Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-09-26

placed In command OF those corps.
replied that | had made no such detail, |
as ! should take command in person |
IL the enemy appeared in that direction.
He then said that my command includ- |
ed only the defenses OF Washington |
and did not extend TO any active col |
umn that might be moved out beyond |
the line Of works; ths no decision had |
yet been made as to the commander of |
the active army.
''On The 7th of September. In addition |
TO the three corps already mentioned |
the Second. Ninth and TweIfth-the |
First and Sixth corps, Sykes division
OF the Fifth corps and COUGHS divi- |
sion Of the Fourth corps were also on
the Maryland side of the river As the
time had now arrived for the army TO
advance and | had received no orders
TO take command of il. but had been
expressly told that the assignment OF
a commander had not been decided.
determined 10 solve the question for
myself and went on my way. was
aftervard accused of assuming COM
maud without authority for nefarious
purposes. II was absolutely necessary
that Lees army should be met and in
the state OF affairs ! have briefly de-
scribed there could be no hesitation on
my part as TO doing it promptly"
An Order Which Changed History.
The 9Th was Sunday. the day Lee
planned his stroke. Report had just
/ reached him that Mcclellan was again
/ in the saddle at Washington. Next
/ day he drafted the famous lost or
der" which directed the movement of
I his divisions to the west of South
/ mountain. so as TO place n barrier be-
/ tween his divided army and the enemy.
/ 1t read as follows:
/ Headquarters. Army OF Northern Vir-
! ginIa-
Special Orders. No. 49,
! The army viii resume its march tonnor-
I row, taking the HaGerstown road. Gener-
I Ell Jackson's command will form the ad-
vance and after passing Middletown. with
. such portions he may select. take the
! route toward SharpsburS. cross the Poto-
mac at the most convenient point and ny
Friday night take possession OF the Baltt-
| more and Ohio railroad. capture such of
the enemy may be at Martinsburs and
. intercept such as may attempt to escape
from Harpers Ferry.
General Longstreet's command will pUr-
sue the same road as far as Boonsboro.
, where IL will halt with the reserve sup
ply and baggage trains Of the army
General Mcl.aws. with his own division
! and that of General r. II. Anderson. will
I follow General Longstreet. On req ching
! MidGletown he will take the roCL 10 Har-
pers Ferry and by Friday morning pos
sess himself of the Maryland heights and
endeavor to capture the enemy at Har
pers Ferry and vicinity.
General Walker. with his division. after
accomplishing the object in which he is
now engaged. will cross the Potomac at
Cheeks ford. ascend its right bank to
! Lovettsvile. take possession OF I.oudon
| heights. IL practica BILE by Friday morn
ing. Reyes ford on his left and the road
between the erd of the mountain and the
Potomac on his right He will. as far as
| practicable. cooperate with General Nc
Laws and General Jackson in intercepting
the retreat Of the enemy.
! General D II HIS division will form
the rear guard OF the army. pursuing the
road taken by the main body. The re-
! serve artillery. ordnance and supply
trains. etc. will precede General Hill
The commands Of Generals Jackson. Nc
Laws and Walker. after accomplishing
the objects for which they have been de-
tached will Join the main body Of the
army at Boonsboro or Hagerstown.
! BY command of General r. L. Lee
Lees Marvellous Self Confidence.
The Interior purpose of the bold
move Lee explained TO General J. q
Walker. to whose division he had as
signed an important part Said he:
In ten days from now. if the mill
tary situation is then what | conf
IDENTIFY expect il to he after the cap
ture of Harpers Ferry. | shall cOGcen-
trate the army at Hagerstown. effec-
tua!ly destroy the Baltimore and Ohio
rOad and march IN this point" placing
his finger on II map spread before him
at Harrisburg. Pa. That is the OBJ
iective point of the campaign. You
remember no doubt the long bridge of
the Pennsylvania railroad over the
Susquehanna a few miles west Of Har
riShurg Wei. | wish cffectually 10
destroy that bridge. which will disable
! the Pennsylvania railroad for a long
time. With the Baltimore and Ohio
in our possession and the Pennsylva-
MIA railroad broken m. there will re
main To the enemy but one route OF
communication with the west. and
that very circuitous. by way of the
lakes. After that can turn my at
tention TO Philadelphia. Baltimore oil
: Washington. as may seem hest for on
Interests
: you doubtless regard ii hazardous
: 10 leave Mcclellan practically on my
=. ! line Of communication and 10 marcel
! into the heart of the enemy's country
II. He is an able general but very
, I cautions one. His enemies among hi!
A own people think him too much so
/ His army is in very demoraliZed anC
, chaotic condition and will not be pre-
a pared for offensive operutions-or b,
Z will not think it sO-for three or fou
n weeks. BEFORE that time hope to b.
on the Susguehanna.
A Lees rear guard left Frederick in TIL
= night. Early next day Mcclellan
n vanguard swoOped down on the abar
a doned camp. and In a few hours Nc
Clellap was reading Confederate head
4 Of .sSnaria