Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-26

assault
ceedingly strong. and consisted - what
anpeared 10 be Enclosed forts 20, heavy
artillery, with tier of lower works IN
front Of each. pierced for an immenss
number Of guns. the whole being connect
ed with bitches in front. and streng' h-nei
by palisades and ahaiis The timber had
been felled within cannon range at
around and left on the ground. making
a formidable obstacle. and every possible
app-oach was raked by artillery
on the right was Rock creek, running
through deep ravine which had been
rendered impossible by the telling of the
timber on each side. and beyond were the
works on the Georgetown pike, which had
been reported to he the strongest OF all
on the left, as far the eye could
reach the works appeared 10 Ice of tho
Same impregnable character This recon
noissance consumed the balance OF the
day.
The rapid marching and the losses at
Harpers Ferry. Maryland Heights ana
Nonocacv had reduced my infantry 10
about s.0p muskets. or these very
large number were greatly exhausted oy
the last two days marching. some nav
ing fallen by sunstroke, and not more
than one-third OF my force cauld have
been carried into action. SO after dark
ON the nth | held a consultation with
Maj. Gems. Breckinridge; Koaes' So,aon i
and Ramseur in which ] stated TO them
the necessity of doing something I'M
mediately, as the passes or south noun
tain and the fords of the upper Potoinac
would soon
After interchanging views with them 1
determined to make an assault on the
enemy's works at daylight next morning.
But during the night q dispatch was re-
ceived from Gen. Bradley T. johnson.
from near Baltimore that two corps had
arrived from Gen. Grants army. and that
his whole army was probably in motion.
As soon as II was hight enough TO see
rode to the front and found the parapet
lined with troops. l had. therefore. re-
luctantly TO give up all hopes OF captur
ing Washington after / had arrived in
sight of the dome OF the Capitol and
given the Federal authorities a terrible
fright.
Some of the northern papers stated that
between Saturday and Monday. 7 could
have entered the city. but Saturday 1
was fighting at Monocacy. thTty-five
miles from Washington. a force which l
could not leave In my rear. and after
disposing OF that force and moving as
rapidly as IL was possible for me to
move / did not arrive in front OF the
Notifications until after noon Monday.
and then my troops were exhausted. and
1t required time to bring them UP into
line.
/ had then made a march, over the
circuitous route by Charlottesville,
Lynchburg and Salem. Va. down the
Shenandoah valley and through the
passes OF the South mountain, witch not
withstanding the delays in dealing with
Hunters. Sigefs and Wallace's forces ia
for its length and rapidity, believe,
without a parallel in this or any other
modern war. My small force had been
thrown up to the very walls Of the Fed
eral capital north OF a river which could
not be forded at any point within forty
miles. and with q heavy force and the
South mountain In my rear-the passes
through which the mountain could be
held by a small number OF troops
A glance at the map. when II Is
recollected that the Potomac is a wide
river and navigable to Washington for
the largest vessels. will cause the in
telligent reader to wonder, not why
1 failed to take Washington. but why
/ had the audacity to approach II as
I did with the small force under my
command. 1t was supposed by some
who were not informed of the facts
that I delayed in the lower valley
longer than was necessary: but an ex-
animation OF the foregoing narrative
VIII show that not one moment was
spent In idleness ! could not move
across the Potomac and through the
passes of the South mountain with any
safety until Sigel was driven from.
or safely housed in. the fortifications
at Maryland Heights.
After abandoning the idea of cap
turing Washington i determined 10
remain in front of the fortifications
during July IL. and retire at night
Johnson had burned the bridges over
the Gunpowder, on the Harrisburg
and Philadelphia roads, threatened
Baltimore and started for Point
Lookout; but the attempt TO release
the prisoners was not made. as the
enemy had received notice of IL in
some way.
On the afternoon OF the 18th a
heavy accommodating force was sent
out by the enemy, which, after severe
skirmishing. was driven back with
but slight loss to us. About dark we
commenced retiring and did so with
out molestation. Passing through
Rockville and Poolesville we crossed
the Potomac at Whites ford, above
Leesburg. in Loudoun county. Va. on
the morning Of the 14th. bringing of
the prisoners captured at Monocacy
and our captured beef cattle and
horses and everything else in safety.
Copyright 1872. by the Century Company