1862.] SPECIAL ORDERS NO. 191. 147 floor until picked up by the union officer a few days later. The document was of such importance that I give it in full: Special Orders No. 191. "HEAD-QUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, SEPTEMBER 9, 1862. "The army will resume its march to-morrow, taking the Hagerstown road. General Jackson's command will form the advance, and after passing Middleton, with such portion as he may select, will take the route toward Sharpsburg, cross the Potomac at the most convenient point, and by Friday night take possession of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, capture such of the enemy as may be at Martinsburg, and intercept such as may attempt to escape from Harper's Ferry. "General Longstreet's command will pursue the same road as far as Boonsboro', where it will halt with the reserve, supply and baggage trains of the army. "General McLaws, with his own division and that of General R. H. Anderson, will follow General Longstreet. On reaching Middleton he will take the route to Harper's Ferry, and by Friday morning possess himself of the Maryland Heights and endeavor to capture the enemy at Harper's Ferry and vicinity. "General Walker with his division, after accomplishing the object in which he is now engaged, will cross the Potomac at Cheek's Ford and ascend its right bank to Lovettsville, take possession of Loudon Heights if practicable by Friday morning, Key's Ford on his left, and the road between the end of the mountain and the Potomac on his right. He will, as far as practicable, co-operate with General McLaws and General Jackson in intercepting the retreat of the enemy. General D. H. Hill's division will form the rear-guard of the army, pursuing the road taken by the main body. The reserve, artillery, ordnance and supply trains, etc., will precede General Hill. "General Stuart will detach a squadron of cavalry to accompany the commands of generals Longstreet, Jackson and McLaws, and with the main body of the cavalry will cover the route of the army and bring up all stragglers that may have been left behind. "The commands of generals Jackson, McLaws and Walker, after accomplishing the objects for which they were detached, will join the main body of the army at Boonsboro' or Hagerstown." You remember how General Pope's dispatch book fell into the hands of General Lee a short time before. Now the same misfortune had come to General Lee, whose entire plan of campaign was laid bare to McClellan. I need not tell you that the union commander used the important knowledge thus obtained. Let us see how Stonewall Jackson carried out the duty assigned to him. On the morning of September 12, he entered Martinsburg and captured a large amount of stores. Pressing on, he reached next morning the outer union line on Bolivar Heights, in the rear of Harper's Ferry. Hill with the advance encamped near Halltown, two miles from Bolivar Heights, the rest of his force being near by. Jackson set out to learn whether McLaws and Walker had arrived. His signals were answered from the opposite mountain, and he then sent couriers to Maryland and Loudon Heights to find whether the two divisions were in position to join in the attack. Walker had crossed the Potomac on the night of the 10th, at Point of Rocks, and hurrying to Loudon Heights, occupied them three days later. Jackson's courier arrived shortly after, and galloped back to Jackson with the news that Walker was in position. It was so late in the day, however, that the attack was put off until the morrow. McLaws at that time was working his way up Maryland Heights. As soon as the crest should be reached, Harper's Ferry would be at the mercy of the confederates, as you will see from the following description: The Elk River Mountains, running north and south across parts of Maryland and Virginia, are cut in two by the Potomac. The rocky wall on the north bank is Maryland Heights and the one on the south is Loudon Heights. Between the latter and Harper's Ferry, the Shenandoah sweeps into the Potomac. Behind the river is a smaller ridge known as Bolivar Heights, which slopes to the southward into the Shenandoah Valley. A small basin is thus formed by the three mountain walls and in it nestles Harper's Ferry. The mountain peaks are about two miles apart, and a strong body on any one of the heights commands the town below. Colonel Miles posted a force on Maryland Heights, the highest of the mountain peaks, but most of his men were in the valley. Had he moved his entire command to the elevation named, he could have held it until the arrival of McClellan with re-enforcements. The federals ought to have heard the deep boom of Franklin's signal guns. He was hastening to the help of the garrison and took this means to let Colonel Miles know he was coming. But the union defense of Harper's Ferry was