The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-07-20
CONFEDERATES NEARLY
CAPTURED HARRISBURG
Judge J. w. Jacobs Gives Interesting Local Civil
War History in Speech to
Historical Society
Historical Society.

portion Of Judge j. w Jacobs's in
terestine speech on Gettysburg"
which no delivered recently to the
Historical Society follows:
ON June - the head OF Lees col
Umn. Rodes's Division Of Ewclls Corps,
crossed the Potomac at Williamsport.
and Jcnk!ns's cavalry vas sent thence
TO iagerstown and Chambcrshurg TO
collect horses. cattle and supplies In
the meantime lmbodeus cavalry was
operating to the westward. destroying
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and
the canal
Lees Movements.
Although Lees movements were thus
carefully screened. Richmond papers
had given some Information. and the
cavalry battle at Brandy Station on
June revealed the presence OF infau-
Try as well as cavalry near Culpeper
Courthouse, and q movement down the
Shenandoah valley vas indicated 4
RAID was suspected. and il became APP
parent that some provision should be
made Tor tho protection OF the Penn
tylvan!a border Accordingly. on June
=. two new military departments were
created. that OF the Monongahc!a to
which General BROOKS was assigned
with headquarters at Pittsburgh and
that Of the Susquehanna. TO which was
assigned Genera! Couch. with head
quarters at Chanbcrsburg but after a
few days ana during Ihe remainder OF
the campaign 1T Harrisburg. In his
~.
General Couch. Ito prevent serious
RAIDS by the enemy" called for volun-
teers TO serve IN the departmental
corps. FOR the defense OF the depart
inent during the pleasure OF the Pres
ldtnt or the continuance Of tho war"
ana on the following day Governor
curtin issued a proclamation carnestl..
urging citizens to respond To this call.
The plan appears TO have been TO or
Tanizc Il permanent corps for local de-
tn
thc!r homes when not required for
active service. Bat Iilroy's disaster
showed the ium.ucnce OF still greater
danger and the necessity for vigorous
notion Accordingly the President on
Jun. -. INC day the advance of Lees
army reached the Potomac issued a
ca!l for 10000 militia from Pcnusyl-
rania, Maryland ONO and West Vir-
gina TO serve for SIX months. unless
Sooner discharged.
This WAS followed on the same day
by proclamation OF Governor Curtin.
IL; which he spoke no longer OF an
anticipated raid. but OF a threatened
invasion and IAN army OF rebels an
preaching our border" Difficulties
appear 10 have arisen about the term
OF service. and there were CONSEQUENT
delays. but men Immediately began 10
come forward. and during the time
Lee army was north Of the Potomac
nearly $1,000 Pennsylvanians had
enlisted for the emergency, or for three
or six months large part OF whom
rendezvoused At Harrisburg. General
Couch. III his official report. says The
militia OF Pennsylvania raised to re
sist the invasion was composed Of
small organized militia regiments.
which. aggrcgating over 1900 men.
were sent into Maryland and Pennsyl-
Van!a, mainly TO Harrisburg There
was thus assembled at this point a
considerable body OF men largely Of
the same Kind OF material a. that
composing the Army OF the Potomac
but unrestricted; loosely disciplined.
and largely oiiiccred by inexperienced
men. Hence they could not be relied
upon 10 withstand the advance Of we'll
gained veteran troops
At WilIinmsport.
have said that tho head OF Lees
column crossed the Potomac on June
10. Here his leading infantry divi-
sion Rodes. OF Ewells Corpse re
NAMED for three days In William sport,
resting and waiting for other COM
marched to Hagerstown. where he re-
manned for few days. Harrisburg
was now made the Immediate objec-
tive point OF Lees campaign This
course was no doubt dictated by TWO
considerat!ons-tirst that city was the
capital of PENNSYLVANIA. and its occu.
patton was important for its moral
effect. and ii was doubtless expected
TO there levy large contribution OF
money and supplies; and, second, its
occupation still more important
because Of it's location on the Pcnnsyl-
vania and Northern Central Railroads.
lmboden's Cavalry had already de
stroyed the Baltimore and Ohio and,
If the Pennsylvania Railroad could be
cut, the only means of communication
between Washington and tl5 West
would be by route much farther
north--possibly the New YORK Central
Although not so expressly stated in
the extant orders or official reports.
the plan appears TO have been for
Ewell 10 move two OF his divisions
tRodcs and Johnson) directly upon
this city by way OF the Cumberland
Valley and to send n third division
UIarlys) by Gettysburg. York and Co
lumbia 10 Lancaster. 10 take Harris
burg in the rear In his official report
General Lee says: Orders were
Issued to move upon Harrisburg The
expedition Of General Early 10 York
was designed in part to prepare for
this undertaking by breaking the rail
road between Baltimore and Harris
burg. and scizing the bridge over the
Susquehanna at Wrightsville General
Early succeeded In the first object de-
stroying number OF bridges above and
below York. but. on the approach of
the troops sent by him to Wrights-
Vile. body of militia stationed at
that place fed across the river and
burned the bridge. General Early then
marched to rcjoin his corps" The
seizure Of the bridge. Of course meant
The use OF ii and the crossing OF the
river into Lancaster County.
General Enrly's Report.
General Early in his report says:
Il regretted very much the failure
to secure this bridge, as. finding the
aefenselcss condition Of the country
generally and the little obstacle likely
to be afforded by tho militia to our
progress, ] had determined If 1 could
get possession of the Columbia bridge,
to cross my division over the Susque-
hanna and cut the Pennsylvania Rail-
road. march upon Lancaster, lay that