The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1908-06-18

DaViS5 letter in reply was captured by
our vigilaEt scouts, and revealed the
straits to which the Confederacy was
lno7y being reduced Davis was impor-
tuned from all parts of the Confeder-
acy for re iGorcements. and particularly
by Johnston 10 help him relieve Vicks-
burg, and BY Bragg to strengthen him
against the army which Rosecrans was
at last moving against him
Without waiting for Davis's reply,
Lee began his northward movement.
June 20 Gen. Early, of Ewelrs Corps.
leaving Winchester, went into position
along the Potomac at Shepberdstown,
as II for the purpose of attacking Har-
pers Ferry. Johnson, commanding an
other of Ewelfs Divisions, crossed the
river and took up position on the grave
dotted field of Antietam, while Rodes,
commanding the Third Division of
EWeifs- Corps, went as far as Hagers-
town. Lee kept himself fully informed
as to the terror which these moyements
had caused, and took able measures to
increase this feeling. He ordered Ewell
TO move with his whole corps directly
up the Cumberland Valley upon Har-
| risburg, and capture the Capital of
Pennsylvania. This would. of course.
give him immense pres tige, offset in a
measure the investment of Vicksburg.
and properly influence the minds of the
statesmen of London and Paris. who
were waiting the rlpeness of time to
recognize the Confederacy. Rodes and
Johnson pushed forward at once to
Greencastle. sending Jenkins with his
| cavalry ahead to Chambersburg while
Early, striking eastward occupied
CaVetown, at the foot of the Blue Ridge
June % Lee was informed of Pleason-
toms retirement from Ashby's Gap. and
that there was nothing more to fear
In the direction of blow against his
right and rear. He therefore ordered
his two other corps forward across the
Potomac to join Ewell Hill crossed
first, and reached Chambersburg June
II, while Longstreet, bringing up the
rear, crossed at Wiiliamsport, and on
the evening of the 27th went into camp
a little south of Chambersburg Lee
therefore had two-thirds of his army
| massed around Chambersburg, with
Ewelfs Corps deployed in front, strik-
ing at Harrisburg, and sending out COL
umns on the TANKS to confuse the au-
thorities at Washington as to the course
of his march. Imboden's Cavalry.
which had been far to the west, came
back to Hancock TO push upon Lees
left, and occupied McConnellsburg Law
ing rich district under contribution
and sending back supplies to the main
army.
in country richer than any they had
ever imagined. The region surpassed
that of the Shenandoah Valley. which
had hitherto been their ideal of fertiI-
ity and thrift. They were amazed not
only at the multitude of people they
found there going about their business
as If there were no war in the land,
but at the well-flled stores and over
flowing granaries which were in such
Gtrnnpy ntf.Ac tn la 1, I
left. 1t was an easy task to fill Lees
commissary- from, any portion of the
fruitful valleys With all the cattle.
sheep, hogs and grain that the army
presently needed. Large supply trains
fhled with provisions and great trains
of cattle were ,thoughtfully started back
to Virginia, and Jenkins and Imboden
remounted their troopers on the pillow
horses of the substantial German farm
ers. The artilleFymen similarly re-
horsed their batteries but the gem
eral complaint was that the large fat
fresh Pennsylvania horses had not the
strength and endurance of the lean
steeds of Virginia.
The MOuntains and Their Gaps.
Tho the chain of mountains north OF
the Potomac has many local names,
they are really combinations of the
same wall-like ridges which in Virginia
are cdlleu the Duo hluge ana .ihe Bull
Run Mountains. The Bull Run Noun
tains in Maryland and Virginia IS
called the Catoctin Mountain, and the
extension of the Blue Ridge is called
the South Mountain Thru these gaps
afford passages as they do south or
course, the greatest of these gaps is
that at Harper's Ferry, but six miles
north is Champions Gap, which the
Sixth Corps had forced just prior to
the battle of Antietam, and six miles
north of Champions Gap is Turner's
Gap. n most important pass traversed