disgraceful, if indeed it can be called a defense. When Colonel Ford on the Maryland Heights learned of the coming of Jackson, he made a feeble show of resistance, then spiked his guns, tumbled them over the rocks and hurried down to Colonel Miles at Harper's Ferry. Finding Maryland Heights vacated, the confederate General McLaws with great toil dragged a number of his cannon to the top and took possession. When he looked across to the other mountain peaks, he saw the confederate flag fluttering in the breeze, while the crests were swarming with gray-coated legions. Thus each of the three mountain heights commanding Harper's Ferry was occupied by a powerful confederate force, while the union army was huddled in the deathtrap below. The investment was complete, and at daylight on the morning of September 15, a terrific plunging cross-fire was opened on the union garrison. It lasted only an hour, when Colonel Miles called his officers together and told them it was useless to try to defend themselves longer. His batteries were unequal to those of the enemy, while his position, directly under the combined forces, forbade all hope. The officers agreed with him, and the white flag was run up through the smoke. Several artillerymen did not catch sight of the token for a few minutes. It thus happened that one or two shots were fired after the signal of submission was made. The last one mortally wounded Colonel Miles. It was fortunate for him that he was killed, for had he survived, his disgrace would have been worse than death. Harper's Ferry having surrendered, 11,500 men laid down their arms and were at once paroled. The confederates secured 72 guns, 13,000 small arms and a large amount of military stores. When the surrender was made, Stonewall Jackson was leaning against a tree asleep. General A. P. Hill placed his hand on his shoulder, and, as the drowsy lids opened, introduced the federal Colonel White who had come to arrange the terms. Like Grant at Fort Donelson, the commander spoke the word "Unconditional," after which his weary eyelids closed again. Jackson had slept but a few minutes more, when a courier arrived in hot haste from General Lee, with orders for Jackson to join him at once. Leaving A. P. Hill to receive the surrender and complete the removal of the stores, and ordering McLaws and Walker to follow without delay, Jackson hurried off with his tired men to join his chief. Meanwhile, Lee had been maneuvering to draw McClellan away from Washington and Baltimore, with a view of falling upon them before he could return to their defense. Lee, as you have been told, left Frederick on the 10th, after Jackson had gone, and marching by South Mountain, headed toward Boonsboro'. Stuart, with his cavalry, stayed east of the mountains to watch McClellan, who was carefully advancing. Learning that the federals were approaching from the direction of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, Longstreet was sent to Hagerstown to check them, while D. H. Hill stopped near Boonsboro', so as to cut off the escape of the garrison at Harper's Ferry and to give such support to Stuart as might be needed. Lee had no doubt that Harper's Ferry would fall on the 13th, but it did not surrender until two days later. McClellan marched to Frederick City to attack Lee, arriving there on the 12th, and driving out Stuart's cavalry, which was watching him. On the next day Lee's "Special Orders No. 191" fell into McClellan's hands, revealing every thing about the plans of the confederate leader. The knowledge ought to have insured the destruction of Lee and his army. McClellan decided to take advantage of this division of the enemy, by securing the passes of South Mountain, occupying Pleasant Valley, defeating the confederate forces in detail and rescuing Colonel Miles at Harper's Ferry. The union leader marched fast, and on the afternoon of the 13th, was in front of the passes of South Mountain. At that hour the confederate forces were taking position at Harper's Ferry. The confederate cavalry defending the passes of South Mountain strove to stop McClellan, but he easily brushed them aside. He then decided to throw his center and right against the pass leading to Boonsboro', while Franklin's corps was to force its way through Crampton's gap, attack McLaws in the rear and rescue the garrison at Harper's Ferry. Soon after McClellan reached South Mountain, Lee learned of his presence there. He knew that the union commander by some unknown means had learned his plans, and that he was placed in great peril. He ordered D. H. Hill to occupy Turner's Gap and to prevent McClellan from forcing his way through. Lee did not know what was going on at Harper's Ferry, but as you know he was confident that it would fall two days before it really did capitulate. He expected that Jackson would rejoin him before |