. Early had then an
L To ach INT H.
being very slightly defended. The hope at
headquarters that the Capital could be
saved from capture was very slender But
his conduct was feeble, and during the day
the Sixth Corps arrived, and was soon fol-
lowed by the Nineteenth.
EARLY COMPELLED TO RETIRE.
After this, no one of sound nerves had
any fears for the safety of Washington.
The Confederates still held their position
during the 18th. and that afternoon warm
skirmishing took place. though without
vlgOr on the part of the enemy. A brigade
of the Sixth Corps made a sally from the
lines and fell upon and drove the enemy for
mile, suffering loss Of near 300 in
killed and wounded, but inflicting heavier
damage on the enemy. That night Early
withdrew his force and retired across the
Potomac at Edwards Ferry, taking with
him much booty, but little glory. Next
day Gen. Wright began pursuit, but did
not overtake the enemy till he reached the
Shenandoah Valley. After a smart skir-
mish at Smokers Ferry. Early beat re-
treat southwark. The Sixth Corps was
then drawn back to Washington, but as
shortly afterward the Confederates showed
signs of repeating the invasion, il was,
with the Nineteenth Corps, returned to the
Shenandoah Valley. Here Gen. Sheridan
soon afterward took command, and opened
brilliant campaign, to the details of
which shall shortly return.
In this enterprise Gen. Lee founded his
expectations less on what might be accom-
plished directly by the expeditionary force,
than on the effect he supposed this menace
to Washington would have on the army
beleaguering Petersburg. He reasoned that
as Gen. Grant was a man who believed in
overwhelming numbers, he would find him.
self, after the detachment of a sufficient
force to meet the column of invasion, so
reduced in strength that he would remove
his remaining corps altogether from Peters
burg. (14) The siege would thus be raised
and Richmond relieved.
But Lees reasoning was falsifed by the
fact The opportune arrival of the Nine
teenth Corps from New Orleans enabled
Grant to provide a sufficient force to meet
Fairly by the detachment of a single corps,
the loss of which had no sensible influence
on operations against Petersburg. There
is little doubt that at an earlier period
of the war the result would have been very
different and would have fully met Lees
expectations. As it was. it required all
Gen. Grants moral frmness to withstand
| the severe pressure brought upon him by
the Administration to remove his army
from the James River to the front of Wash
ington. The persistency which has been
often pointed out as that commanders dis
t,nguishing trait was never SO happily
illustrated.