Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1955-09-29

erick we intercepted dispatches
from Col. Rush which satisfied
me that our whereabouts was
still problem to the enemy.
Before reaching Frederick l
crossed the Monocacy, continued
the march through the night via
Liberty, New Market and Mon
rovia on the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad where we cut the tele-
graph wires and INSTRUCTED the
railroad. We reached at daylight
HyattstoWn, but we found only
a few wagons to capture, and we
pushed on to Evansville, which
we found just vacated by a COM
pany of the enemyS cavalry.
1--WE had here corroborated
what we had heard before, that
Stoneman had between four and
five thousand troops about
Poolesville and guarding the
river fordS. started directly for
PoolesVille, but instead of march
ing upon that point avoided it
by a march via a road through
the woods leading to the mouth
of the Monocacy. Guarding we'll
my flanks and rear, l pushed
boldly forward, meeting the head
of the enemy's column going to.
wards Poolesville.
Il ordered the charge which
was responded to in handsome
fashion by the advance squadron
of Lees brigade which drove
back the enemys cavalry upon
the body of infantry advance to
occupy the crest
"Quck as tn ght, Lees
sharpshooters spf G to the
ground, and engaging the enemy
skirmishers held them in check
until the artillery came up which,
under the gallant Pelham, drove
back the enemy's forces to his
batteries beyond the Monocacy.
Il made a rapid strike for
Whites Ford to make my way
across before the enemy at Mon.
ocacy or Poolesville could be
aware of my design, Although de-
layed somewhat by about 200 in
fantrymen, strongly posted in
cliffs over the ford, they yielded
to the moral effect of a few
shells before engaging our sharp
shooters, and the crossing of
the canal tnoW dry and river
was effected with all the preci.
sion of passing a defile on a
hill"
If the South was jubilant over
the results of Stuart's invasion,
words would fail to express their
elation after the bloody battle
of Balls Bluff, opposite Whites
Ferry.
This is the oldest Potomac
River Ferry known, and had OPP
Grated continuously long before
the War between the States. And
here was fought, just two months
after the battle of Bull Run, one
OF the bloodiest battles of the
war. 1t resulted in a complete
rout of the invading Union
forces and caused much conster-
nation and concern in Washing
ton. So absolutely and utterly
was the Union army beaten that
steps were taken to move the
capital from Washington. This,
however, was not done.
Balls Bluffs heights are an
astonishing twenty meters, and at
certain spots, is absolutely in
accessible.
The Union forces numbering
between four and five thousand
under the command of Generals,
decided on an attempt to capture
Lecsburg, then considered an i'm
portant upper outpost Of the
South.
The Union scouts climbed the
high hills of Marble Quarry to
observe the bivouac fires of the
enemy Cunningly the South had
concealed in the dense woods adj
jacent to Balls Bluff, a fighting
force equally as large as the
North's, and purposcly kept their
camp fires at night at very
minimum.
The North, unfortunately,
reached the conclusion that the
SOuths forces were small in
number, and the undertaking to
land on the Virginia shore from
HarriSon's Island was undertake
en- without trepidaton.
TO be on the safe side 1000
Union troops were sent down
stream to Edwards Ferry IA
culpablc blunder) this deploy-
mcnt TO cross over to the mouth
Of Goose Creek and there to
head upstream 70 provide rein.
forcemcnts for the original task
force should the need arise.
Meanwhile at Whites Ferry,
and from Harrison's Island, three
huge scows each carrying 40 men
NOR load udth Ru1I o1,,tr,,,o,,4