The Washington herald., 1914-07-05
THE WAR DAY BY DAY
Fifty Years Ago.
July S lss4Gsn Juba Early Marching wahston with 700
cufedsaies Crossed the Potomac River from Virginia Into Maryland
After Driving the Federal Garrison Out Of Hapers
in Pennsylvania

Fifty years ago today Gen. Jubal A.
Early, who was marching on Washing
ton with 12,OoO confederates. crossed the
Potomac River from virginia into Mary
land, having driven the Federal garrison
out OF Harper's Ferry.
EarIy's invasion caused CONSERVATION
in Maryland and Pennsyivania- Wild
rumors were current of the strength Of
the invading column. One report sent
to Washington from near Harper's Ferry
placed 1t at 5000 men and Is guns.
The National Capital was but weakly
defended, and nervous oficiAls already
saw the Southern legions marching In
triumph up p-ansylvanla avenue, the
Treasury looted and the President in
flight.
Eariy's division came like thunder
clap to the people OF the North as q
whole. II Lee could spare a large force
% move against Washington. what had
been accomplished by Grants campaign
against Richmond? The question was a
hard one for Grants supporters to an
swer: for as yet II was not understood
that Lees army, and not Richmond. was
Grants objective. while the effect OF
Grants process of attrition in wearing
down Lee could not as yet be Judged.
Lees Bold Strategy.
Grant had greatly weakened Lee. yet
his plans had gone wrong In more ways
than one, and Earlys raid was result
OF one of these miscarriages. that Of an
expedition sent by Grant up the Valley
of Virginia against LynchDurg, under
Gen. David Hunter. to cut Lees COM
munications with Western Virginia
Lees success in keeping Grant at bay
had enabled him 10 detach about n.OoO
infantry, under Early and Gen. John c.
Breckinridge, from his own army. to
meet Hunter. and turn him back. This
they did on June Is
With Hunter In retreat across West
Virginia, the road lay invitingly open
to Washington. Gen. Lee, noting q de-
crease in viEor in Grants army In front
Of Petersburg, had judged that he eoulo
risk the further absence of his detached
force. and had ordered Early TO march
North. with the purpose of making a
demonstration, at least, on Washington.
and OF attempting the release of the
large number OF Confederate prisoners
at Point Lookout. Nd, between the capt.
tai and Baltimore.
Lees far-seeing generatship and hs
boldness were never better demonstrat-
ed than in his carrying the war again
into the enemy's country. at a time when
his own cause was decaying. and a su-
perior army. under the best Of the Fed
eral Generals, was In his own front.
His aim was TO protect himself by
menacing the enemy-to draw troops
away from the Federal force at Peters
burg. and possibly its commander itself.
for service in the field OF Eariy's more
distant operations, and to leave himself
free to detach still more men from
Petersburg to go to the aid Of the de-
tenders OF Atlanta
While Lee was not strong enough to
send troops to Atlanta, his detachment
Of Early doubtless measurably pro-
longed the existence Of the Confederacy.
When Hunter retired from before
Lynchburg. Early had followed him into
the Allegheny Mountains, then turned
back and marched TO Staunton, in the