Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-22
FIFTY YEARS AGO
IN THE STAR

AAV u "A ~ Il AAA0
Monday morning. June Il. 1864 wash=
ngten woke up to the fact that Lee was
moving north In earnest.
AusteTine The columns of The Star
>s.,.a. from that time on until
@4aasAo' after the battle of Gettys-
burg are full of exciting news telling OF
the Confederate advance The first thing
that appeared to indicate the gravity of
the situation from a northern point OF
view was President Iineolns preelama-
ton I'M 'f'he Star of June IS. 1893. noting
the threat Of the confeaerates to make
inroads into Maryland, western Virginia.
Pennsylvania and Ohio, and calling into
the service Of the United States 100000
militia, hppeftlenea as fellows: From
Maryland, 10000; ffeai Pennsylvania.
10000; from 6hie, 100000 frsui West
virginia. 10000, these to be mustered in
for siH months service.
\
u
In the same issue Is summary of the
situation. noting that week previous
Lengstreet and Ewell
CiQbtiu0 IN had passed through
IS, Cuipeter. headed for
marching by different routes. Eweu en-
gagged Milroy at winchester. AT about
the same time MeTaeynolds, at Berry
Vile. WAS attacked by an overpewe:-
ing force under Trimble, while It was be-
lievsd that Lonsntreet was moving to-
ward MartinsburE. Even then 1t was be-
lieved here that the Confederate advance
had been sufficiently checked to cause the
abandonment Of the invasion of the
northern states. Yet there was no lack
Of apprehension elsewhere. In the same
issue Of The Star was dispatch from
Harpers Ferry. dated June II saying:
rebels are about to strike an aggressive
blow In some quarter. In return for the
compliments recently paid them by Stone
man, Fitzpatrick and Grierson. and the
day last has not thwarted their object.
Where the blow Is to be struck or when
Is entirely matter Of conjecture as yet.
but soon It must come. and I fear upon
a quarter where we are least prepared
for it,
The truth Of this dispatch from Har-
pers Ferry was indicated in an extra
edition issued on the
HagerStOWn same day carrying a dis
patch from Greencastle
0'"euo'ou' Pa, by way of Philadel-
phia. stating that federal troops We're
then passing there in retreat from Ha-
gerstown to Chambersburg. Hagerstown
had been evacuated and all the stores
and rolling stock Of the railroad re-
moved.
simultaneously Gov. Curtin of Penn
sylvania called for $1,000 troops to re-
sist the Confederate advance. The entire
state of Pennsylvania was in alarm.
x
In the issue of June is. lS63. is print
ed abundant justification for the feel
ing that the Confederate
Curtin's invasion was an actual
ity. There was. first, an
APPeoi' official report from Gen.
Milroy at Winchester announcing that
he had been driven from his position
by a superior force Of southern troops,
with Union loss of about 1000 men.
In the same issue are reports of the
presence of the Confederates within
ten miles of Carlisle, Pa, which is but
eighteen miles from Harrisburg. the
state capital The mayor of Phiia
delphia issued an appeal to the clti-
Zens to close their places of business
and to connect themselves without de-
lay with the existing military or
ganization for the defense Of the city.
Gov. Curtin had issued. under date OF
June Is, an appeal to the people OF
Philadelphia. admonishlng. them that
for nearly a week it had been known
that the Confederates were about to
enter the state in force Notwith-
standing the call for troops Phila-
delphia had not responded. The gov
ernor went on:
be disgraced by it's fall, while the men
who should be driving these outlaws
from our soil are Quibbling about the
possible term of service for SIX months.
1t was never intended to keep them
beyond the continuance of the emer-
gency. You all know this by what
happened when the militia was called
out last autumn. You then trusted
your government and were not de-
ceived Trust it again now. l Will ac-
months If you do not wish to bear
the ignominy of Sinking from the de
Tense of your state come forward at
once Close your places OF business
and apply your hearts to the work.
Come in such organizations as you can
form
During the week the rumors grew more
and more exciting as the Confederate ad-
vance continued and
Army Still on the e II checked and
!, proceeded again. The
ed with interest the fate of HARRISBURG
for the defense of which large force
was being rapidly assembled Meanwhile
as late as June Is. 1863; a dispatch III
The Star dated Bull Run, Va. June 10,
stated that the grand Army of the Po-
tomac was then on and near the old
Bull Run battlefield The main force OF
the federal army was thus back IN VIZ
pinia. while Pennsylvania was armlng It
self This was because, as shown by the
dispatches of June 10, it was believed Lee
himself with the main body of his army
was in the neighbour God of Bull Run.
The week closed June -. 1863. with
summary of the situation in The Star in
dicating h e extreme
Governments caution with which the
-. federal government was